living It’s all about details in luxurious suite
Filed Under Kitchen Curtain | Posted on March 9, 2008
Rising 21 storeys from a curved podium at the corner of Bay and Davenport, the glass curtain wall architecture of the Florian condo promises to be a downtown landmark. But that’s not what will make it successful, says Paolo Palamara, the Florian’s builder. A building must relate to the dignity of it residents and of the streets around it and not stand merely as arrogant testament to wealth. Palamara picks architects who are known as much for their understanding of urban planning and the city’s social fabric as they are for their design skills. If I’m building a space where people will live, eat, cry, I must care, Palamara says. If someone tells me that an armoire from their family is dear to them, yet there is no wall on which to place it, how can I ignore that? That location meant many buyers would be downsizing from large Forest Hill or Rosedale homes, so the layout needed to afford wall areas big enough to accommodate large pieces of art and antique cabinetry. Ten-foot ceilings were considered so important that an extra floor was sacrificed to make the room. Palamara meets every buyer to ensure the suite works for them, even re-configuring the layout if necessary. That attention to detail led to his deliberate choice of Brian Gluckstein for the interior design. Not only does Gluckstein understand the demographic, he’s about as obsessive as Palamara is with details. This buyer has great art, beautiful things, and likes to entertain. They want the urban lifestyle, spaces large enough to accommodate that, and a high level of finish to go with it, Gluckstein explains. He set the stage with a dramatic entryway. Walls of dark coral grasscloth accentuated by white trim, doorframes and high baseboards, coffered ceilings, and an exquisite Fortuny ceiling fixture hint at things to come.I wanted a wow factor, Gluckstein admits. You can afford to go with something this dramatic when it’s a transition space, like the front entry. It also sets the tone for the accents that appear elsewhere.Rooms lead off the long hall bedrooms on one side, kitchen and principal rooms on the other. The large kitchen is like a two-sided galley layout, with cabinetry running both sides of the room and a marble covered island in the middle. Cupboards extending the full 10-foot height of the room. The principal area incorporates living and dining area, plus a cozy conversation area near the fireplace. While unified by one area carpet, each specific area depends on strategic furniture placement for definition.If you’re not careful to create groupings, and conversation areas, furniture can look just plopped in the middle, floating free, Gluckstein says. Gluckstein has also created parentheses: six coral chairs that hug an exquisite round table and a stunning chandelier to define the dining space; dark end tables on either side of the L-shaped living arrangement of loveseat and sofa in front of a bank of windows; two round side tables beside the two chairs in front of the gas fireplace. To capitalize on the light, he chose furnishings that wouldn’t compete light, creamy, low slung in scale, and soft filtering sheers at the windows. But to prevent the room from floating away, he selected dark hardwood floors, tan area carpet and drapery, and russet accents.The long walls are not easily found in most condo spaces. To show off the possibilities, Gluckstein selected original artwork from galleries around the city. While the palette in the principal areas is more vibrant, the private spaces, bedrooms and baths, colours are studies in calm. Gathering spaces seem to demand vibrant tones, and stimulus for celebrating, but where you retire, it’s important to create an atmosphere of restful calm, Gluckstein says.
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