Distinctive condo transformation lives up to its stunning views
By Hattie Klotz
Photos by Jordann Brown
When it comes to home, everyone has a different definition of luxury. For one it may be a kitchen packed with all the most sophisticated appliances, for another a spa-like bathroom and for yet another a house on 10 hectares with no neighbours to be seen or heard. However, we can all agree on one thing: a breathtaking view is a true luxury wherever your home may be.
A condominium at 805 Carling Avenue, in the Claridge Icon building, is blessed with the most breathtaking vistas from every room. Situated on the 44th floor, it offers a bird’s eye view of all of Ottawa and the surrounding countryside beyond.
The owners, entrepreneurs in the natural health and fitness industry, moved into the 2,200 square-foot condo, their city pied-a-terre, in 2023. They felt it to be cold and uninviting. At the time, it was extremely builder basic, with finishes that didn’t live up to the views. The couple engaged Nathalie Auger from TouchStone Interiors to give the space a facelift.
From adding part of a bulkhead in the master bedroom that gives the feeling of a contemporary four-poster to completely overhauling the bathrooms and much of the lighting, Nathalie has turned basic to beautiful with a natural colour palette of moody greys, cream and wood accents.
Touches in the master bathroom include a custom-made infra-red sauna, a pair of floating vanities, oversized porcelain tiles, quartz countertops and a glass-walled steam shower with a warmed bench. “The challenge was to get the tiles into the elevator,” recalls Nathalie. A giant piece of rose quartz in the sauna completes the home-spa feeling and ties in beautifully with custom made alabaster lights, made by Randy Zieber in Vancouver, B.C.
A media room off the living room boasts a giant screen for watching sports. Nathalie had electric blinds installed to shut out the stunning view because floor-to-ceiling windows don’t enhance the television experience! It’s the perfect cocooning space to settle down for an evening of on-screen diversion.
The owners turned the guest bedroom and small ensuite into an office, now complete with a Murphy bed hiding behind the desk. No need to put everything away, as the front panel spins before lowering the unit. Nathalie stripped the bathroom to the studs to remove the tiny bathtub, which came complete with a shower curtain on a pressure rail and textured walls.
Even the laundry room got a facelift, now including sophisticated leather handles, a custom-made drying rack and hanging space for mops and brooms.
In the second bathroom, mostly used by the husband, Nathalie chose to flip the colour scheme, putting light porcelain tiles on the floor and the dark ones on the wall.
In the combined kitchen, dining and living space, Nathalie replaced the hardware, choosing a gold and black motion-activated tap for a bit of glamour. She also moved lighting around, relocating a Bocci bubble pendant to the living room so as not to impede the magnificent views. The Wolf stove and giant stainless-steel fridge remained. “I chose, wherever possible, to re-purpose furniture that the clients already owned,” she explains. Where necessary she bought new pieces or commissioned them, such as a pair of walnut and metal side tables in the living room, made by Nadine Hajjar in Montreal, chosen to tie in with the existing coffee table. “I say that a house is like a family; there should not be too many twins, but a genetic connection between the rooms.”
Nathalie, who met the clients when she was renovating their Thousand Islands cottage, has created a quiet sense of streamlined luxury.
“In retrospect, the reward is the impact that design makes on my clients,” she says. “Luxury is often thought of as pompous and fussy, but the condo is comfortable and easy to live in. My clients felt the space was cold and didn’t feel lived in. Now the space feels inviting, and they love the details that feel curated and not just bought out of a showroom.” touchstoneinteriors.ca
