The Morrison 40 townhomes at 649 East 3rd Street North Vancouver by CREO Developments and The Haebler Group
The Morrison showcases design that’s both soft and strong
Mary Frances Hill
The Province
The Morrison
What: A total of 40 townhouses, some with lock-off suites, several with rooftop decks, adjacent to Moodyville Park
Where: 649 E. 3rd Street, North Vancouver
Residence sizes and prices: One-bedroom homes 640 to 699 sq. ft., from $568,000; two-bedroom homes 1,083 to 1,755 sq. ft., from $898,000; three- and four-bedroom homes 1,817 to 2,309 sq. ft., from $1,498,000
Developer and builder: CREO Developments Ltd. and The Haebler Group
Sales Centre: 378 Esplanade E. (at St. Patrick’s Ave.)
Hours: By appointment only
It’s clear that Annaliesse Kelly sees the beauty of geometry in interior design — though even that insight may be understating how well she illustrates the way that lines and curves can soften and define a home.
In the renderings for The Morrison, a new townhome community in North Vancouver, the kitchen includes island stools with sculptural bases and hanging wires of pendant lighting over the dining table to create a perfect pairing of softness and strength.
“The concept for The Morrison was to have a highly functional kitchen that was clean, sophisticated and strong,” says Kelly, the principal of AK Design.
“The light fixture was chosen to tie into the seamless modern scheme, acting more as part of the kitchen geometry rather than a feature [and] adding softness to the space but with a little bit of whimsy. In such a structured room, I loved the lack of uniformity the light offered while being architectural. The bar stools were chosen to blend with the architectural nature of the space with the bent metal base, but also to soften the space with their curves.”
SHAPE Architecture designed the building to sit on a sloped site, which allows architects to offer views and create suites that are unique from each other; apartment zoning allowed for suites to be as large as 2,100 square feet.
This spaciousness gave Kelly plenty of freedom to express her creativity in the illustrations. The furniture she chose to populate the images take into account how couples and families move and circulate at home.
“In townhomes, it’s important allow for easy traffic flow and that the furniture be functional, but also to have a few light and easy pieces to help facilitate the space changing when needed,” she says.
The designer imagined how homeowners would embrace the natural light streaming from the front and rear of the townhouses when she placed lighting fixtures and pendants throughout the open-concept living space.
“Townhomes generally only have natural light at both ends, so I also focus on ensuing the lighting is layered so it feels warm, inviting and fresh throughout.”
The minimalist, modern living room includes furnishings with skinny legs and upholstered in light neutral shades of warm grey, particularly in the sofa, along with wood and white tones in the room.
Form and function create a pleasant social space in the living room interiors, mirroring Kelly’s appreciation of SHAPE Architecture’s design of the complex in a European-style “mews” fashion, which encourages neighbours to get to know one another.
“With communal exterior spaces, we really wanted the interior to share that inviting feel. The storage wall, accent chairs, and coffee table were chosen for their structural esthetic.”
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