Names: Brian and Luke
Location: West End of Vancouver, B.C.,Canada
Size & Type: 600 sq.ft. 1-bedroom apt in a 1950's building
Go to: Brian & Luke's Original Entry
Brian & Luke's favorite OTHER entry:
"Magnaverde's Perfect/Imperfect Studio" (#9 Midwest) is my favorite other entry. I love the mix of beautiful objects, colors and textures- the dining room appeals to me most but it needs the other rooms luxuriousness to balance the calmness of the white!! Bravo!!

What’s your next improvement?: Well, that’s a good question, I think probably painting the entryway next; it's still white like when we moved in but I'm thinking a charcoal grey close to the color of the sofa, very dramatic in a tiny space!! We may also paint the wall behind the sofa; we did paint it a soft grey like the opposite wall, but we may break that up with a subtle charcoal pinstripe...not sure yet!? The main priority is probably flowers for the balcony,now that spring has finally arrived and the rain is stopping, we can actually get out and enjoy it!!!
-Brian

Comments (38)
Yay! This one is my favorite...I want your kitchen (and the rest of your apartment, if you don't mind)!
Oh, I LOVE this. LOVE LOVE LOVE it. I want to move in, and live here, while I send you guys to my house to make it feel as loving.
LOVE it. And I LOVE the kitty, I have one just like it! ;)
love that you love it
Rachel it's a deal,where's your flat??
BB
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Yup, still my fave. Now new and improved with adorable kitty cat!
Was it easy to put the crown molding on the IKEA shelves? It makes such a difference to the look.
we had to add a couple of pieces of wood ( blocks) to the top then apply the crown to that-that way it actually sits slightly up from the top adding height (and clearing the doors)
BB
BB, my place is in Denver. You'd love it.
Very sexy apartment. Love the color palette especially in the bedroom and bathroom. One of my favorites.
never been to Denver before...send me pics?
B
Foo dog alert!
thanks all
the foos are in the house- mine are a few years old before they became so trendy!!!
Not my style, but absolutely lovely. The Ikea sheets look so classy with that grey throw! I've secretly always loved those sheets but I always thought that they would be overwhelming on an actual bed. And where did you get that little grey double-leaf table? It's so cute!
Splendid, fellow westcoaster!
My precious kitty looks just like your darling tortoise shell... gorgeous!!
IKNOW IT SOUND LIKE i BUY ALOT FROM iKEA, BUT THE DROP LEAF TABLE IS FROM THERE AS WELL...We made the grey throw, it's a quiilted sateen outerwear fabric we picked up for about 2.00 a Metre-self lined we just sewed it back to back!The bedding is actually a duvet cover and shams.
BB
Kitty's name was Meatloaf, after the singer(don't ask) but I changed her name to Meat Ball ( as my last name is Ball)or Miss Meatty...
I'd love to know where that brown and white side chair is from. It has what I refer to as a "grandpa" shape and I love the unexpected pattern.
well it is from my store!! A company called Stylus in Vancouver makes it in custom fabrics,called the 'Zora'- on the wesite it's in an 'interesting' orange print but the pattern really changes the look of it- super comfy!!
check out www.yaletownsofa.com and link to 'Stylus'
BB
email me at granville10@yaletownsofa.com if you want to order one!!
I think one of the things that makes Brian & Luke's place so special is the way that it feels like a real late 5O's/ early 6Os home, not a 2007 art gallery full of retro furniture. Nothing calls undue attention to itself: the Noguchi table reads as an actual table, not an icon, and the Fu dogs & the Rococo sconce & the aqua canisters contribute just as much to the stimmung--and I don't have another word for this--as do the Danish Modern chairs, even though Jens Risom probably wouldn't have allowed the dogs or the cansiters in the door, although you could ask him. Too, I love how the liquor bottles sit right out in the open, unashamed, the way they used to back in the carefree days when no one thought twice about getting their guests sloshed & then letting them drive home in seatbelt-less Cadillacs the size of Nebraska. And I'll bet there's a glass full of multicolored swizzle sticks on that cart. Everything speaks of warmth & welcome without any unnecessary fuss. I can see this place full of friends & laughter, with the happy sound of a vibraphone coming from the record spinning in the hi-fi.
Totally aside from the issue of 'small', you've achieved something that lots of people with lots more space than you had to work with never do: a truly expansive feeling. Part of that is from that pearly Northwest light from your big windows, and part is due to your well-composed photos, but mostly it's due to your going easy on the heavy-hitter designs and of making excellent color choices.
Anyway, thanks for choosing my place as your other favorite, but you guys racked up the votes, and for good reason. Congratulations.
Magnaverde.
Hi!
I love your apartment. One question: The ceramic vase in the bathroom, is it from Peru? It looks like "chulucanas" ceramic to me.
Thanks.
Who could say no to a $20 black and white damask shower curtain?!..and at Canadian Tire no less.
Good luck guys!!
(Becky, MW semi finalist)
This is pretty dang great.
It's very nice. Like the green wall. I couldn't do it in my place though. (I'm too repressed.) I want to sit in that little 50s chair with the blond legs and sip an A&W Root Beer though. The thing I like best about your place is it's bright and there are a lot of different colors going on.
Good luck.
Tony G.
Fantastic, looks like a place where people not only live, but consider how to fit in new and maybe even unanticipated purchases/finds.
Dear Brian & Luke:
Great light, clean, bright, real, just enough color throughout, kitschy kitchen appliances, that fab chair in the first pic, overweight kitties in the house.... yes, I'm moving in this weekend! (Unless you'd prefer I hold off until Memorial Day, of course.)
PS: I'll be bringing my cat; he's very friendly and loves men.
Whoever wins this I think we should have the party at our place!!!
BB
i love love love it all. LOVE it. love the blue touches through the apartment (totally stealing this idea! somehow! :) ), and the wall, and the furniture, and the colors and textures. GORGEOUS.
did i say i love it?
i love it!
thank you so much for posting this. i'm pretty sure this is my favourite so far.
and you're canadians! YAY!
Wow. This is fantastic. You have such a great eye for mixing eclectic, unexpected finds, and it feels so homey, easy on the eye, and un-screamingly-trendy. The bedroom knocked my socks off. Absolutely one of my faves. What Ikea drop-leaf table is that?
Absolutely lovely space. If you could tell me where you got that two-pronged candle holder above your desk and that mirrored shelving unit above your couch, you'd make my day.
not sure what the table is called- we bought it in the as is but in mint condition- I think that color was disco'd
the candle holder is from an antique store I worked at years ago- they were sold as a set so a friend and I bought them and split them!The mirrored shelf is from my store (www.yaletownsofa.com) a company called SUNPAN and they have matching other pieces( cofeetable,large shelf units etc.)
PS If I win your all coming over for dinner, Luke's an awesome cook!!
BB
ah! so pretty. i love the damask painting on the wall behind the bar. this is one of my faves!
Watch out BB, we might take you up on that invite!!
You house is so dang inviting looking. And you make it looks so easy. You've also inspired me to get some damask in my apt. somehow!!
fearless, fun, and yet, not overwhelming (as usually those places that go this route can be)-- excellent color choices.
i love your apt!!
well we didn't win but thank you all for your kind words!!!I guess the dinner party's off then :)
BB
Where is your couch from? Love the restrained puffiness of it. Not as sleek as some of the versions that are floating around these days, which might mean that it might be comfier.