Why this is interior designer Ami McKays favourite room

When Ami McKay moved to British Columbia from her native Niagara Falls 20 years ago, her dream was to paint the mountains. She took classes at the Emily Carr University of Art + Design, but then changed disciplines. Today, shes an interior designer, specializing in residential and hospitality projects in addition to new builds; McKay collaborates on them with project manager Don Thomas, her partner in life and business. As principal of Pure Design Inc., she has also designed a line of sustainable furniture and bedding sold across Canada through Bed, Bath & Beyond stores. Much of her ideas come from nature, with which McKay maintains a connection through her principal residence, a three-bedroom cabin in the woods some 25 minutes north of Vancouver. The mountains, which originally lured her west, are visible from the cabins living room. And they inspire her still. It is heaven here, she says. We have our own private beach and I can see it all through the windows in this room, which Ive designed to be very earthy to contrast with the ocean outside.

The windows

There are no curtains on purpose this room has such wow factor. When people walk into the space, their mouths drop, because all you see is blue, the blue of the ocean. It feels like you are in a floating home and I didnt want anything to take away from that. The view is everything in this room.

The chairs

These I designed myself. They are part of my Pure furniture line, which is 100-per-cent sustainable. I upholstered them in a linen cotton blend fabric. I love that they are white, as I like having light-looking furniture in my home. It doesnt compete for attention with the other pieces in the room.

The side table

This is really neat. It comes from Indonesia. When the forests are clear cut [there], the villagers are left with nothing except the root in the ground, which they dig out and sell. So this table serves two purposes for me: Its sculptural and its also giving back. Its a table with a conscience.

The ceiling

Its a cedar-beam ceiling. Its interesting and really beautiful. I really like how the white walls pop against the high contrast of the wood.

The table

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Why this is interior designer Ami McKays favourite room