Decorating & Design
A Rental Apartment With 600 Square Feet Of Sophistication
Published on November 9, 2020
For Calgary designer Nam Dang-Mitchell, the chance to put her mark on an apartment in the city’s historical Bannerman Block building was impossible to pass up. “I was able to indulge in ideas I’ve wanted to bring to life for some time,” says Nam of the project that Certus Developments, her husband James Mitchell’s company, undertook. A minimalist kitchen with an emphasis on a single killer material — silver limestone with blue-gray veining — was one such idea. Covering virtually every hard surface in the kitchen and bathroom in the same stone creates a cohesive look, and every inch of the slabs has been used.
Nam also had to get creative when she encountered a roadblock needing a design workaround: an imposing load-bearing column that juts awkwardly into the living room. The solution? Building custom banquettes topped with cushions on either side of the support pillar. These sofa stand-ins are deep enough to double as guest beds when the back cushions are removed, leading Nam to observe: “Sometimes, embracing the flaws in a space results in the best solutions.”
Scroll down to see more of this stylish small space!
Silver limestone slabs and a brass-detailed range impress in the kitchen. For symmetry, Nam flanked the range with a panelled refrigerator on one side and a built-in cabinet on the other. “I didn’t want to squish the entire kitchen to one side, like you’d see in a typical apartment layout,” she says. “By adding the cabinet above the doorway, I was able to balance both sides of the kitchen and center the island and range.”
“That limestone was my design nucleus; everything else revolved around it,” says Nam, who’s known for her classic yet edgy interiors.
A narrow limestone shelf adds convenient storage for everyday essentials, while thoughtful design touches like the pot filler make the small kitchen feel luxe.
The hardworking hub offers every perk, including dishwasher and microwave drawers that are stacked within the island.
Custom built-in sofas are a clever use of space and double as guest beds.
A floating vanity feels airy in the compact bathroom. “The deep limestone apron front is in keeping with the minimal approach we took in the kitchen,” says Nam.
With future tenants in mind, Nam chose a neutral palette and affordable furniture for the sole bedroom. “Designing the space to be visually calm makes living in it more comfortable, both physically and psychologically,” she says.
Colin Way
House & Home September 2020
Nam Dang-Mitchell