Located within an exclusive residential condominium building in the heart of Toronto’s historic St. Lawrence Market neighborhood, this two-storey, 4,500-square foot penthouse illustrates how a luxury condo can still have all the comforts of a traditional family home. With expansive views, a sprawling terrace and airy interiors, this inspired setting is the ideal home for the clients and their family.
Studio Munge, an award-winning interior design firm founded by Alessandro Munge, was approached by the clients to reinvigorate the interiors of their penthouse suite, and applied a sleek, modern aesthetic while maintaining a distinct residential feel. The interiors feature a soft, neutral colour palette accented by sculptural elements and natural material finishes, including a two way Costa Azure marble fireplace in the main-level dining room, and sculptural spiral staircase separating the living and dining areas.
The clients were concerned that moving to a condominium would prohibit them from enjoying the lifestyle they had become accustomed to as a family with grown children. As such, the designers had to ensure that the same comforts found in traditional family home, complete with abundant storage, outdoor space and ample room for entertaining friends and family were integrated into the new design. To do this, they developed a series of distinct but open spaces to create an airy, uncluttered atmosphere that promotes effortless transition between rooms. An open-concept kitchen with an oversized 5’ x 10’ island leads into the main floor dining room, designed to accommodate the client’s large family. A spectacular two-way fireplace in the dining room is a dominant focal point; the dark marble unit offers a unique contrast to the soft color palette employed throughout the rest of the home. A 2,000-square-foot terrace wraps around the entire first level, and a lounge located directly off the sculptural spiral staircase behaves as a dual access point to the master bedroom, with direct access to the master ensuite and bedroom. The library-den is partially hidden by custom-designed shelving and the main staircase, giving it a sense of privacy while maintaining an open concept feel.
The designers also integrated artwork into the residence, working closely with the clients to analyse the scale and function of each area and carefully select pieces that could both define a room yet allow for decorative flexibility. Featuring works by Shelley Adler, Barbara Cole, Joshua Jensen Nagle and Edward Burtynsky, this custom art curation punctuates the living areas and creates a fascinating interplay with the surrounding palette.
Written by Jeannie Cotter & Maxime Bocken for Calibre Magazine, Singapore.