Condos
May 9, 2023
This Toronto High-Rise Has Spectacular City & Lake Views
Toronto’s hospital row may seem like an unlikely place to put down roots, but for Matthew Ventura (pictured), global director of marketing and communications at B+H Architects, his partner, Serge, a health-care professional, and their seven year- old whippet, Rupert, it felt like moving to the epicentre of the city. “You’ve got the AGO and Chinatown to the west, the Eaton Centre to the east, the University of Toronto to the north and the Financial District to the south,” says Matthew. “It’s an area undergoing an exciting transition.”
Located in the heart of the newly minted Discovery District, 488 University was one of the first commercial towers in the city to get a residential topper. Wrapped in glass, the 55-storey jewel is the first downtown address for boutique developer Amexon. “Prior to buying, we visited another project by Amexon in Etobicoke and were so impressed by the quality of the finishes and the attention to detail,” says Matthew. With valet parking, a two-level, state-of-the-art gym, indoor pool and entertaining space, this tower didn’t disappoint. Their 1,620-square-foot three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath corner unit easily has one of the best views in the city. All it needed was someone to help take it to the next level.
After spotting the designer in a House & Home TV video, Matthew and Serge tapped Jodie Rosen and her team to turn their basic white box into a sophisticated entertaining space.
Scroll down to see how they made it happen!
Jodie helped the couple transform the third bedroom into an open office with a desk large enough to accommodate two workstations.
In the principal bedroom, she created a dream closet using custom millwork, recessed lighting and mirrored doors to conceal the couple’s extensive shoe collection. “It feels like a high-end retail store,” says Matthew.
The millwork from the closet extends into the bedroom doorway, with similar wood accents on the feature wall to marry the spaces.
“We wanted the powder room to feel really dark and sexy,” says Jodie.
On a clear day, the condo’s southwest-facing windows offer views of the lake and beyond to Centre Island, Mississauga and Hamilton. In the main living area, the furniture was kept low-profile so as not to obstruct the jaw-dropping view. “We tried to create a lot of moments where people could set down a drink or pull up a chair,” says Jodie.
Designing this condo didn’t come without its challenges. First, the pandemic set their work back by months and, then, the usual condo constrictions added an extra layer of organization and planning. “The turns are tighter, the proportion of furniture is different, installing light fixtures can be a challenge, there are so many condo rules! — and then there’s dealing with deliveries,” says Jodie. Between booking elevators and working within the designated hours, coordinating deliveries for the same day proved to be a logistical magic trick.
There’s also the issue of close quarters. “One day, we got in trouble for cutting millwork on the terrace after our neighbor got a mouthful of sawdust,” says Matthew. One lucky break was being able to work with the general contractor for the building, since some amenity spaces were still being finished. “It almost completely eliminated the need to bring in a crew of our own,” says Matthew.
A marble backsplash and black accents including the pendants, hardware and faucet were added to give the kitchen a more custom feel. “It was important to maintain flow in the space since Matthew and Serge love to cook and entertain,” says Jodie.
“It wasn’t a huge room; it was important to find a dining table in the right size so it wouldn’t feel cramped,” says Jodie
Now that the sawdust has settled, Matthew and Serge enjoy spending time in their favorite spot in the condo, the spacious living room. From here, they can entertain guests and take in the city lights. With the condo perched so high, it’s easy to forget the chaos happening in the streets below. “On a summer night, we like to go out on the terrace with a laptop and glasses of wine and watch a movie against the backdrop of the city,” says Matthew. “It really is the perfect reprieve.”
Alex Lukey
Jodie Rosen