Waterfront Condo

The approximately 1000sf waterfront condo was spacious in the beginning for the couple, but as the family grows from two to four (plus a cat), the generic two bedroom condo layout was becoming a hindrance. To meet everyone’s needs, both big and small, Picnic Design responded with a single continuous piece of millwork that acts as an armature, defining the circulation and offering multiple functions throughout the home.

Upon entering, the vestibule offers a glimpse into the actual home. An echo of the millwork starts at the entrance, and then it stretches from the kitchen to the living room. The sightline and the circulation create the unique shape of the kitchen island. The piece offers a combination of cabinets and open shelving, which were severely lacking, and considers the ergonomics and use for adults and kids alike.

In addition to the functions of a kitchen and a living room, a lot of the smaller informal daily living needs are taken into account. The narrow ledge by the entrance offers a landing space for keys and letters. The 5 year old can reach her own toys from the lower cabinets. Dad can keep office supplies and the printer in a hidden cabinet behind the TV. Mom can share the kitchen island with her older child for meal prep and homework. There is even a designated space for the kitty litter behind one of the sliding doors.

The design of the unit is supported by more serene spaces in the private areas, specifically in the primary ensuite washroom. Instead of moving, this renovation allows the family to enjoy this home for years to come.

Overall, a very simple palette was used. Matte blue TFL panels are used to anchor the palette in the armature, with matte white TFL panels to distinguish the upper cabinets in the kitchen. White oak wood slats are used in the kitchen island to contrast against it for warmth and to provide texture. The same wood slats are used at the entrance as a leading element into the main space.

The continuous piece of millwork that flows from the kitchen to the living room is the driver behind the design, unifying but also defining. By unifying the open areas as one, it makes the unit feel larger, rather than chopped up into separate pieces. At the same time, the function of each area needs to be different and they need to be addressed intentionally. It is achieved by changing the materials in the “carved out” areas.

The piece runs along the walls, using the matte blue as the element that forms a visual link. However, the kitchen counter and upper cabinets are “carved” out, using white to define its extents, while the home office area is defined by wood, allowing for a clear home office nook, also “carved” into the living room storage.

Given that this unit is in a high rise building, the proposed piece has to work with the locations of the existing mechanical and electrical system to avoid building-wide disruptions. The most challenging was to turn the peninsula kitchen into an L-shaped one along the walls. By carefully studying the existing runs of the plumbing pipes and ducts, we determined the runs to be shortened which set the appliances locations. In the end, other than electrical, neither plumbing nor mechanical ducts needed to be rerouted. This major move allowed a change in circulation, eliminating the dead ends and allowing the unit to flow.

The custom kitchen island is a unique part of the design. Instead of a typical rectangle dictated by the space available, it was generated by creating the new circulation, strengthening sightlines and providing for multiple functions.

The approximately triangular shape created three faces: the counter, the pantry and the main hallway. Across from the main counter, the island provides additional counter services. Furthermore, storage below is provided to complement the functioning of a kitchen. The pantry is used to store a combination of items, both for the kitchen and for the unit in general. The island facing the pantry is the shortest and only the counter is accessible. The side addressing the hallway is the longest and has spaces for stools. This is the side that needs to cater to children coming home after school as well as party guests on weekends, and everything in between.

Rounding the corners on the island recognizes the constant and busy circulation and allows everyone to move around it comfortably, no matter how tall. The shape also connects you into the living area, directing your gaze as soon as you step inside the unit. The tambour pattern on the island provides a sense of rhythm and changes as you move around it.

The island is one of the first major pieces one encounters upon entering the unit. It sets the tone for the design, showing that both form and function have been considered.