When a client tapped Homepolish designer Jae Joo to fix up his condo in the Lower East Side, he asked for a bathroom renovation and a light kitchen refresh—nothing more. 

But you know how those things go.

Until recently, Hong Kong equated formality with status and sophistication. In recent years, however, the city’s drinking and dining scene has flourished, led by innovative establishments that have regional authenticity and a sense of cultural identity at their core.

The bathroom may be one of the most overlooked rooms in the house, yet it is one of the most important. It’s where the day starts and ends. It’s where we go to relax, whether through soaking in a deep tub or indulging in a steam shower. It’s where we get ready to face the world, seated at a vanity or standing at the counter. Dial up the comfort and utility in your day with any of these bathroom renovations that best suit your style:

Opting for vertical living has long involved tradeoffs: services versus square footage, turnkey versus autonomy, convenience versus community. But with highly equipped, low-density condominium towers, buyers no longer have to compromise: Distinctive architecture, oversize residences and ultra-luxe services are turning high-rise structures into high-networth communities, with amenities fostering social interaction and a sense of place among affluent neighbours.

This looks to be the year for immersive travel. Or so says Eric Grayson, founder and CEO of Discover 7 Travel, a luxury-travel concierge service.

“People want to do more than go to Paris and stay at the Ritz,” he says. “Instead, individuals are looking for travel that touches more of their senses.”

Read on for five experiential travel spots worth journeying to this year.

Toronto has garnered quite the reputation among residents and visitors alike—and for good reason. Its landscape is comprised of a vibrant art sphere, burgeoning craft brewery scene, international film stage, and sought-after historical neighbourhoods. The most revered of these carry with them a few marked characteristics: innovative architecture, abundant amenities, and exceptional overall livability.

When Klaus Wowereit, a former mayor of Berlin, described his city as “poor, but sexy” in 2003, he was commenting on its growing appeal in the years following the fall of the Berlin Wall and German reunification.

Modern art can be many things: Towering sculptures, floor to-ceiling paintings, object installations—all of these types of works have their rightful places when they live in a museum. But displaying them in the confines of your living room, kitchen or dining room can be an art in itself.

In the design world, wallpaper is the great change artist. It has the power to transform the look and feel of a room in a blink—adding glamour, creating whimsy, lending refinement. Few decor modifications are as instantaneous or as drastic.

In the Greater Toronto Area (Durham, Halton, Peel, Toronto and York), market confidence and top-tier sales activity renewed in the first half of 2018 as consumer psychology recovered from the April 2017 introduction of the Ontario Fair Housing Plan, particularly within the City of Toronto. Given unprecedented gains in the region’s $1 million-plus sales volume from 2015 to 2017, with surges of 56% in 2015 over 2014, 65% in 2016 over 2015, and 41% in the first half of 2017 over the first half of 2016, year-over-year comparisons of 2018 to 2017 sales activity mask the region’s market resilience. On the surface, $1 million-plus residential real estate sales fell 46% year-over-year in the first half of 2018, while sales over $4 million fell 51%. However, 2018 sales volume trended in line with 2015’s pre-surge levels: GTA $1 million-plus real estate sales in the first half of 2018 increased 25% from the number of units sold in the first half of 2015, while sales over $4 million were up 72%.

 Toronto Real Estate Board President Garry Bhaura, in his first market release as TREB President, is pleased to announce some positive signs with respect to the housing market.

Greater Toronto Area REALTORS® reported 8,082 home sales through TREB's MLS® System in June 2018 – up 2.4 per cent compared to the low June 2017 result. After preliminary seasonal adjustment, sales were also up 17.6 per cent on a monthly basis between May 2018 and June 2018, continuing the trend of somewhat volatile month-over-month changes over the past year as
home buyers reacted to various policy changes impacting the market.

Minimalism is design through simplicity—of form, colour, volume and detail—yet this aesthetic isn't simple to achieve. Go too far in one direction, and the result is cold, even sterile; cross the line the other way, and messiness begins. Hitting the sweet spot involves an architectural and decorative language of unity and repetition and the clever manipulation of space—not as an element to be filled, but as one to be celebrated—as well as light.

Toronto certainly has its share of posh, exclusive neighborhoods, but none compares to the Bridle Path. 

Homes in the neighborhood command top prices and attract a clientele from around the world.  Called “Millionaire’s Row” in the past, it might be more apt to call it “Billionaire’s Row” now because of the neighborhood’s homes’ constant expansion, according to Paul Maranger and Christian Vermast of Sotheby’s International Realty Canada.

We live globally—family spread across continents, children on the other side of the country, friends who forgo a home base to travel the world. It takes a consummate host to bring together a far-flung cohort, to create an inviting anchor point worthy of an extended visit. Put up your family and friends in these remarkable guest houses and take a break from coordinating elaborate meetups away from home.

Online shopping has revolutionized the way we buy everything from clothing to everyday basics. Now, we can add fine antiques, rare vintage pieces and designer furniture to the list. Whether you’re looking for a pristine Art Deco accent chair by Jacques Adnet or an 18th-century French farmhouse table, you can start your search at Viyet.com, the online vintage, antique and designer furniture marketplace that was acquired by Sotheby’s in February 2018.

When it comes to vacations dreams are made of, it’s hard to go wrong in the Caribbean. Famous for its turquoise waters and vibrant cities, the Caribbean offers diverse holiday experiences across more than 7,000 islands and countless pristine beaches. Whether this is your first time close to the equator or a return to a favored spot to set down roots, here are five Caribbean vacation properties you won’t want to overlook.

Sundays are sacred. Whether you spend the day exploring local art and architecture, browsing market stops, or indulging in culinary delights, there’s no denying the seventh and final day of the week is reserved for discovery as a ritual. This Sunday, we explore the best of Curaçao.

It is a testament to the prescience and inherent genius of American architect Frank Lloyd Wright that only about half of his designs were realized—the rest of us just couldn’t keep up. In a career spanning seven decades, Wright designed 1,114 works of which only 532 came to fruition, but that half-told history was more than enough to inspire the generations of architects and designers that followed. Like Wright, the designers of these modern marvels have embraced change, building new contemporary masterpieces that allow their inhabitants to live as Wright intended

Swaddled in a black fur coat against the chilly night air, an opera singer is standing on the sidewalk, belting out the Etta James classic “At Last.” Spotlights behind her illuminate the sky, while a crowd of expensively dressed people gathers around the velvet ropes, vying to get into one of the biggest parties of the season. This isn’t a gala or a movie premiere, however; it is the opening of Bisha, the newest addition to the growing roster of luxury hotels in downtown Toronto.

Over the years, Canadian architects and designers have crafted a wide range of attractive and architecturally significant residences across the country. Now, they are finally beginning to get the recognition they deserve. From Moshe Safdie’s treasured Habitat 67 to Morton Katz’s Le Corbusier–inspired designs, here are six homes by Canada’s top architects and designers.