The Uncommon Penthouse
A Study in Colour, Character, and Creative Freedom
It isn’t often a client invites you to step fully beyond the expected—to abandon hesitation, embrace bold colour not as an accent but a foundation, and design something entirely new. The Uncommon Penthouse was that rare invitation. A home defined as much by trust as by creativity, where the brief was simple: Make it ours.
From the moment we first walked through this expansive Calgary penthouse, it was clear the potential was immense. The ceilings soared. The layout flowed. But something was missing: warmth, personality, friction. It felt like a question waiting for an answer.
Designing with Emotion
Our first priority was to define the emotional landscape. Square footage may impress, but it’s emotional texture that makes a home unforgettable. We envisioned each space as an invitation—full of visual surprise, tactile richness, and tonal shifts that guide you from room to room.
The goal wasn’t polish for its own sake. It was personality. We designed the penthouse to feel collected, not coordinated—elegant without being precious. Each room has its own identity but contributes to a cohesive whole, tied together by curiosity and warmth.
Reworking What Already Exists
The kitchen was one of the few elements already in place: high-gloss cabinetry, sleek finishes, and recessed lighting. It was undeniably beautiful—but emotionally disconnected from the layered story we were telling.
Rather than overhaul, we recalibrated. Updating hardware is always impactful. It softens the sheen with warmth in brushed finishes. It was a small detail that made the kitchen feel more human, more tactile—an invitation to touch, not just admire.
We replaced every light fixture across the home, choosing pieces that shaped mood as much as they shaped light. Suddenly (and on purpose), the kitchen felt taller, brighter, more connected to the rest of the penthouse—a functional space now in harmony with the larger narrative.
Light as a Storytelling Tool
Lighting became the throughline of the project. More than illumination, it offered contrast—floating lightly above saturated walls, pausing against the richness of colour and material.
Every fixture was chosen with intent: some diffused and warm, others sharp and architectural. This dance between shadow and light helped create intimacy in even the most expansive areas. The glow was deliberate and dynamic, offering moments of softness against the boldness of the palette.
The Blue Room That Wasn’t
Nowhere is the spirit of this project more evident than in the so-called Blue Room—a tongue-in-cheek name that stuck.
Instead, it became a study in tone and sculptural form. A softly undulating Venetian plaster wall anchors the space, its curves echoing the skyline visible through generous windows. Depending on the light, the wall almost appears to shift, catching movement like a sculpture.
Upholstered furniture invites you to linger. Sculptural details add tension, grounding the room with just enough edge. The energy is quiet but compelling—a kind of moody calm that lets you fully exhale. Until you’re deep into a Ms. Pacman tournament on the custom arcade machine.
Colour as Foundation, Not Finish
So often, colour is treated as an afterthought—a cushion, a rug, a painted wall. Here, colour was the design’s very foundation. Deep pigments and earthy tones guided every movement from space to space. In the living room, they drew the eye to the artwork. In private spaces, they softened transitions and created intimacy at scale.
This wasn’t colour for colour’s sake. It was purposeful, human, and deeply personal. Every choice served a story. There was no pressure to neutralize or restrain—only to be intentional.
Designing for Real Life
What made this project truly uncommon wasn’t the architecture or scale. It was the client’s openness to the unexpected. They allowed us to design with conviction, to create something layered and original—something that looked like no one else, because it was meant for no one else.
A home should reflect the complexity of the people who live there. The Uncommon Penthouse is a reflection of that belief: a place where colour and comfort, playfulness and polish coexist in harmony.
That’s what we aim for—a home that surprises and comforts in equal measure. A space that makes room for everything you are, and everything you might become.
