The interior space of the home of furniture designer and builder Christian Woo in Vancouver.Jeff Vinnick/The Globe and Mail
For the past 18 months, Madrid-born, Vancouver-based designer Christian Woo has lived in a one-room studio space in the city's Mount Pleasant neighbourhood, sharing it with his loyal hound Indy, his life partner Talia Cohen and her pug Davis. Known for his handmade hardwood modernist furniture, Woo has decorated his 850-square-foot living space with unique furnishings that reflect the elegant simplicity of his own designs, some of which will be on display at IDSwest, the interior design show unfolding in Vancouver at the end of this month. At the show, Woo will unveil a new line of solid-wood modular pieces with punches of colour, a preview of which can be seen in his kitchen area. "I love the room because the south end is all glass and overlooks a small park," the 40-year-old says. "There's a tonne of natural light and it's easy to tidy up."
The chair
"This is vintage, made in Switzerland, and dates from the early 1960s."
The sofa
"It's an Italian sectional called Saba. I love it because it seats many people at once."
The kitchen
"This my favourite spot in the home and served as the [testing ground] for the compact kitchen line I have been developing. The floors there and throughout are concrete."
The coffee tables
"The Cluster coffee tables are my own and are part of a 2012 collection, which launched in April at Provide Home [in Vancouver] and will debut along with new work at IDSwest on Sept. 27."
The throw
"This is Missoni, which does colour and pattern so well. I also grew up with Persian rugs and love the textures and colours they can add to a minimal space."
The art
"My favourite is the black resin piece by Canadian artist George Vergette. He's a friend and also a new dad."