Penthouse Living in Calgary

Liz and Dave Ambedian were strolling down the tree-lined streets of their Scarboro neighbourhood two years ago when they happened on an open house. They went in for a peek, but it wasn’t the home that got their attention — it was the listing sheet for a downtown condo the agent also had on hand.

After just one visit, the couple decided to ditch lawn-mowing and snow-shovelling for the convenience of penthouse living in Calgary’s Beltline.

From their new perch high up in the skyline, the Ambedians have an uninterrupted view to the south, west and north of the city. With their view of the mountains, they say storm watching has become one of their new favoured pastimes. However, the scenery is not the only thing they appreciate about the location.

“We have a couple of kitchens down there,” jokes Liz, motioning toward the bustle of the downtown streets below and the many restaurants in the area. The couple says the ease of walking everywhere and just locking the door and leaving when they travel is very liberating.

“I don’t think I could go back to driving to work,” says Dave. “It takes me the same amount of time to come home or go to work no matter what time I decide to leave.” The couple says the only things they’ve really given up in the move are yardwork and clearing snow.

“It doesn’t really feel like an apartment,” says Liz. With three spacious decks, the 3,000-square-foot penthouse condo offers ample outdoor space for a barbecue, hot tub and a peaceful coffee and reading nook. It also boasts an airy, open-concept main space that is divided by stacked stone columns and a large, double-sided fireplace.

The condo used to be a family home and originally had four bedrooms. The Ambedians converted two of the adjoining bedrooms into a music studio and office for Dave. They also reclaimed some of the space originally set up as a home gym to create a yoga room and office for Liz.

Unused space such as the empty hallway nook off the kitchen, now features a beverage bar and coffee station, which the couple uses every day.

To help them with space planning and interior design, the Ambedians turned to BKDI Architects where Liz’s sister, Diane Sawa, works as an interior designer. Architect and interior designer Jun Lee recommended using a number of built-ins to maximize the space and create a cohesive look.

Despite undertaking extensive renovations, the couple kept many of the condo’s original features. For example, the kitchen already contained the granite counters, glass tiles and dark walnut cabinetry that the couple liked. They also left the limestone flooring, but replaced the inset tiles for something more neutral than the original red accent colour in one of the four bathrooms.

The redesigned home’s entire palette is quite earthy, with only a few pops of colour that grab the eye. Liz says she and Dave worried about choosing light creams and tans for the carpets and furniture, but in the end they selected natural fibre textiles and have found that, despite the light tones, they are easy to clean.

Sawa says much of the condo’s custom-made furniture was heavily influenced by her sister’s style. While she and Lee made recommendations to the Ambedians, the whole design was actually a collaborative project.

Liz led the design of the furniture and used BKDI as a sounding board for her ideas, says Sawa. Many of the pieces were modelled after features from furniture Liz had seen and liked in magazines and showrooms.

“The entire home — in terms of furniture, built-ins, even seating — is all custom-made,” says Sawa. In the end, almost all of the furnishings and artwork were new, except for a few key pieces.

“We kept pieces that meant a lot to us,” says Liz of items such as the baby grand piano and the artwork hanging in the dining room. The couple also added a few new pieces to that mix, such as the Brand van Egmond chandelier that hangs above the dining room table in a swirl of iron garlands and glass.

“The feature pieces, like the chandelier — those are things you’ll always keep and work around,” says Liz.

Getting the place perfectly tailored also meant creating separate spaces for the couple to pursue their hobbies. The home’s music room, for example, was completely soundproofed so Dave can play his drums, guitar and piano at maximum volume without disrupting others in the building.

The two-floor master suite presented the biggest design challenges, so the Ambedians turned to Lee to work out an approach for the unusual room. The master bath, closets and dressing area are all on the main level of the condo, but the bed and a small powder room are set upstairs in a circular loft at the peak of the building.

To take advantage of the loft’s south and west views and the room’s fireplace, Lee designed a square bed on a circular platform that rotates. Liz says Lee’s design was an excellent solution to the room’s awkward shape and fits the space perfectly.

The complete transformation of their new home took about a year for renovations and furnishings and, now that it is finished, the Ambedians are content to stay for awhile. The couple has even found their home is quickly becoming a central gathering place for friends prior to heading out for dinner, concerts or a Flames game.

“Everything is right here,” says Liz. “It suits our lifestyle.”

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