WL Design 25

WL Design 25 Winners 2024: High Fashion in Low Places

A peek into Louis Duncan-He's Woo basement, one of the winners of our first annual WL Design 25 awards.

By Alyssa Hirose /
Eymeric Widling

Louis Duncan-He is proving that when it comes to basement design, the sky (or, perhaps, the ground?) is truly the limit. The homeowners of this Calgary reno grew up in Bali and Singapore, and asked the design team to bring those lush vibes to the Prairies.

Photo: Eymeric Widling

The result is a moody, tropical escape that combines bold design choices (think leafy statement walls, a custom moss installation and sumptuous pink, ochre and emerald seating) with budget-friendly strategies (the stunning bar, for example, is clad with a granite wallpaper).

Photo: Eymeric Widling

Duncan-He and his team opted to forgo any demolition and embrace the home’s original architecture—even a tricky rectangular alcove, which they transformed into a functional focal point with walnut trim, an antique mirror and storage space for the homeowner’s robust collection of cocktail ingredients. Cheers to below-ground brilliance.

Photo: Eymeric Widling

Project: Woo basement
Designer: Louis Duncan-He Designs
Collaborators: Modern Walls (wallpaper installation), Baxter Tile (tile installation)
Location: Calgary

Meet all of the 2024 WL Design 25 winners here.

Alyssa Hirose

Alyssa Hirose

Alyssa Hirose is a Vancouver-based writer, editor, illustrator and comic artist. Her work has been featured in Vancouver magazine, Western Living, BCBusiness, Avenue, Serviette, Geist, BCLiving, Nuvo, Montecristo, The Georgia Straight and more. Her beats are food, travel, arts and culture, style, interior design and anything dog-related. She publishes a daily autobiographical comic on Instagram at @hialyssacomics.