Pretoria Avenue - Slow Home Studio Video Walkthrough

Check out this three part video from Slow Home Studio (Calgary) discussing the remodel by Andrew Reeves (Linebox Studio) for 124 Pretoria. John and Matthew take a look at the living room, kitchen, and upper floor areas. They are a quick watch - 2:49, 2:29, 2:21 

"The Slow Home Movement was founded in 2006 by John Brown, Matthew North, and Carina van Olm as a critical response to the poor design practices that pervade the mass housing industry. Our mission is to advocate for a more thoughtful approach to residential design that improves the quality of our daily lives and reduces our impact on the environment."

Currently listed for sale, you can find more information about 124 Pretoria at PretoriaAve.com. 

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Nest Thermostat + Hydro One

Nest has now teamed up with Hydro One to help you save more energy, plus it can pay you up to $125. Keep seeing more and more in homes and condos around Ottawa (such as 124 Pretoria Ave), and have had it in my place for a couple years now (and LOVE it). You can sign up HERE for the program.

From Nest:
Hydro One will give you a $100 cheque per Nest Learning Thermostat when you sign up for Nest Rush Hour Rewards and Seasonal Savings. You’ll get another $25 after you complete a series of 3 surveys about the program. 

Rush Hour Rewards can help you use less electricity during peak energy rush hours while still keeping you cool and comfortable. While everyone else is cranking up the air conditioning, it can automatically cool your home ahead of time or make minor temperature tweaks to your thermostat schedule. If you don’t like a temperature that Nest sets, you can change it at any time. 

You may not even notice it working, but Seasonal Savings can help you save up to 10% on heating and cooling bills. Every summer and winter, Seasonal Savings slowly fine-tunes the temperatures in your schedule to save energy.

Sixty Second Profile: The Modern Shop

We got a chance to sit down with Michael Shaikin, the man behind The Modern Shop. Known as the place to go for fine modern lighting, furniture, and goods, from the best brands across the globe.  Walk inside (or browse online) and you'll remember exactly what it felt like as a kid on Christmas Morning.

Visit: 541 Sussex Drive, at George Street AND www.TheModernShop.ca

Fact: The kitchen pendant at 124 Pretoria Ave., was aquired through The Modern Shop

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Can you describe The Modern Shop?

Modern Shop is a modern design store in Ottawa Canada, that specializes in products that you can’t get anywhere else. We are proud that the things we carry, can't be found in other stores in Ottawa, and very few stores in Canada. [Note: Many brands they stock are ONLY available through Modern Shop in Canada!]

How did Modern Shop start?

I had a store that sold vintage furniture called Found Design. Then wanted a change and I started a new store called Modern Lighting. People kept asking for other things inside the home, so after three or four months changed the name to Modern Shop.

Then moved locations from Bank St. in Old Ottawa South, to Sussex Drive in the Byward Market?

Yes, well we were not getting the foot traffic we wanted, so moved to Sussex and George in Spring 2013 and love it.

What are some of the brands that you currently carry?

There are over 80 brands that we sell now, and some that are more familiar would be Moooi, Modernica, Norman Copenhagen, Hay Denmark, Foscarini, Muuto, and it goes on.

How do you keep finding new and unique things for the shop?

Well we travel quite a bit, especially for trade shows, was in Stockholm two years ago, Milan last year, Paris this year, plus New York City every year. This gives me the ability to see the up and coming guys that no one gets to really see, then you start to get a feeling for who is going to make it or not. I also will grab brands that no one has heard of, some of them are a hit, some are a miss.

What is your favorite product that you carry?

Urbanhike by Moooi

Well… My favorite product isn't here now, I took it home [laughs]. It’s called the Urbanhike by Moooi, and I have mine sitting beside my couch. Second…. its that [points] yellow coffee table by Hay, which is very unique and brand new. [So new I can’t find it on the Hay website]

You are also pretty big online, how has that been received?

Its crazy. It is like 75 percent of the business now. We sell across Canada and all around the world. We are able to showcase great unique products that are hard to find, and then offer them shipped right to your door.

Any big names, or recent projects?

Won’t mention celebrities, however In Ottawa we recently were involved with the new Shopify offices, the lighting at Fauna restaurant, and did the Zendesk offices in California. Those were all fun.

Some people call Ottawa dull or boring, thoughts?

Not at all. Just look at all the events and restaurants that have opened. It is certainly not what is was a few years ago, the city is moving forward.

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Pretoria Ave - Interview with Andrew Reeves

We spoke with Andrew Reeves, the senior Architect at Linebox Studio about their work at 124 Pretoria Ave. Andrew walked through what inspired the design, and how the process was different than normal. This change of approach is what allowed them to push the boundaries with the space and end up such good balance in the design. 

For more information on 124 Pretoria, and for the full experience, visit the website at PretoriaAve.com.
 

Are you looking to sell and want your home's storey told? Let's talk...
 

Click Here To Contact Matt Richling

Pretoria Ave - Interview With Andrew Reeves

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124 Pretoria - Kitchen Lighting

One of my favourite parts of preparing a home for sale is dissecting it, to gather all of the details to be able to promote it better. Pretoria Ave, is a home with many cool details that really work well together. One of these is the main kitchen light, a six foot long pendant that hangs over the raised walnut bar. Designed by CASTOR, an iconoclastic Toronto design studio known for is 'rock-'n'-roll lumberjack' sensibility. “The light fixture, is called The Tube Light and it’s one of our top sellers. It’s [hanging]in a lot of places right now, from the Facebook office in California to the Chelsea Hotel in New York." Says Brian Richer, co-owner of Castor.

Check out this video, or rather documentary film titled "Castor is French For Beaver", that gives you an inside look into the mind of the CASTOR duo. Warning - after watching it, I found myself trying to find a space for one of their pieces. 

For more information on 124 Pretoria Ave, check out PretoriaAve.com or contact Matt Richling directly.

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