Great Spaces: Inside an Ultra-Inspiring Calgary Design Studio

“Do we design this for our clients, or do we design this for ourselves?”

That was the first question Amanda Hamilton and her team asked as they set out to build the new Amanda Hamilton Interior Design office in Calgary. “Part of it was showcasing what we are capable of to our clients,” explains Hamilton, “but ultimately we just wanted a space we could come into and enjoy every single day.” The office needed to be inspirational, aspirational and educational. And you know what they say: a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single tile.

It was the mosaic marble in the reception area that set the mood for the space. “We fell in love with it, and selected everything around it,” says Hamilton. The multi-blend geometric tile is all natural, and the colours informed the rest of the room: terracotta for the armchairs, green marble for the reception desk. The 10-foot fiddle-leaf was sourced from Instagram—“You cannot buy these things anywhere!” Hamilton notes.

The natural-but-daring design continues in the main studio space, where different wood tones work in harmony. Hickory tables (almost regulation ping-pong size, thanks for asking) sit atop European white oak floors, and warm cabinetry provides both display space and storage for office necessities.

The boardroom pays homage to the creative director’s personal love of 1970s Italian vintage—think funky pink ceramic lights and curvilinear red chairs with textured upholstered seat pads. Hamilton’s personal office is sectioned off with a New York loft-style wall made of metal and glass and splashed with a black and cream Kelly Wearstler wallpaper.

The office bursts with personality, but also opportunity: the studio’s banquette seating shows off a variation of degrees of cushion firmness for clients to test out. The baseboards, millwork and casings throughout the space exhibit different design details, and the 14-foot sample wall is full of materials for clients to see and touch.

“Seeing those in person is super valuable,” says Hamilton. Even though it’s a workplace, the project’s distinct details and playful touches give it a decidedly homey vibe. “We took a residential approach to this, so it feels less corporate and more cozy and cool,” the designer says.

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