Condos
October 26, 2020
This Vancouver Condo Takes A Minimalist Approach To Global Style
Dr. Paula Meyler is no stranger to gruelling 24-hour shifts. When she’s finally home, the Vancouver anesthesiologist goes straight to her cozy bedroom, crawls into bed, draws up the indigo sheets and looks at her travel photos on the wall. “You can get very focused in medicine and forget that there’s a whole world out there,” says Paula, who lives in a 1,600-square-foot condo in Gastown. “I’m so thankful to have invested in myself and my home; it’s a place where I can relax and unwind after the chaos of the hospital. You can’t put a price on that.”
After renting the condo for three years, Paula bought it from her landlord — she loved its wraparound gardens and terraces, especially the private courtyard with fountains, trees and zen vegetation out front. She asked her friend Ben Leavitt of Vancouver design studio PlaidFox to make the interior feel equally tranquil. “She wanted it to be bright and calming — very minimal with not a lot of color,” says Ben. “But because she spends her whole day in a hospital, I didn’t want it to be clinical.”
Details such as new arched doorways and handmade Moroccan tiles on the walls reflect Paula’s travels and her time working as a volunteer doctor abroad. “This house is influenced by Morocco and India, but mixing in modern pieces keeps it from feeling too theme-y,” says Ben.
Scroll down to discover this global-inspired respite!
Paula displays several of her own photographs in the condo, including this one of a train station in Sri Lanka.
Backgammon-style encaustic wall tile turns a white oak bench into the entry’s graphic focal point.
Statement furniture in sunset hues and Paula’s own striking photograph of a holy man in India personalize the airy living room.
This ceramic piece is an Etsy find by Polish artist Anna Kozlowska-Luc.
Photographs give the kitchen a dose of personality. While in Sri Lanka, Paula snapped this portrait after the man shyly asked for his photo to be taken.
A panelled refrigerator and white counters suit the clean lines of the contemporary windows, while an antique Buddha statue from Vancouver’s Chinatown sits (unexpectedly) on the counter.
Dramatic color-blocked drapery conceals odd-sized windows and makes the dining room feel more intimate. One of Paula’s favorite fixtures is the boat-shaped Kelly Wearstler chandelier over the table. “Pre-renovation, I thought lighting was just a functional thing, but each fixture is a piece of art on its own,” she says.
New white oak flooring complements the custom concrete table and sleek Gubi chairs.
The guest and media room pairs a plush sofa (which pulls out into a bed) with statement accents.
A half wall of Black Beauty (2128-10) by Benjamin Moore makes the architectural nook really pop.
A custom door based on a Moroccan design was commissioned for the guest bathroom. Charcoal floor tile is grounding while quirky objets and vases add a whimsical touch.
A former ballet dancer, Paula loves dance, travel and photography, and her home needed to match her intrepid personality. “Ben pushed me to incorporate my photographs into the design, to bring that part of me out,” she says.
Herringbone flooring carried onto the wall is a striking detail in the principal bedroom.
The open closet was enlarged and painted a calm blue-green.
In the principal bathroom, an arched mirror was hung horizontally over the floating white oak vanity.
Breezy tropical wallpaper and white glass penny-round tile feel fresh.
Tracey Ayton
House & Home September 2020
Ben Leavitt, PlaidFox Studio