The look is both stylish and functional at Concert?s NAVIO at the Creek
Mary Frances Hill
The Province
NAVÍO at The Creek
What: A total of 177 two and three-bedroom homes (condos and townhomes) in two concrete buildings of 12 and 14 storeys overlooking a 2.7-acre public park, steps to False Creek and the seawall, Olympic Village and BC Place Stadium.
Where: 1678/1688 Pullman Porter St., Vancouver
Residence sizes and prices: Remaining homes from 1,358 — 2.,035 sq. ft.; from $1,929,900
Developer and builder: Concert
Sales centre address: 1551 Quebec St., Vancouver
Sales centre hours: Noon — 6 p.m., Sat — Thurs
For Sharon Bortolotto and Jennifer Brown, function comes first, and form and beauty follow. This principle applies to every decision they made in the design of the display space at Concert’s NAVÍO at the Creek — from the layout of the furnishings to the smallest details in décor.
“When we design a space, we are always thinking of how the space will be used, and styling a space is directly reflective of the function,” says Bortolotto, who worked with Brown, her BBA Design Consultants co-principal, on the planned condo community display in False Creek.
Visitors to the display space will no doubt be charmed by the reflective qualities in the collection of pendant fixtures over a dining table from Studio Italia, and the unique coffee table with the bowl-shaped base, a find from Molteni from Ital Interiors, to name just two.
These pieces — the dining pendants that shimmer with bronze iridescent glass, in particular — fit into the designers’ original goal to craft a display home that shines and reflects moodily at night against the warm lights of the city with the slow fade of daylight.
“We wanted warm, metal accents to complement the sunset,” adds Bortolotto, speaking on behalf of the design team.
Visitors are greeted by artwork by David Burdeny and custom items, like the entertainment unit, which houses the TV and art objects, acts as vibrant backdrops in the living space.
Both the kitchen and bathroom are constructed in marble, grey dark wood and white, though the same palette manages to accomplish different moods in each room. The kitchen island granite was chosen for its durability, but its attractive veining added its own visual appeal to its long-lasting function, Bartolotto says. “It became the art for the kitchen.”
The back wall’s wood veneer upper cabinets are set in the centre and flanked by glossy white cabinets.
“It is the balance and symmetry of this back wall that makes it work with the unique island,” she says.
As it is in the kitchen, the vision behind the bathroom is all about effortless elegance and a sensual mood. BBA’s designers give credit to the large-format porcelain floor and wall tiles that emulate Italian marble, while “the dark wood veneer vanity paired with the silk wallpaper create a handsomely elegant ambience,” says Bortolotto.
Buyers looking for space for growing families or downsizing from very large homes are propelling the demand in the False Creek area for larger properties, so the BBA designers made larger kitchens, dining and living spaces and well-planned bathrooms a priority. “Extra pantry storage and a large kitchen island for entertainment is key,” Bortolotto adds.
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