Toronto-based interior design firm Johnson Chou created this unusual penthouse at Candy Factory Lofts in Toronto, which can best be described as moody, brooding, and totally luxe. This darkly dressed abode tops what was in its heyday known as the Ce De Candy Company, revived and redeveloped in 1999-2000 as a collection of cool, ultra-trendy loft conversions in the ever-edgy Queen Street West neighborhood. The eclectic, design-driven area is the perfect setting to inspire this avant-garde apartment, which features a blend of authentic architectural elements combined with sleek finishes and contemporary touches that bring it into the modern day. Exposed brick walls, wood plank and beam ceilings, exposed pipes and industrial style light bars run overhead. Wood supporting columns stand in place of walls, leaving sightlines open to enjoy the home’s many intriguing details. A spiraling staircase winds up through the center of the space, like an artful steel cage leading you up from public spaces to private. How’s this for eye candy?
The eclectic interiors are a marriage of materials (brick, wood, concrete, stone and steel, all in a single eyeful), styles (from modern minimalism to masculine maximalism) and eras, embracing the building’s historic past and its forward-thinking redesign.
Past the rich, glossy wood kitchen, a bright dining area sits before a large arched window set within a brick wall, overlooking downtown Toronto. Country meets city, with elements like the natural wood ceiling, the large wood table, and the low-key concrete fireplace tucked into the corner.
A continuous white brick wall is lined with interior windows and doors that connect the separate rooms on this level and enhance the converted look and feel of the home. Platforms of various heights help to add visual interest to the wide open floor plan white defining the different living areas, from kitchen to dining area to den.
The office / library is all business, from the imposing wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, to the commanding desk framed by a pair of tusks – how raw and primitive! A sliding door closes off this space on demand.
To the rear of the library, a bathroom is wrapped in a rich brown tile accented by stark white veins, complemented by a bright-white contemporary vanity and vessel, and modern integrated lighting.
A set of glowing stairs lead you up to the real eye candy on the floor – a steel case staircase, circling up through the space.
On ascending the steps, the cage makes way for frosted glass.
The stairs lead directly into the master suite, where bed and bath put you in the lap of luxury. In contrast to the dark main floor, the upper level is bright, white and flooded with natural light. We love the openness of the room, and why not? This secluded spot is far enough from prying eyes to enjoy total privacy. The beautiful marble floor is continuous throughout.
A wall of glass opens to the rooftop patio – a million miles removed from the hustle and bustle of the busy streets below.
Johnson Chou
photo credit: Tom Arban Photography
