Condo Pro: Choosing the Right Style

By Barbara Lawlor

Have you ever thought of shopping for a condominium the way you shop for fashion? Among the many considerations you should take into account before signing on the bottom line, style is an important one. You should feel comfortable, at home, like you belong in a condominium residence from the moment you drive or walk up to the entry. And matching a condo exterior to your personality is easy in today’s market. Our GTA developers are coming up with spectacularly unique designs that offer a visual kaleidoscope of styles for every taste.

For example, if you enjoy a contemporary look, but appreciate grounding in the past, King Blue Condominiums at King West and Peter Streets in Toronto’s Entertainment District is comprised of two tall towers anchored by preserved elements of the historic Westinghouse Building facade. Or just look at FIVE Condos at St. Joseph, on Yonge Street south of Bloor. Its striking exterior includes the restoration of parts of historic buildings that will house retail on the ground level. The Carlaw in Leslieville has a modern exterior that incorporates brick elements that speak to the former industrial nature of the surroundings.

Perhaps your tastes run to the avant-garde? Located opposite the Royal Ontario Museum, Exhibit Residences is essentially four stacked cubes at varying angles. This design reflects the dramatic Michael lee-Chin Crystal across the street. Noir Condos presents an edgy exterior on Peter Street, and CHAZ.Yorkville’s concrete-framed, two-storey cantilevered box jutting out from the 36th and 37th floors will create a dazzling silhouette on the skyline. And in Richmond Hill, Xpression’s exterior is a dazzling expression of glass artistry.

Do you want to live in a tall building with panoramic views such as 49-storey Noir, or does the intimacy of a mid-size condominium like 12-storey The Mod’rn in Burlington appeal more? There is truly something out there for everyone.

While you are shopping, pay attention to the look and feel of the lobby renderings as well. I always say that the condominium lobby is like your living room – it’s where your guests first enter and gather their first impressions. Is the lobby sleek and modern with clean lines, like that in The Carnaby on Queen West, which is inspired by its funky namesake in London’s west end? Or perhaps you long for a Florida vibe all year long, and the three-storey glass-walled lobby at Ocean Club beckons with the feel of an international hotel, an indoor salt-water pool and water-cascading hot tub opening onto a wraparound outdoor deck.

And how about amenities? Look at E Condos at Yonge and Eglinton, where a cantilevered glass-enclosed pool will extend out from the 31st level – a first for Toronto. In fact, check out all the amenity renderings for the condos you are considering. Styles vary from minimalist and modern to contemporary and traditional. And when it comes to the suites themselves, be sure to tour as many models as you can. This way, you can “try on” a number of layouts for size and comfort.

Features and finishes make a difference, too. Look at the standards with an eye to your personal style. Do neutrals appeal, with the opportunity to change the visual style of your surroundings by adding different furnishings, cushions, area rugs, lamps and the like? Or perhaps you like the idea of deeply contrasting cabinets and flooring?

The best advice I can give is to bring photos of your current home or cut out magazine pictures with décor schemes that speak to you to your colour selection appointment. This will help your knowledgeable décor consultant zero in on the appointments that will achieve your unique vision of home. With the thousands of gorgeous choices available today, you are sure to find the condominium suite that is just the right “style” and “fit.”

Barbara Lawlor is president of Baker Real Estate Incorporated and an in-demand columnist and speaker. A member of the Baker team since 1993, she oversees the marketing and sales of condominium developments in the GTA and overseas. Keep current with The Baker Blog at blog.bakerrealestate.com