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We're knocking on doors and taking a look around peoples' homes to see where your neighbours relax, hang out with their pets, and create! It's an invitation to snoop, but we're staying away from their medicine cabinets.Photos: @art3fact |
Our Host: Kristina Egyed
Who's that? Business owner, LaLa’s in Deep Cove
Beverage Offered: lychee martini!
Tell me about where you live.
I live in an area called Grandview, just up from Commercial drive.
How about your house?
Well I’m the 2nd owner of a house that was built in 1958 by two nephews for their uncle and aunt. The uncle and aunt never had children, so the house is quite pristine. Everything is beautifully maintained, and built solid solid solid. One of the nephews was a plumber and the other was a tiler. The uncle had passed away and the aunt was getting older. The nephew accepted my offer on the house and said to the realtor, she will love this house, this will be her house, she’s not going to tear it down, she’s not going to do a big destroy on it. I just really felt that this would be my home.
How would you describe your place?
First I would say I live in one of the best areas in Vancouver and I think that that’s because I’m so close to a high street: Commercial Drive. When I go out on Commercial with my friends, it’s such a pleasure to be able to invite them back....I tell them we’re going back in time a little bit, we’re going back to the 1960s. I’ve decorated it in a way where I’ve maintained the look of it and that has been very affordable. I have a railing that’s metal that goes around the staircase and I kept it because I could incorporate a light fixture that is a little bit more contemporary and put orchids in.... you saw a lot in that in the 1950s. I’ve taken something that could have been very dated and updated it. I haven’t gutted everything out of this home, I’ve maintained it and I don’t want to take away from what is already here.
What do you use your home for?
I entertain a tonne which has been a really nice thing for me. People have no qualms about dropping in, calling me saying we’ve got all the fixings for dinner and we’re coming over because I have a gorgeous south facing 300 square foot back deck and everyone loves that in the summer and it just feels really warm and comfortable having people here. I think that was what the house kind of wanted; it didn’t have it before. People are actually wearing their shoes in the house for the first time ever.
There’s personality everywhere, but the office is really cute.
Yes, when I was looking at places to buy it was really important for me to have a space where I could work, but also where it would show the personality of what I do. I’m in retail and retail is very vibrant sector. I own a very fashion forward store called Lalas and it’s in Deep Cove. The office had to emulate the store and the store had to emulate the office, so I was thinking how can I incorporate the colours of 1958, yet have the technology to have what I need in 2011 and I think I’ve bridged that gap quite nicely.
Are you a big art fan?
I’m definitely a decor person. The way that I’ve picked up my decor is on road trips like to Bute, Montana where I picked up that luggage set. I travel so much for work, and seeing the luggage set there when I come home or when I leave for an extended period of time to travel grounds me, and lets me know that I’m always going to be coming back. The glass pieces are from the 50s through the 70s and they’re all make in Canada or the States and they’re things that I remember as a kid, thinking they were the gaudiest things I’ve ever seen in my life and now i love them.
If you could add anything to your place now, is there anything you would do?
It’s to re-do the kitchen. It’s hard for me when I think about doing are remake on the kitchen but there’s no dishwasher, and when you’re entertaining 30 people you want a dishwasher . The countertops are shorter and were built in '58 and people were a little bit smaller . I find that I’m always bending down and I’d just like it to be a bit more functional. I’m really going to miss the way it looks right now, that’s going to be a hard transition for me.
