My Houzz: DIY and Modern Mix Entertainingly in Vancouver
Film props mingle with toys, artwork and comfy furniture on the set of this personable Gastown apartment
When someone produces strong visual imagery for a living, it's not surprising when that translates into his living space. "I'm a happy slave to the entertainment industry," says Tink, a script writer, short-film producer, set designer and creator of a neoburlesque website.
Tink, who goes by the one name personally and professionally, had been living abroad for most of his life before relocating to Vancouver for a project two years ago. He now divides his time between the largest city in British Columbia and Los Angeles. He found his current Gastown apartment when friends moved into the building's penthouse unit. What ultimately drew him in, however, was the daytime and nighttime glow that illuminates the space. "The light is wonderful, as is the view to the historical buildings across the street," he says. "At night the lit large trees outside glow in the window, giving the space a wonderful, magical feel."
Houzz at a Glance
Location: Gastown area of Vancouver
Size: 1,100 square feet; 1 bedroom, 1 1/2 bathrooms, den
Tink, who goes by the one name personally and professionally, had been living abroad for most of his life before relocating to Vancouver for a project two years ago. He now divides his time between the largest city in British Columbia and Los Angeles. He found his current Gastown apartment when friends moved into the building's penthouse unit. What ultimately drew him in, however, was the daytime and nighttime glow that illuminates the space. "The light is wonderful, as is the view to the historical buildings across the street," he says. "At night the lit large trees outside glow in the window, giving the space a wonderful, magical feel."
Houzz at a Glance
Location: Gastown area of Vancouver
Size: 1,100 square feet; 1 bedroom, 1 1/2 bathrooms, den
Punchy DIY artwork made with vinyl mounted on black foam core adds a playful statement against whitewashed brick. Tink says the "Ka-Pow" piece was initially a prop from a film. "I posed for a cardboard cutout that was used in a seminal scene. After the film wrapped, I was gifted with one of the four cutouts, and the rest traveled to L.A. with the director and producers. I thought I'd add the words to play up on the gun theme and give it a wider scale."
The living room TV console was made with a 16-foot long Parallam beam that rests on upside-down stainless steel planters.
The iron sculptures behind the sofa are actually lightning rods, which were once on the roof of Tink's great-great-grandparents' hunting manor in the foothills of southwest Calgary, Alberta. The ancestral home still exists as a private retreat but has been reconfigured, and these pieces were replaced with larger ones.
Parallam beam: Standard Building Supplies
The living room TV console was made with a 16-foot long Parallam beam that rests on upside-down stainless steel planters.
The iron sculptures behind the sofa are actually lightning rods, which were once on the roof of Tink's great-great-grandparents' hunting manor in the foothills of southwest Calgary, Alberta. The ancestral home still exists as a private retreat but has been reconfigured, and these pieces were replaced with larger ones.
Parallam beam: Standard Building Supplies
This giant "Tink" mural was a gift from his crew on a previous show. It's composed of six oil panels that were originally laid out with a 6-inch gap separating them. "I set them all directly against each other and loved the slightly off composition that resulted," Tink recalls about their installation. "That's how they will hang from now on."
Tink hired Vancouver scenic painter Chris Bennett to help with his interior. "The sunlight has a cool color temperature to it here, so I wanted to create something warm," Tink says. He gave Bennett examples of color tones plus parchment and leather samples to work with. "The whole area looks much more cohesive," he adds. "In any kind of light, my space is wonderfully warm and bright."
A copper dish collection, which was a special gift from Tink's mother, is proudly displayed above the frosted kitchen cabinets. LED undercabinet lighting illuminates the modern stainless steel backsplash and countertop.
Toy cars parked in the kitchen are a small selection of Tink's toys from his childhood. "My family is car nuts, so since I was tiny, I've had a natural affection for them. Seeing those toys every day makes me very happy," he says.
The sofas are original Le Bamboles from B&B Italia. The minimalist living area is often where Tink is found relaxing. "I used to be a strict minimalist, but then a visit to a stunning hand-crafted pueblo in Montecito, California, awakened me to the pleasure of hand-crafted details and art," he says. "I now incorporate this into my space; very few items, but pretty much everything is quite special."
A paper lamp from German designer Ingo Maurer sits behind the sofa on top of an antique ice cream barrel that was once used on a film set.
Paper lamp: Lampampe, Inform Interiors; pillows: bed
A paper lamp from German designer Ingo Maurer sits behind the sofa on top of an antique ice cream barrel that was once used on a film set.
Paper lamp: Lampampe, Inform Interiors; pillows: bed
The gallery-like hallway features photographs by London artist Jamie Griffiths and a painting by L.A. artist Sean Day Michael.
Oak wood floors complement the paint finishes and are a nice contrast to the concrete accent wall beside the entry. Tink luckily had access to the suite a week early, which is when the walls were painted. "Because I work in film and I'm accustomed to my crews building a space and presenting sets, I was very organized with the move," he says. Overall he was settled in about two weeks.
Oak wood floors complement the paint finishes and are a nice contrast to the concrete accent wall beside the entry. Tink luckily had access to the suite a week early, which is when the walls were painted. "Because I work in film and I'm accustomed to my crews building a space and presenting sets, I was very organized with the move," he says. Overall he was settled in about two weeks.
The developers included these handy built-in closets in the bedroom and sliding glass doors throughout. The door panels are illuminated from the bathroom behind. Organic cotton bedding was purchased at bed in Vancouver's Kitsilano neighborhood. Tink is a huge fan of the local company. "I love their bedding — so very comfortable, plus warm and cozy in the winter and cool in the summer," he enthuses.
A Time Out London magazine cover depicting a piece by artist Banksy is framed in the unit's only full bathroom. A silver mesh shower curtain with black vertical stripes plays on the horizontal stripes of the vase.
In Tink's home office, he made a desk out of Hexacomb cardboard. The design came about from a desire to use the material in a fun and unconventional way. "My previous desk was a Norman Foster glass high-tech piece," he says, "and this time I wanted something easier to deal with; the glass top was always smudging."
Locker console: PS Cabinet, Ikea; desk lamp: Format, Ikea
Locker console: PS Cabinet, Ikea; desk lamp: Format, Ikea
"I love the Gastown neighborhood and the amount of light that I get inside throughout the day," says Tink, shown here. He keeps his decorating approach simple but always includes elements that mean a lot. "My ultimate dream home item is the Lamborghini Marzal concept car from the '60s as an art piece in a sitting room," he says.
See more photos of this home | Show us your creative home
See more photos of this home | Show us your creative home
The piano between the living and kitchen areas is a rescue from an old pub in Glasgow, Scotland. "My old piano is so full of history and character — glass stains on the wood, a couple of broken ivories. It's wonderfully out of tune, but when played expertly, it has a deep, haunting sound that is truly beautiful."