POINTS OF VIEW
AT JASMINE, THE SPACES ARE INVITING, INSIDE AND OUT
At Jasmine at the Gardens, i3Design principal Lisa Perry and developer Townline have designed a space with details intended to meet homeowners’ need for balance.
Interiors demonstrate that Jasmine is a pleasant haven offering a respite from workaday life without cutting residents off from urban amenities, a space that provides access to the outdoors without sacrificing privacy.
The designer has also crafted a space that appeals to those priorities with smaller touches and large features alike, such as a well-placed window and a rooftop patio.
A rendering of a home at Townline’s townhome community in Richmond shows a long, narrow window high above the living room seating area. It’s an uncommon spot for a window, but it makes perfect sense; it’s high enough that it brings in plenty of light, though the light doesn’t glare onto a TV screen, as it would if it were placed lower on the wall. It offers both natural light and privacy, Perry explains. “I like that it allows the homeowner to always see the sky or the tops of trees from their living space rather than look at the neighbours’ or a house next door. It’s such a nice touch in a higher-density community,” says Perry, who worked on Townline’s earlier projects on the 10-acre site, including Camellia, Calla and Dahlia.
At Jasmine, Townline used similar monochromatic colour schemes to those it used at the most recent community, Calla, and added a third scheme: a high-contrast look of white gloss cabinets against dark floors, which creates drama in Jasmine’s larger space. “Since the Jasmine townhomes are bigger than the condos in Calla, we felt it was a great opportunity to use this high-contrast look,” says Perry.
“The dark floors help to ground the space and create a great background for furnishings. The white cabinets with the marble-look backsplash and stainless steel appliances are chic and fresh — important when the kitchen is part of the living and dining space."
It came as no surprise to Perry that the rooftop decks offered in some Jasmine at the Gardens townhomes have proven to be popular among buyers.
She advises that homeowners with these rooftop patios invest in a watertight storage box for furniture cushions and a pergola or a big umbrella for hot summer days. Otherwise, as far as designating open space for outdoor “rooms”, homeowners can use the same principles as they would indoors. “You don’t have walls so you have to create ‘rooms’ with the furniture and decor," Perry says. "You can define a seating area with an outdoor rug or you can divide a big open space with planters to create living and dining zones."