The finishes are (as advertised) smart, timeless and functional, featuring boutique hotel – style washrooms.

The BBA Team whipped up, in under a month a 1251 sq. ft. display suite on the south side. It is a 3 bedroom townhome, however we outfitted one of the rooms facing 4th Ave. as a hip office/library.

Furnishings were sourced locally from Nood, Koolhaus, Inform & Bari Design; in addition to some great bedding from Bernstein & Gold.

On such a short timeframe it was difficult for us to execute too many custom design features, however we managed to design a TV entertainment system for the living room wall niche that is both functional and artistic.

I recently attended a Benjamin Moore Presentation hosted by Colin Campbell & Associates.
The “Colours for Your Home 2009” colour forecast was presented by Kim Pfeifer the Benjamin Moore Architectural and Design Representative.

She stated that the Benjamin Moore Design teams scour North America looking at fashion, auto industry, politics, media 18 months to 2 years in advance to produce these colour/trends cards. So here is a quick synopsis and the latest inspiration for paint colours as forecasted by the experts;

Individuality, Nature and Unexpectd Synergy.

Individuality - in order to be heard we express ourselves through our spaces calling on the return of bold and expressive colours such as blushing red and a bronze toned orange. Apparently black has returned, edging out accent walls of brown. I particularly like the striking new cover of BM’s colour card, illustrating a dramatic dining room with black satin walls and mouldings, highlighted with creams, mint greens and rich wood tones.

Nature’s Essence -is serene, expansive and understated. A minimalistic palette inspired by nature, easy to live with. Love the new white, “Chantilly Lace, OC-65” and the “Pale Avocado” and “Sea Haze” colours got me thinking about using an accent colour on a ceiling rather than a wall for a change.

Unexpected Synergy - requires us to think beyond the white box with rich, complex colours. The “Gray 2112-10” is just Gray without a fancy name. I’d like to give that colour a go on one of our projects as it has a lot of depth. As for “Dried Mustard, Vellum and Dry Sage” they are little too retro for me however I do see those paint colours working well in many resort locations in BC.

At the end of the day, they are just trends and as trends they come and go but there are still some great new paint colours and products that are well worth trying and will stand the test of time.

Also be sure to check out the Aura and Natura Products by BM for low VOC’s and better performance.

The open floor plan features a metropolitan mix of modern elements and streamlined classic furnishings dialed up with greys and blacks and a bold injection of ORANGE.

The double kitchen islands, open to both the kitchen and dining areas allows for multiple entertainment, while the large outdoor deck with it’s casual wicker lounge furniture and festive colours invites ” summer party”!

The second floor features a large Master bedroom neutral and sophisticated with a spacious closet highlighted in the orange accent.

The second bedroom doubles as an office with punchy artwork and funky desk empasizing the flex space.

Scheduled to open in early July there are two well -appointed and spacious display units, of 1100 &1500 square feet featuring the works of well-known local artists such as Karen Curry, Sasha Rogers, Stev’nn Hall & Steven Hutchings to name a few.

As the Interior Designers for the new Spa Magnolia, BBA Design Consultants is pleased to announce the recent opening of the new 2,634 sq ft. Spa in Victoria, B.C.

Situated in the landmark heritage building that once housed Hugo’s Brewhouse, the new Spa Magnolia adjoins the Magnolia and is a wonderful addition to this popular boutique hotel.

The Spa features high vaulted ceilings, a custom crystal chandelier, classic mouldings, a spacious retail area, relaxation lounge and seven elegantly appointed treatment rooms including 2 Couples rooms.

Working closely with the owners, Swiftsure Developments & Paula Veenema, BBA were given the opportunity to create a classically modern space with a street presence that compliments the elegant Magnolia Hotel.

On Monday June 1, 2009, BBA attended the 20 year anniversary celebration of Concert Properties at the new Vancouver Convention Centre.

Concert announced the retirement of it’s Board Chair & founder Jack Poole, the promotion of David Podmore to Board Chair and CEO and the appointment of Brian McCauley to President.

BBA is proud to be associated with such an industry leading developer having completed the interiors for a number of projects over the years including; Seastar, Ansonia, Mozaiek, The Avlar, Tapestry and 365 Waterfront to name a few.

We look forward to an ongoing & successful working partnership.

Sharon Bortolotto

Lighting inspires, engages and invokes emotion. In these uncertain economic times designers are searching for innovative ways to personalize interior spaces. Why not consider lighting as the iconic design element?

Italy’s Foscarini introduced “Tress”, an abstract weave composed of threads and resin.
Available in floor, table and hanging versions these fixtures are big on personality with their interplay of solid and empty spaces, light and shadow.
Discreet in white, strong and decisive in black, volcanic and totemic in red.
Imagine the statement that these pendants would make in a space!

