These Three Colourful Condos Spark Joy

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!
1) 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.
- Photographer Virginia Macdonald
- 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
- Photographer Virginia Macdonald
- Designer Cori Halpern
“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.
- Photographer Virginia Macdonald
- Designer Cori Halpern
“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.
- Photographer Virginia Macdonald
- Designer Cori Halpern
A mix of juicy peacock and chartreuse velvet dining chairs are fun and playful in the dining area.
- Photographer Virginia Macdonald
- Designer Cori Halpern
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.
- Photographer Virginia Macdonald
- Designer Cori Halpern
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
- Photographer Virginia Macdonald
- Designer Cori Halpern
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.
- Photographer Virginia Macdonald
- Designer Cori Halpern
2) 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.”
- Photographer Janis Nicolay
- Designer Tanya McLean (Mango Design Co)
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.
- Photographer Janis Nicolay
- Designer Tanya McLean (Mango Design Co)
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.
- Photographer Janis Nicolay
- Designer Tanya McLean (Mango Design Co)
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.
- Photographer Janis Nicolay
- Designer Tanya McLean (Mango Design Co)
Banana-leaf print wallpaper paired with pink millwork in the dressing room instills a happy, holiday look.
- Photographer Janis Nicolay
- Designer Tanya McLean (Mango Design Co)
The kitchen’s terrazzo counter is repeated in the principal ensuite, which is amped up with a fluted vanity and graphic floor tile.
- Photographer Janis Nicolay
- Designer Tanya McLean (Mango Design Co)
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
- Photographer Janis Nicolay
- Designer Tanya McLean (Mango Design Co)
Painted millwork in an oceanic-blue highlights the millwork and door’s textural details.
- Photographer Janis Nicolay
- Designer Tanya McLean (Mango Design Co)
Teal cabinets accent the moody Japanese-inspired wallpaper mural in the walk-in closet.
- Photographer Janis Nicolay
- Designer Tanya McLean (Mango Design Co)
“Each element in the penthouse is special in its own right, but everything works together beautifully,” says the designer.
- Photographer Janis Nicolay
- Designer Tanya McLean (Mango Design Co)
3) 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.
- Photographer Virginia Macdonald
- Designer Anne Hepfer
A swivel chair is upholstered in a modern take on chintz, while a green herringbone fabric dresses up a bench.
- Photographer Virginia Macdonald
- Designer Anne Hepfer
A medley of colours in the plaid wallpaper enlivens a deep teal pleather-covered banquette.
- Photographer Virginia Macdonald
- Designer Anne Hepfer
This bold botanical wallpaper is accented by a peacock pillow, trimmed in sunny yellow.
- Photographer Virginia Macdonald
- Designer Anne Hepfer
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.
- Photographer Virginia Macdonald
- Designer Anne Hepfer