These condos take a no-holds-barred approach to bold hues, and the payoff is huge.
Whether it’s delivered via a splashy floral drape or wall covering, candy-like terrazzo counter or chartreuse velvet chair, these colourful elements supercharge the palettes and prove there are no limits for those who love colour. Below, see the joyful role that colour plays in these condos!
A High-style Pied-à-Terre with Daring Colour
“It was a vanilla box that lacked architectural detailing,” says Canadian designer Garrow Kedigian of this New York City apartment. The designer was hired to bring new life to the pied-à-terre. In no time, he and the homeowner were having design chats and making joint shopping trips to Stamford, Conn., looking for vintage and antique treasures. They decided the antidote to the flat space would be to bring in architectural details, elegant furniture, and bold colours, patterns and textures, creating a high-style, eclectic mix with mid-century modern elements. “I wanted to capture the mood of a Mad Men set,” says Garrow.
The vibe begins as soon as you open the door. “When you enter an apartment, you want to set the stage for something even more fabulous around the corner,” says Garrow. The foyer is wallpapered with an elegant chinoiserie print framed with black trim, complete with a hidden door to the kitchen. “I love how the black mouldings and baseboards set off the wallpaper,” says Garrow. “I hate white trim! To me, it feels like you forgot to paint it.”
Beyond the foyer, guests are immediately drawn to the open-plan living–dining area, which is drenched in glossy sky blue and punctuated by bold oranges. In the living room, a modern blue sofa and vintage Dorothy Draper chairs are juxtaposed with a custom persimmon-hued sectional inspired by a vintage sofa Garrow had seen at a Paris flea market.
The drama continues in the den, where a bright, carrot-coloured ceiling pops against dark blue-grey walls. “We turned the third bedroom into a man cave for Nathan with Mad Men style,” says Garrow. “In Manhattan, it’s good to have a rainy-day room to escape to.” Throughout the spaces, the designer added architectural details and texture, including stepped panelling and bookcases in the living room, and box panelling in the guest room and den. Contributing to the apartment’s vibrant pastiche are custom furniture pieces designed by Garrow himself and built by Quebec fabricator Siècle en Siècle.
Tour: Canadian Designer Garrow Kedigian Brings Daring Colour To A New York City Pied-à-Terre
A Toronto Condo with Vibrant Colour and Pattern
When the homeowners of this 1,650-square-foot Toronto condo were looking for a designer they were discouraged by portfolios full of stark, white spaces. They wanted colour and pattern, something that would nod to their fun side. “Cori seemed like a colourful person and had a colourful space we could relate to,” says homeowner Robin of designer Cori Halpern.
The kitchen is full of punchy colour, thanks to the fluted teal island and robins’s egg cabinets. “I always knew I wanted to do a two-tone teal kitchen for these two,” says Cori. “We’re all redheads and we tend to gravitate toward similar hues. The Farrow & Ball–inspired palette suits them; they look good in the space.”
Related: 10+ designers take us inside their own kitchens
“The main living area is one big open space, so everything needs to work together,” says Cori, who custom designed most of the furniture with curved shapes and colours that nod to a mid-century modern aesthetic.
“The drapery fabric was where we injected movement into the space, and we needed a lot of it,” says Cori of the colourful floral print. “The Pindler fabric we ended up with looks a little like Japanese tattoo art; we all loved it,” says the designer.
A mix of juicy peacock and chartreuse velvet dining chairs are fun and playful in the dining area.
The bedroom is bathed in a cosmetic pink wash of colour. Cori enveloped the principal bedroom in a blush-hued House of Hackney wallpaper, matching bolster fabric and pastel drapes.
The teal rug and chair accents a dynamic animé-style mural in Robin’s office.
Read More: 10+ home office ideas that will motivate you
The pale minty colour on the vanity and cabinet is soft, but unexpected and fresh. Cori accented the shade with playful aquatic-themed wallpaper to match the blue millwork and penny tiles.
An East Vancouver Penthouse with A Vivacious Palette
Designer Tanya McLean gave this new-build penthouse a sunny, Palm Springs–style disposition, no matter the weather. This two-level, 1,400-square-foot penthouse apartment in East Vancouver is a combo of banana leaf motifs and a beach-towel palette. “Most homeowners are cautious, but when you have clients who trust your design direction and allow you to be so creative, it’s a rare event. They didn’t want boring or beige; they wanted it to be lighter, brighter, uplifting and whimsical.”
This is a home that embraces traditional craftsmanship (all of the art was created by local artisans) but with a modern maximalist’s celebration of colour. A jubilant floor-to-ceiling mural of supersize pop art foliage hovers above simple dining room chairs the colour of a beach sunset viewed through an Instagram filter.
Terrazzo counters in confetti colours add a happy, beach-party vibe to the kitchen and bathrooms. Tanya used colour and art to visually define the kitchen and break up the 17-foot-tall space.
A pale peacock headboard and tropical bedspread gives the principal bedroom the feel of a tropical resort, amplified by the ensuite’s Pop Art palette.
Banana-leaf print wallpaper paired with pink millwork in the dressing room instills a happy, holiday look.
The kitchen’s terrazzo counter is repeated in the principal ensuite, which is amped up with a fluted vanity and graphic floor tile.
Colourful and overscaled patterned wallpapers Tanya chose for a guest bedroom and dressing rooms are “unique and used to define each space, but all have a tropical theme.” The wallpaper’s pink ground is accented by a sumptuous velvet chair.
Read More: 11 home design trends destined to be classics
Painted millwork in an oceanic-blue highlights the millwork and door’s textural details.
Teal cabinets accent the moody Japanese-inspired wallpaper mural in the walk-in closet.
“Each element in the penthouse is special in its own right, but everything works together beautifully,” says the designer.
A City Apartment Bursting With Colour and Graphics
Real-estate broker Justine Deluce turned to designer Anne Hepfer, an intrepid colourist, to use bold strokes of saturated hues and graphic patterns to transform her Toronto apartment. In the living room, an abstract painting, velvet toss pillows and floral chairs inject juicy green notes.
A swivel chair is upholstered in a modern take on chintz, while a green herringbone fabric dresses up a bench.
A medley of colours in the plaid wallpaper enlivens a deep teal pleather-covered banquette.
This bold botanical wallpaper is accented by a peacock pillow, trimmed in sunny yellow.
Touches of gold create a jewel-box effect in the dusky plum powder room. The lilac vanity and door amps up this saturated shade for a colour-drenched effect that’s luxe.
The post These Colourful Condos Spark Joy appeared first on House & Home.