Mysest56 
January 5, 2019
Green and red walls greeted designer Golbou Rad when she first met this loft. Along with the walls’ permanent holiday colours, the distance lacked big windows since it was a converted building, and the interior finishes and kitchen appliances needed an upgrade. The dark appearance of the penthouse unit created a slightly somber environment on the lower-level region, which Rad addressed immediately, since the look simply did not reflect her customers’ youth and way of life.
The designer began the attic’s transformation by lightening up the whole two-level space with bright white paint and upgrading the builder-quality fixtures. “We agreed that the white and red decoration and accessories which mixed in with the brick walls needed to go,” says Rad.
in a Glance
Who lives here: A professional couple
Location: Toronto
Size: 1,200 square feet
Rad Design Inc
Rad Design Inc
In a prior life, the building housed a wholesale grocery store on the Toronto waterfront.
“The building is very old and was built in 1858. It turned out to be a wholesale supermarket financing into the waterfront with ship docks in the back. At some point, developers converted the warehouses into apartment buildings, but unfortunately not much has changed in the insides of the unit since around 2003,” says Rad.
The designer picked subtle materials and finishes in the loft, careful to not remove from the well-worn feel and colours of the exposed brick.
“I softened up the space and picked largely neutral finishings and also added a little blue and a cooler palette. But apart from that, I stayed away from incorporating materials and finishes which removed from the existing beauty of the area, because the brick and wood already add a great deal of color and texture to the space,” says Rad.
Before Photo
BEFORE: Dark kitchen appliances darkened the kitchen. “The reduced amount felt looming and dark due to the lack of big windows, and the black appliances and laminate cabinetry simply made an odd combination,” says Rad.
Rad Design Inc
AFTER: Vibrant colored cabinetry and walls lightened up the space and allowed the wood structure and exposed ducts and piping to be noticed, which emphasized the industrial character of the building and gave the loft a raw appeal.
Cabinetry: Ikea; appliances: Kenmore; wall paint: Chantilly Lace, Benjamin Moore
Rad Design Inc
The stainless steel appliances, concrete-colored countertops, kitchen faucet and double bowl sink all talk a industrial language.
Sink: Gemini; faucet: American Standard; countertop: Ceasarstone in concrete
Rad Design Inc
“The ship’s wheel is not only for show. My clientele both have sailing histories, and they saw the redesign of their loft as a good reason to store their own residence and bring out their sailing paraphernalia,” says Rad.
Rad Design Inc
The clients asked a less-is-more bedroom; they ended up keeping the striped bedding and navy blue throws from West Elm which Rad used for the photo shoot.
Rad Design Inc
A classic lighthouse lantern anchors a bedside table vignette, including a different nautical touch to the room.
Before Photo
BEFORE: The master bathroom was a mess of beige and black tiles, drab lighting and “odd looking” hardware (previously removed in this mid-demolition image).
Rad Design Inc
AFTER: The walnut vanity warms up the neutral tones of the toilet, and the plush rug keeps feet hot.
“I really took my customers to the tile showroom so they could see what things to scale. It is so different when you’re looking at a small sample that’s completely out of context; you simply don’t get the full effect,” says Rad.
Flooring tiles: Home Depot; bathroom, bathtub: Kohler; rain shower, faucet, hardware: Moen; dressing table, sink, medicine cabinet: Muti Kitchen and Toilet
Rad Design Inc
The new sliding barn doors allow sufficient room for the drawers of the new dressing table to open easily.
“It was a great joy for me to work on a small segment of this historic building. The red brick and wood constructions are a signature of Toronto’s historic warehouses and their presence adds a whole lot of richness and beauty to the space,” says Rad.