The Spanish manufacturer, Modiss introduced “ Kenya”, with it’s chrome tentacles and sculptural, white fibreglass base. This is pure and entertaining light sculpture while “Rossana” another product in their line of feminine -named lighting fixtures, is subdued and seductive in a shades of lace and crystal.

Based in Santiago de Compostela, Arturo Alvarez’s “Nevo & Gea” with their organic folds combine wit with an ethereal quality when illuminated.

Creativity and functionality is demonstrated in the clever “Ameba” pendant by Vibia.
The module is cleverly shaped like a puzzle piece and components can be added to extend this fixture over a boardroom table adding pizzazz to a meeting room.

With the variety of innovative lighting products available why not consider using lighting with a bold personality to characterize a space?

Sharon Bortolotto

I recently attended a compelling seminar held at the HD hospitality show in Las Vegas entitled; ”Re-inventing the Affordable Hotel”

The panel consisted of representatives from Starwood, (aloft) Nylo, (Nylo & XP) and Choice (Cambria Suites) hotel brands.  Presentations and follow-up discussions focused on ‘how to make luxury affordable’.

Some food for thought:

1) Select secondary cities, suburban locations outside gateway cities

2) Smaller room counts; -125

3) Reduce room size making them more compact, streamlined and efficient. (Choice)

4) Reinforce the brand with free wi-fi, wired networks, tech friendly, no nickel & diming. (Nylo)

5) Save $ in construction costs - Build a simple box, add an iconic roof & feature exterior lighting.

6) Create one large, open lobby space combining a number of different functions. Coffee bar in am. becomes cocktail bar in pm. “Wake up call, last call”(aloft)

7) No full service kitchen. Innovative food service w xyz

8] Self-driven experience Re:Fuel

9) Make a style statement with the furniture while saving $. The example given was from aloft, where the headboards of Double Queen beds became the closet from the other side.

The panel acknowledged that people have become more design and tech savvy with the democratization of design through design – centric stores such as Ikea and Crate & Barrel etc.

The bottom line – Design matters! Patrons of all ages are noticing & choosing to stay in novel & affordable boutique hotels.

re:fuel, an urban inspired, 24-hour a day gourmet food offering, will redefine the way travelers think about eating on the road – banishing forever powdered eggs and instant coffee. Guests at aloft hotels will instead enjoy sweet, savory and healthy foods such as fresh fruit, custom coffee drinks and freshly made sandwiches.

w xyz, aloft’s destination bar. By combining signature cocktails and a sommelier-curated wine list in a comfortable, loft-inspired environment along with stylistic features like oversized windows looking out into the backyard and the splash pool

We are very happy to announce that the Black Rock Oceanfront Resort is now open. We enjoyed working with the entire development team and we look forward to visiting in the near future.

STAFF

BHRBC Press Release

Located on a dramatic rock promontory with the Wild Pacific Ocean crashing behind it, Black Rock Oceanfront Resort is surrounded by the famous Wild Pacific Trail, which meanders along cliffs overlooking the ocean.

Designed by renowned architect Ron Lea, the foremost vision for Black Rock was a unique respect for the land and landscape upon which the resort is built.

The interior vision for the Resort was lead by principal and founder, Sharon Bortolotto of BBA Design Consultants Inc. Rock, water, glass, steel, wood, expansive space, intimate details, careful attention to views and natural light are hallmarks of this West Coast contemporary design approach that complements and contrasts the Wild Pacific surroundings.

Black Rock Oceanfront Resort offers a variety of room types in its 71 room lodge and 62 Beach Suites. Each luxurious studio, one bedroom or two bedroom suite has a balcony, fireplace, kitchen facilities, flat screen televisions and views of the ocean or rainforest.

The resort features a lounge, restaurant & patio area -all with amazing ocean views. Ucluelet’s eclectic mix of shops, restaurants and artisans are a 15 minute stroll from the resort, and there is also a wide variety of outdoor activities in the area ranging from surfing to fishing to kayaking.

For meetings and special events, the resort offers a range of function space and can accommodate groups of 10 to 100+. Black Rock’s signature Wine Cellar and patio is set on the edge of a surge channel and offers a unique small group venue with amazing views.

BBA was presented with the Bronze Award of Excellence in the category of Multi-Family Residential. The winning project was a Tapestry Residences in Vancouver B.C.  BBA was also presented with the Bronze Award of Excellence in the category of Hospitality. The winning project was the Nita Lake Lodge, located in Whistler, B.C.