Project: Hope Residence, Toronto
Designer: Jane Hope
Concrete Work: Anthony Concrete Design
Photos: Courtesy Mark Olson Photography/ Anthony Concrete Design
Designer Jane Hope, who lives in a condo built in the early 1990s, felt her fireplace was overdue for an update. The fireplace was built when unfinished concrete first came into fashion, the writer and designer says, and a previous owner had opted to clad it in a combination of onyx and drywall.
“The aim of this project,” Hope says, “was to return to a more casual, authentic look.”
But the designer faced a key question: What material would work best to dress up the fireplace in the way she envisioned?
“The materials in the space are wood, concrete, and stone,” she says. “I didn’t want more of those materials, but I needed something with similar visual heft. The fireplace is in the middle of the room, with glazing on two sides, and I felt it would be a shame to block the light, so I began to explore transparency using metal.”
Hope settled on an antique plated SZ-3 architectural wire mesh from Banker Wire & Iron Works. Frequently seen in commercial and hospitality projects, wire mesh is often used when architects and designers want transparency while also providing a hint of separation. Because the fireplace is the focal point of the space, Hope sought a material that would allow light to pass through the top portion.
“Laser-cut sheets used for radiators and so on look flimsy and will buckle without support over a large surface,” she explains. “I explored a design with a series of custom metal rods, but composing with multiple pieces also required more structure than I wanted. Then Lee Kline, another designer, suggested Banker Wire, since the wire mesh is transparent, high quality, and is prefabricated in sheets.”
Hope selected a semi-transparent mesh in antique bronze for her fireplace. With a 27% open area, the SZ-3 mesh has defined facets that create a texture similar to alligator skin, and the pattern subtly conceals the fireplace’s upper components from view.
It also pairs well with other elements in the space. “The mesh suggests a rough weave that works well with the natural linen upholstery in the room,” she says. “And the antique bronze picks up the bronze details of the mid-century furnishings.”
Related Stories
Architecture
A London Pub on the Lake
This custom home on Minnesota’s Lake Minnetonka incorporates the homeowners' love for London into its antique walnut bar
Design Details
Viewing Potential
This hillside custom home offers 360-degree views of the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina
Design Details
Framing Arizona: Capturing Views While Keeping Cool
Contemporary custom home with views in every room that capture and celebrate the natural beauty of four mountain ranges.
Design
Guest Column: Blurred Lines
Using floor-to-ceiling sliding or folding glass doors is an effective means of enhancing the connection between interior spaces and the outdoors.
Design Details
Design Details: Above the Fray
In a densely populated Seattle neighborhood, two adjacent infill sites were developed: The Lookout and Shake Shacks
Design
Design Detail: Moody Blues Between Home Offices
See the creative solution for keeping his and her home offices separate and private
Custom Builder
Design Detail: Brick by Brick
A brick ceiling provides a more architecturally interesting treatment than, say, plaster.
Construction
Design Details: Stairways
This staircase not only connects the first and second floors; it opens the house to the backyard.
Design Details
Design Details: Easy Stair
A steel staircase would be too expensive, but the exposed timbers inside provided inspiration