A Masterful Retreat

As recent empty nesters, Clarence and Judy Burke recently downsized after selling their 1920s-inspired, 5,000-square-foot home in Upper Mount Royal. Their contemporary downtown condo is a new direction in both lifestyle and decor.

“I wanted to do something upscale, professional. Not too modern,” says Clarence, a custom homebuilder. “That’s where the ideas came from.”

The Burkes were both drawn to the natural lighting and peace in the space. “You felt like you were in a house,” says Clarence of his first impressions of the condo. “If you want to entertain a group of 20, no problem.”

The layout was also a selling point. It separates the home into two wings, with all the public space on the west side, and the private space on the east, a feature Clarence chose to reinforce.

“I upsized all the walls that separate things,” he says. That included thickening the door frames into the master suite to create a grander sense of entry and a feeling of separation from the rest of the home.

Clarence worked with interior designer Reena Sotropa of Corea Sotropa for both spaces to create a unity in design.

Sotropa says the design plan for the condo began with the white Calcutta marble and American walnut that are found throughout the space. These choices complement the dark floors that are finished fumed white oak.

The master suite is the culmination of the design duo’s work, and the spot where all the right tones are hit. It is a space that is at once elegant and modern.

“We wanted it to be as architectural and beautiful as possible,” says Sotropa of the suite’s entry hallway that is flanked by a spacious office and walk-in closet. “We tried to make sure it didn’t feel too utilitarian.”

Clarence says he was able to bring symmetry and balance to the design by borrowing space from an adjacent storage room. He is also quick to point out the details that make the design work. “In a closet, you need flexibility in lighting and good lighting,” he says, adding the location of the lighting was specifically planned to be ideal for him and Judy.

The same is true of the office space across the hall. Sotropa says she has a number of clients putting workspaces in their master suites. “People are bringing their work home with them, but they want it to feel as homey as possible,” she says.

The master opens up at the end of the wide entry hall to reveal a sleeping area and reading zone set beneath a dramatic, 13-foot barrel vault ceiling. Clarence says the basic roof structure was in place when he purchased the condo, but he did extensive work to add lighting. This meant bringing in curved bulkheads that follow the arc of the roof. It’s a detail echoed in the shape of the custom headboard beneath, which is upholstered in a chocolate-coloured linen blend.

Clarence says integrating new lighting was one challenge he faced throughout the home. “You have to be creative to get lighting into a concrete building,” he says. His solution was to create architectural bulkheads, which house new recessed lights that can be preset to create a mood for each room.

Another challenge was organizing the existing space in the master to create a generous ensuite. The finished room is bright and spacious, even though there isn’t a single window in the room.

“We really played around a lot to open it up,” says Sotropa. “We blew out a small closet and a small bathroom. It’s quite glamorous in there, really.”

The pair also amped up the sparkle with another trick, using vehicle-like paint to bring an opalescent quality to the his-and-hers vanity topped in two-inch-thick marble. The paint enhances the light in the room.

“We chose the paint so it would shimmer, shine and reflect the light,” says Sotropa. Still, she adds, the final effect is subtle. “It’s not something that hits you over the head.”

What is a bit harder to miss is the freestanding tub at the centre of the design, complete with ceiling-mounted tub filler rather than a standard faucet. And the water has a long way to fall. Clarence raised the ceiling by shortening a vault space to create an eight-foot, six-inch ceiling height.

Sotropa says it is always luxurious to use a freestanding piece in a room, but the Burkes’ ensuite is made even more glamorous by placing a display niche above the tub, making it an even stronger focal point.

Ensuring the tub would be properly centred was complicated by the fact Clarence and Sotropa could not relocate the toilet, and because they wanted to enclose it separately. To centre the tub in the room, they had to build out a wall of millwork on the side of the tub opposite the toilet area.

“We needed to create symmetry so that it was equal on both sides,” says Sotropa. The wall of cabinetry now houses a “fireplace” filled with candles, a well-lit dressing table and additional storage.

However, what makes the entire master suite such a tailored space are the details that Clarence has refined. A long-time fan of automation, he has had the sound, lighting and drapery in the room programmed as a custom alarm clock. The Burkes’ day begins with the low sounds of the radio, followed by low lighting from select areas in the room and ensuite. The lights brighten over a short time as the volume on the radio increases, at which point the drapes glide back to welcome the day. Clarence says the system can be customized any way he prefers.

“I’m always looking for new ideas, or for something that makes life easier, or for better function,” he says of the thoughtful details in the home. He admits he is constantly scouring magazines searching for ideas he likes, storing them away until he finds a use for them.

“It’s a detail thing that makes the difference,” says Clarence. “All of a sudden, you’ve got something that works, and it’s functional and beautiful.”