REFLECTIONS ON FLAIR
Designer Rene Chang brings a sensual continental ambience to Richmond condo project
Stylish spaces showcased at Richmond’s Torino
The display home at Torino is reflective of its name, thanks to the careful attention of designer Rene Chang and developer Pinnacle International, who infused the contemporary interiors with sensual Italian influences, the look and feel of classic stone and creative work with glass and colour.
At Torino, the second phase in Pinnacle’s Capstan Village community in Richmond, Chang covered an entire wall in the dining room with a glass mirror and placed a set of four pieces of similar artwork in a grid on top.
“The artwork was strategically placed over the dining side to define the space between the living and dining areas,” says Chang, who often works with Pinnacle.“The group of four similar pictures also pulls together the beige, yellow and blue touches featured in this suite, giving definition and unity at the same time.”
Chang, who’s a fan of the effect glass and mirrors can create in a space, also worked on the interiors at Sorrento, Pinnacle International’s first development at Capstan Village. By the time it is complete in 2021, Capstan Village will include six residential towers and a mix of retail, office spaces, artist studios, hotel accommodation, a daycare and a public park.
Chang credits the Mediterranean-type touches in the exterior work with inspiring her to respond in kind within the suites.
“Torino’s exterior uses simple lines and features a welcoming array of coloured glass panels as highlights,” she notes. “The interior design follows through with this theme, simplistic clean lines in furnishings with touches of colour in accessories to bring a feeling of warmth.”
Bathrooms include designer cabinetry and vanities, granite or quartz countertops and porcelain tile floors. These finishes were so popular at Sorrento, the developer used the same materials in Torino, says Grace Kwok of Anson Realty Ltd., which is marketing the development on behalf of Pinnacle International. At the same time, Torino stands apart from Sorrento by offering more kitchen colour-scheme options.
“Beside the ‘classic’ and ‘couture’ schemes, we offer a white kitchen, which can be the choice for either of the two colour schemes,” Kwok says.
A glass partition separates the ensuite bathroom and the main bedroom, a feature familiar to buyers of Pinnacle International homes in downtown Vancouver and the North Shore. This feature is often found in many four- and five-star hotels in North America, Kwok adds.