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MODEL HOME REDESIGN

I recently completed an interesting project for Junic, a prominent building developer in Gatineau. My mandate was to decorate the model suite of one of their new townhomes, using most of the furniture from the phase 1 model suite, while giving the new home a completely new feel. Challenge accepted!

Over the next couple posts, I'll be showing you the transformation and final result of this 1700 square foot home project, build to attract new buyers and make a lasting impression. As shown on the floor plan above, this two-storey home includes three bedrooms, two and a half bathroom, and a finished basement.

You can see above pictures from Phase 1, including some of the furniture I had to reuse like the sofa,  the table, the beds the night table, etc.  

Here's a sneak peak of my work. I dramatically changed the colors and went for a completely different theme. Paint is the easiest and least expensive way to transform a place. Add some clever accessories and you have a completely new space. This was important since the floor plan of both townhomes are very similar.  Over the new few posts, I'll be going over each room to show you what I've done, so stay tuned for more details soon. 

BEIJING NOODLE No 9

On a recent trip to Las Vegas, we went to eat at Beijing Noodle No 9, one of the many restaurants located in Cesars Palace. After seeing the restaurant's unique design on a TV show and hearing about their hand made and hand stretched noodles, I had to go see it for myself and try it out.

My first thought, when we finally found the place was "WOW". The entrance is flanked on two sides with giant fish tanks, where the swimming fish act like animated art on the "wall". Inside, the walls and ceiling are covered with what seems to be laser-cut steel sheets that gently curve at the junctions between the walls and the ceiling, giving them a seamless look. The pattern from the steel sheets gives a great amount of texture and dimension to the space, which is essentially monochrome but certainly not boring. 

I love the attention to detail in this place. When you look up, you can see through the steel sheet that the ceiling above it has been covered with a covering similar to the pattern of the sheets, giving it another dimension, almost like shadows.

The ceiling is essentially a beautifully designed drop ceiling, hiding most vents and anything else that would alter the overall look of the space without compromising their function. It  would be great to see ideas like this integrated in commercial spaces such as offices and schools. It's so much better than the generic drop ceiling tiles we see everywhere here. 

I'm not a big fan of the TV in this kind of place, but at least they are very thin. Perhaps in the future, there would be a way to project images directly on the wall surface instead. 

The main kitchen is partially opened, so you can sit at the bar and watch the cooks. The indirect lighting under the counter was a nice touch. This bold yet minimalist design is the work of a Japanese firm called design spirits. Not surprisingly, they won several awards for this project dating from 2009. 

The food

We tried the Lan Zhou La Mein with Sliced Beef, the War Wonton Noodle Soup and the BBQ pork buns. It was good. My favorite was the Wonton because the broth was light. Why was it called War Wonton? Because it was made with "shrimps fighting against pork", thus the word "war" in it. The beef soup was very flavorful but a little heavier than I expected. The pork buns were good, the "bread" tasked like regular white bread. I probably would have preferred steamed buns. Overall it was a great experience and  I would definitely go back to try a couple other dishes.  

Get the look
If you would like to have a similar look in own your home, you can do so by going to IKEA. I found a couple of pieces that would be perfect for it : Anno Inez panel, Klippan love seat, Liksidig napkin holder, Billsta table, IKEA 365+ wine glasses, Erland chair and Slatten laminate floor.

Also, if you're looking to purchase any items at IKEA, IKEA Canada is currently running a new  pinning contest from their new Pinterest account. Everyday until August 26, one person gets a chance to win a $100 gift certificate toward their favorite item simply by pinning them from IKEA's board. Check out their page for more info.

OLIVER & BONACHI CAFE GRILL

I recently went to eat at O&B in Toronto and was inspired by the many design features of the place, so I decided to take some pictures and share them with you. The style of the restaurant is an eclectic mix of country, industrial and contemporary decor. As you come in, the main focal point is the reception desk with a wall covered in bright white horizontal wood panels, adding texture behind the contrasting black logo. Adding the light on the sides and top, give the display even more impact. You can't miss it! Also,  notice how the designers cleverly used that wall to create an intimate and cozy booth behind the reception desk. The three suspended glass fixtures emphasize the focal point even more without hiding the logo.  

It's probably not from the designer, but I'm not too fond of the IKEA Kitchen cart in front of the desk. It takes away from the overall look. I think it would have been better to keep most of the books behind the counter, leaving only a couple at the time on the counter. I would also ditch the freestanding poster. 

Another interesting design solution is how the designers created different sections with the use of color and architectural features. On the left, the chairs are whites and the ceiling is a little lower. On the right (which really was the center of the room), the ceiling is a little higher and has purple panels. That section is also anchored by the wine bottle display in the back and the series of organic light fixtures above the booths. Notice also that the chairs in this section are black on one side of the table and the other side have booths, which create a separation from the other side. 

On the wall facing the bottle display wall are a series of enclosed booths, which is where we sat down. The same light fixtures used at the reception desk were used above each table. The wall were covered with metal ceiling panels. The design of the ceiling panels was emphasized with indirect lighting above and below them. This created a very nice mood.

 

The food was good. I would give it 8/10. The B.C. Albacore tuna tataki  (left) was excellent and refreshing. The Japanese Chicken Ceasar Salad (centre) tasted really good, but the chicken was a little dry and the presentation could use a little help. The dessert (right) was excellent. It was an apple & wild blueberry crumble with Madagascar vanilla gelato. The candle and chocolate message (you can only see a little portion of it at the bottom) was a special add-on from our waitress.

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