High regard
The 77th-floor model at Aura proves that sometimes, it is what’s outside that counts By Lisa Van de Ven
“The view is the showcase,” designer Kathy Chow explains of the Penthouse 7708 model suite at Aura at College Park. With a southeast view from the 77th floor, it’s no surprise she wanted the vistas to be the focal point, designing the 1,855-square-foot unit around them. The suite features a modern classic style, with a soft, neutral colour palette that lets what’s outside the windows shine, with taupe, beige and brown mixed with dark woods and off-white furniture accents. “Everything was kept very light. It eases the eye,” says the interior design coordinator with site developer Canderel Residential. “We wanted to keep it very modern, but still make it feel like home.” Remaining suites at Aura range from 900 to 3,055 square feet and are priced from $1,009,900 to $3,758,000. The sales office is located at 717 Bay St., Unit A1, Toronto, and open Monday to Thursday from noon to 6 p.m., and weekends and holidays from noon to 5 p.m. Call 416-962-8688 or visit collegeparkcondos.com.
1 To contrast with the darker floors, Ms. Chow opted for off-white upholstered chairs in the dining space, upping the contrast even further with dark legs and a dark wood table. “The style is a bit more classic,” she adds. “Too modern can give off a hard edge.” 2 While the floors throughout the living and dining rooms are wideplank engineered hardwood, Ms. Chow changed it up in the kitchen, using polished marble. To pop against the darker stone, the countertops are a lighter marble, with a dramatic waterfall edge on the island. 3 The Italian laminate cabinets “mimic a wood finish, but it’s more durable and you can do quite a bit more with it,” says Ms. Chow. No hardware interrupts the flat-front surface, letting the prominent horizontal graining shine, with an integrated fridge and dishwasher adding to the clean look. 4 The kitchen backsplash mimics the graining of the cabinetry, featuring a horizontal mosaic of glass and stone tiles. “It gives a bit of an accent to the kitchen,” says the designer, who uses shades of taupe, brown and green to continue the palette through the rest of the suite. 5 Though the master ensuite’s cabinetry is the same as the kitchen’s, this fulls-lab limestone backsplash is unique. “We wanted to give a dramatic effect to the space,” says Ms. Chow. The vertical veining contrasts with the strong horizontality of the cabinets, creating an added dynamic. 6 “The mirrors give off more of a classic feel,” Ms. Chow says of the silverleaf framed mirrors above the ensuite vanity. Classic accents — including the room’s marble floors — are mixed throughout with more contemporary elements, from the faucets to the freestanding tub tucked into a private nook.