Mosaic’s ready to walk the Walk
Inside, the homes are meant to evoke grand apartments of the sort found in cities like Paris and New York, with light flooding into spacious rooms. More than half the suites at James Walk have 10-foot-high ceilings, with overscale windows to match. The design team opted to have the project constructed as two towers, connected by a courtyard and lobby. That translates to every residence being a corner home, with light coming in from at least two sides.
“This is the opposite of micro homes, because they’re big and grand and geared toward space,” Duyker says. “Buyers here are choosing high-style urban living.”
The jumping-off point for the interior design was an ornate Bertazzoni range, made in the same Italian town where Ferrari sports cars are painted. The team decided it would guide their efforts to depart somewhat from the contemporary minimalist esthetic that has dominated the Vancouver real estate scene for the past few years.
Thus comes the inclusion of crown moulding in the James Walk homes, as well as ornate ceiling rosettes from which to hang light fixtures. Bronze or brass hardware is paired with Shaker- style cabinets in the kitchens, and white or black stone countertops. Open shelving prevents the area from feeling as though it’s completely taken from a different era. Other up-to-date touches can be seen in the frameless glass shower doors, recessed pot lights and heated floors.
The palette of black, white and grey is a favourite of Mosaic’s, Duyker says.
“We like to employ beautiful materials in simple and beautiful ways that are both traditional and contemporary,” he says, “so that our buildings stand the test of time. If something is too fashionable, it can feel dated very quickly.”
Mosaic says it has registered thousands of people who have expressed interest in James Walk, which will have its sales launch on July 4. Some are downsizing from houses on the west side of Vancouver, and Duyker foresees a meld of entertaining friends at home and evenings out, travel, and other hallmarks of a mature lifestyle. Others are professional couples who aren’t inclined toward single-family living but want to be in the neighbourhood.
“We have this obsession about houses in Vancouver, but there are lots of cities in the world where people spend their entire lives in apartments, and are quite happy to do so,” Duyker says. “It’s a different style of living with lots of benefits.”
This is the opposite of micro homes, because they’re big and grand and geared towards pace. GEOFF DUYKER MOSAIC HOMES SENIOR VICE-PRESIDENT OF MARKETING