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| CREDIT: Elaine Kilburn Photography |
| "I've always had a fun job," the owner
says, "so why shouldn't that extend to my home?" This
2,500-square-foot Yorkville condominium fits the bill
perfectly, with its unconventional finishes and
fittings. | |
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Randi Mitz is big on name brands, so she's dubbed her new home "Club 11
Cinq." With such a label, one might expect music in the background cranked
to move the mood, coloured lights that hypnotize and sparkling finishes to
tantalize the eye. And yes, this extraordinary 2,500-square-foot
condominium overlooking Yorkville has all these and more.
"A lounge-like atmosphere is exactly how I planned this space," Ms.
Mitz says. "It's about having fun -- that's my approach to
everything."
Ms. Mitz knows how to make her living space fit like an exquisitely
tailored suit. As former president of one of Canada's leading menswear
makers, she has been a major presence in the fashion business for years,
always following her own sense of style, never pandering to trends.
"Apparel was entertaining, too," she says, smiling and smoothing an unruly
tress back into place. "I've always had a fun job. So why shouldn't that
extend to my home?"
Her passion now is property. And her portfolio of top-rate real estate
is expanding. Club 11 Cinq is her second project. At the first, which she
refers to as her "day" place, the focus is on bringing in the sunshine to
cascade against furnishings and accents that glint and glimmer, bathed in
natural light. The Club is her "night" place, where minimalism is the
order, balanced by deliberate dabs of hot hues, reds, lime greens,
turquoises, linking ultra-modern aesthetics, functionality and a wink at
the quirky, with hidden doorways and arrays of parallel overhead lights
that guide one's gaze and gait toward each room.
"When hunting new condo properties, I search out those that will be in
prestige buildings in prime locations," she says.
"Windows are a critical element. The view has to be stunning, and it
must be enhanced by windows that frame the exterior, and relate the
outside to the home's interior."
Once her choice is made, and long before suite layouts are finalized,
Ms. Mitz consults with developers and builders to shape the space
according to her vision. Rather than relying on floor plans, she devises a
blueprint using computer-aided design software. "Better than surveying
sketches, this gives me a clear perspective of the completed space, and
how the ingredients will blend for a unified whole," she says. "The Tridel
people were very co-operative, providing the engineering expertise needed
to eliminate planned retaining walls, opting instead to erect columns of
poured concrete to open the space for me as much as possible."
At Club 11 Cinq, just four natural materials comprise the architectural
details: wood, stone, glass and steel.
Jatoba was selected for flooring and most cabinetry. "I like it because
it finishes well," Ms. Mitz says. "It also has a tendency to age and
darken to an attractive burgundy, deep red or orange after cutting, giving
the home added warmth."
Bordered by sculptural lighting and Swarovksi crystal sconces, the
living room is anchored by a massive glowing bar wrapped in luminescent
glass trimmed with stainless steel and Hudson bar stools of polished
chrome. Illuminated from within the bar, fibre-optic lights can be
adjusted to flare or dim in harmony with the music and the fully
integrated sound system wired through each room. A plasma television
screen behind the bar plays videos for heightened audio-visual effect.
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| CREDIT: Elaine Kilburn Photography |
| Jatoba is used for the flooring and most
cabinetry because it finishes well and, as it ages and
darkens, gives added warmth, Randi Mitz says. The suite's
eclectic decor includes hits of mid-century design, seen in
the wood chair and table lamp used in the
office/den. | |
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Arne Jacobsen's womb-like mid-century Egg
chairs punctuate the living room's informal mien. Multicoloured kinetic
lights, also modulated to fit the prevailing vibes, strategically dot the
ceiling.
For the convenience of serving guests and to facilitate flow, a large
pivoting door swivels open to connect the kitchen to the living room and
dining area; then swings shut, inconspicuous among its matching panels, to
re-establish privacy.
Another trompe l'oeil form is the bevelled stainless steel panelling
along the foyer wall, which rotates to reveal a powder room behind.
The suite's electricals are hooked to a computerized central brain
located at the front door. "When leaving my suite, I can turn off all the
lights, the sound systems, and adjust the electronically controlled
blackout blinds and light-sensitive privacy blinds in the rooms, including
the guest bedroom, all at the touch of a button," Ms. Mitz says.
Although her personal stamp is ubiquitous in the condo's contours, Ms.
Mitz is quick to point out she always consults with Eric McClelland and
Peter Lunney, the principals of Toronto's award-winning Fleur de Lis
Interior Design firm, on the architectural components of each project. "I
do the initial groundwork, then the designers come in to bring the
drawings and concepts to life, and I complete the loop with the final
decisions on layout and finishes," she says.
Ms. Mitz intends to blaze a similar trail at her latest digs, One King
West, where she is being given free rein by the developer and builder,
Harry Stinson, to clad her condo according to her fancy. "Then I'll
purchase another fabulous residence at another name brand address, and so
it continues," she says. As a result, she notes, Club 11 Cinq, with all
its furnishings, could be up for sale.
"Many people may abhor the building process," she adds. "But I love
it."
For more information on this property, see the Web site
www.rm-to.com.
© National Post 2004
