Designers Curtis Elmy’s and Trevor Ciona’s Favourite Room

Given that their home on the top floor of a new condo development overlooks the Saskatoon and the South Saskatchewan River, it’s no wonder Curtis Elmy and Trevor Ciona, owners and principal designers of Atmosphere Interior Design in Saskatoon, Sask. centred their design choices in their home around showcasing their surroundings. Here, Elmy shares how they did just that.

By Laura Bickle | 2 minute read

Feb 22

“Our views are like art, but we still created a space that satisfies our design aesthetic.”

– Curtis Elmy (left)

What and where is your favourite room?

I love our primary suite, which includes the bedroom and closet.

What was the inspiration behind creating this room?

We knew the views from our new home were going to be spectacular, but we were really focused on creating an interior that felt incredibly warm and layered. We love bedrooms that are calming, but we also love drama and strong visual interest. The combination is what we were looking to achieve.

Designers Curtis Elmy and Trevor Ciona created a dramatic backdrop for their condo’s primary suite furnishings, and removed the closet door to allow panoramic views of Saskatoon and the South Saskatchewan River.

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What were the challenges in creating this room, and how did you overcome them?

With a lack of wall space (most walls are curtain walls of windows), it was a challenge to display art or create impressive sitelines when the windows are the art. We removed the closet door to allow the panoramic views, so we wanted all of the clothes to be hidden from view for both aesthetics and function. The black cerused oak cabinetry in combination with a vintage-inspired antique mirror is so interesting together that we kept the cabinetry profile very simple.

The very dramatic wall covering was maybe a bold choice, but due to the limited wall space it was a great backdrop for the furnishings we wanted to incorporate. Adding mirrors above the bedside table kept the space from becoming too busy, and the impact is yet another captured view to the surrounding skylines.

What are your favourite features of the room?

[I love ] that all of our shoes, belts and clothes are all housed behind doors and separate from each other’s. This allows me to be a bit less organized, given that Trevor is incredibly organized! We also love that we incorporated lots of black, but still achieved a warm and inviting space.

How does this room make you feel?

Incredibly relaxed but, at the same time, the sophistication of the space is invigorating.

Describe a favourite moment in this room.

I think there is a newfound enjoyment in starting and ending the day in these new surroundings.If simple tasks such as folding clothes on the island or organizing shoes brings new joy, that means the design was a success.