Condo Living – Colin & Justin Style

Today we show how we transformed the living room in our Toronto apartment from brown and old fashioned to sleek, modern and successful! 

Pared Down
Less really is more with modern apartments so don’t be tempted to add fancy features like the coving shown in our before shot, or paint over pillars with hideous brown paint.  We stripped out the tacky features and removed the paint from the pillar to expose the concrete beneath.  A coat of varnish over the top gives it a glossy, polished appearance that is perfectly in keeping with the architecture of the building. 

Back to Black
We removed the deep pile gold carpet and replaced it with ebony timber flooring; solid finishes like wood, tile and stone bring some industrial chic to a condo home and stop it from looking dated and boring.  Not only is this much more sophisticated; it looks great as the basis for our monochrome aesthetic.  In terms of ‘future proofing’ - a black floor with white walls provides the flexibility to add any combination of colours to create our own individual style.

Splashes of Colour
The green coffee table really stands out with the organic tone providing relief from the monochrome dominance of walls and floor.  We found this table, designed by celebrated American designer Jonathan Adler, at a knock down price and just had to have it.  If you want to ‘get the look’, take a second hand table or unfinished model and give it a brand new radical paint colour.  There are specialist paints available that can make this easy and give you a smooth and professional finish into the bargain.

Frame Your Flatscreen
Wall mounted TVs are sleek and modern and really add to the décor of a room as long as you use them properly.   We asked a carpenter to make us a series of criss-crossing chunky black shelves to act as a modern take on a wall unit and the resulting structure houses our DVD player and cable TV box.  The wires are popped discreetly into the cavity wall behind, keeping everything sleek and cable free.

Sectional Seating
To provide as much seating as possible, we opted for a long lean sectional sofa.  The matching chaise longue is a relaxing addition and stops all the seating from facing in the same direction.  This style can be tailored to your own requirements by adding sections as required and moving items to create new shapes and layouts.  For endless flexibility, and as much seating as possible, there’s no better solution.

Soften with Timber Elements
Black and white walls (with grey upholstery) run the risk of looking overly cool and austere, so we added lots of wooden elements like benches, barn buckets and occasional tables to warm things up.  ‘City meets the country’ is a major design trend and this look is a perfect representation.  Shop around your local markets for similar wooden items or search for reclamation farmhouse items on the Internet.