To the purist in me, a photo still speaks a thousand words. This is “Artful Agora”, a name derived from their owner’s love of Italy and Art. The entire concept, colour, form, shape and materials sprang from.. an art deco vase. No corners were cut in producing one of the finest homes in Ottawa. I was so honoured to be able to design details I have never had the opportunity to before: a first for me, all trim (baseboards, windows and ceiling mouldings) were designed by HS + Co in plaster and produced by trades who had just worked on our Senate and Parliament. The concept was developed from Autumn 2021 to Spring 2022, and with permits in hand, started that summer and was mostly completed and lived in by winter of 2023.
As oft happens, the project grew in scope and trickled from room to room as design magic was rolled out. Fourteen rooms were touched and changed forever. The reason this concept is so dear to me is because it has its own unique flair and flavour. Its own stamp. Its own personality. A reflection of her clients’ refined taste and worldly travels. Case in point? This Entry. Naturally sensing that the flying buttress 80s staircase was out of character for their home, while also instinctively understanding that opening their front door to be confronted by an imposing wall did not sit right, these incredible clients followed my vision through, trusting the process and understanding the brief before it became reality. Re-balancing the spaces and opening up the wall that lead to the dining room, whilst finding space to create a classic staircase in line with the turn of the century home became my first brief. I immediately saw what I would do and explained that adding a ceiling would also add an entire room upstairs. Additionally, a long-forbidden desire to do a high-gloss room was gifted to me here. This technique took a lot of trade convincing, but in my estimation, we pulled it off. Another debut are solid marble steps with curved risers, a splurge worthy of Urban Electric’s antique brass and mirrored eglomisé chandelier. Before it became a reality, I had a vision of how pure it would look with no furniture, just one of Leslie Reid’s most beautiful lake scene paintings.
It has come to my attention recently when my senior designer Rylie said “ok Henrietta now let’s get that out of your head and onto paper”, that often creatives see exactly what needs to happen, but need the ability to explain in words what they see in their mind and have clients who trust that their designer can see the plan through. As long and arduous as this process is, the end image is the exact result of that dance: ideas within the head, drawings from the mind, execution with the gut, courage in the heart, finish for the soul.