Three Ways to Design a $12.8 Million Penthouse

When it comes to home and design, we’ve come to realize – with some misery and apprehension – that our eyes are much, much bigger than our pockets. Luckily, one can always dream … and that’s precisely what we’re doing!

MuseumHouse on Bloor has recently commissioned a trio of leading Canadian designers – Powell & Bonnell, Patty Xenos Design and Munge Leung – to submit their design visions for the condo’s prestigious 2-storey, 5,618 sq ft penthouse unit. The privileged purchaser of this incredible suite will have option of choosing the winning design, and of course, which of the three designers to work with in completing their dream home*.

MuseumHouse Background

Located in the heart of Toronto’s Museum District, MuseumHouse on Bloor will house a limited collection of just 26 luxurious suites for the elite urban dwellers who wish to experience the epitome of sophisticated living in the city.

MuseumHouse prices (excluding the penthouse) range from $2.1M to $6.8M for half- or full-floor homes up to 6,700 sq ft in size.

Each suite features:

• Individual and direct elevator access

• Principal rooms with 10- or 11-foot ceilings

• European kitchens with top-of-the-line appliances by Miele and SubZero

• Heated floors in master ensuite spas

• One terrace in each half-floor suite and two terraces in each full-floor suites

• At least one gas fireplace

• Central vacuum system

• Optional A/V pre-wiring by Bang & Olufsen

• Emergency standby power providing full seamless power in the event of a blackout

Additional features offered in the penthouse includes:

• Four terraces totaling an additional 1,152 sq ft of outdoor space

• 12-foot ceilings throughout the lower floor

• Custom layout and design by one of the chosen three award-winning designers

Design Interpretations

Photos and highlights of each of designer’s stunning interpretation of this extraordinary space can be found after the jump.

Powell & Bonnell

Designing with an art-loving ‘citizen of the world’ in mind, the Toronto-based firm set out to maximize wall space without sacrificing the home’s bright and airy quality. “Our vision offers a penthouse space where every room could house an inspiring and eye-widening collection, which is the essence of any collection that’s worthy of being housed in glass,” explained Powell & Bonnell principal Fenwick Bonnell.

Highlights include:

• Layout ideal for the collection and showcase of art, including a feature space found on a 2-storey wall which houses the staircase and gallery space in an upstairs corridor;
• Expanded terrace doors that allow the outside to become one with the interior.

Patty Xenos Design
The Montreal-based firm endeavored to create the ultimate space for living and entertaining by designing functional rooms to thrill the senses. “Our goal was to create a sophisticated penthouse that’s both timeless and sensitive to the five-star lifestyle needs of its cosmopolitan residents,” explained Patty Xenos of Patty Xenos Design.

Highlights include:

• Emphasis on mystery, romance and drama, accented with elements of fire and water found throughout;
• Privacy from the elevator foyer, ideal during VIP meetings or dinner parties while staff and other residents travel to and fro;
• Multifunctional spaces that are created with the help of mobile partitions that can open up or enclose various key indoor/outdoor spaces.

Munge Leung

The firm sought to pay homage to neighbours such as the ROM and Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Arts by creating an unpretentious and highly-livable space designed to showcase collectibles. “As in an art collection, each of the elements in our design contributes its own unique aura to the surroundings, resulting in a brilliant whole that is much more than the sum of its parts,” said Munge Leung principal Alessandro Munge.

Highlights include:

• Dramatic winding staircase to the second floor, an architectural element that serves as an art form with a sculptural, clean look;
• Modern, open-concept spaces accented through the use of clean, simple palates featuring timeless, classic materials – a magnificent contemporary showcase for artwork.

With such amazing designs to choose from, the lucky purchaser of the MuseumHouse penthouse suite will surely have a difficult decision on the hands!

The MuseumHouse Presentation Centre is located at 162 Cumberland Avenue. For a private appointment, please call (416) 920-3222 or visit http://www.museumhouseonbloor.com/ for more information.

* Not included in purchase price.