Photography by Riley Snelling
This apartment in a former candy factory built in 1903 boasts arched windows, an exposed-brick wall and an 18-ft. ceiling. The client wanted a renovation that preserved these heritage signatures while incorporating display shelving to showcase their extensive collection of travel treasures and tchotchkes, ranging from puffin salt-and-pepper shakers to a Liberace platter. They also wanted the symmetrical compositions and vivid colour palettes characterizing the films of director Wes Anderson to influence the project’s design. In the kitchen, the existing dropped ceiling with pot lights was removed to expose the original open-web steel joists, thus reclaiming height and the building’s industrial identity. The existing stainless-steel island, which evoked an autopsy table according to the client, was replaced by an island surfaced in engineered quartz with caramel veins echoing the hues of the mid-century pendant lighting overhead. The living area features a full-height custom-millwork gallery wall. As a playful complementary colour pop in the warm-toned ensuite, two ceiling pipes were painted navy blue.
As appeared in the July/August 2026 Best of Canada Awards issue of Canadian Interiors magazine.
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