Vancouver-based Provide Home has launched a new home furnishings concept called Provide Design Gallery with a dedicated focus on elevating and celebrating the very best of local, high-end furniture creators.
Provide Home says that it is Vancouver’s premier design destination for understated luxury homewares since 2007. The new gallery is just down the street from that location.
“A natural extension of the Provide brand, Provide Design Gallery champions local design for big-scale furnishing with artful expressions in an evocative environment. And as one who is passionate about curating the very best for my clients, I’m very pleased to share this new home furnishing concept with Vancouver and the rest of the world,” said David Keeler, owner and visionary behind the Provide Design Gallery. “Provide has always been about understated luxury, and the new Provide Design Gallery will further that point of view.
“A couple of years ago we collaborated with a local wood furniture maker called Lock & Mortice on an exclusive furniture line that featured a dining table, bench, some side tables and from that success I could see an opportunity for expanding that collection and also working with more local furniture makers here in Vancouver and in BC.
“The current Provide is a great location. I’ve always been very happy with that. So the idea of moving to a bigger space wasn’t an option in my mind. I wanted to create another space in the same area because I think this area, the Armoury District, is great for design. There’s a lot of other retailers around here. That’s where the idea came from to open up a secondary space that could feature more furniture, lighting and art in a more realistic living environment – a living area, a dining area, a bedroom area, etc.”
Spanning 1,700 square feet, the new space will showcase 15 to 20 designers and several artists as part of its curated and ever-evolving offering. Specifically, top-tier local furniture collections from the likes of Studio Sturdy, Matthew McCormick, and Brent Comber will be enhanced by accents from internationally renowned designers like Ben and Aja Blanc, Arno Declercq, and Caroline Blackburn.
But it’s the Provide Series, Provide’s in-house furniture line designed in collaboration with Lock and Mortice that will take centre stage, with four new additions to the line unveiled in time for the gallery’s recent opening. These include a sofa, a day bed, a shelving unit, and a bed. All elements from the Provide Series are made from solid wood and come in dark black or white oak and are characterized by clean lines, soft curves, and asymmetrical elements.
“I always wanted to have another location and we did think about other areas like for instance Whistler but this is what I decided to go forward with for the current expansion,” said Keeler.
“Our typical clientele is probably in their 40s, 50s. Someone who really appreciates design, definitely tends to be more affluent, and appreciates something that is made locally and then our other strong clientele would be the interior design community here in Vancouver and beyond.
“The new gallery has more of a moody and sophisticated feel than the current Provide. The current Provide is very West Coast. It’s bright and open. We’ve got lots of windows. This one has a little more darkness to it with dedicated lighting for specific vignettes for the living area, dining area, etc. It’s got a curtain, linen, drapery wall as well as softness to it. Big wood beams. There’s a gray stone tile floor. So it’s still kind of minimal but very warm overall.”
Keeler said the Provide Design Gallery seeks to redefine and reinvigorate the local furniture design scene with a new-to-market, gallery-like space inspired by similar artful venues found in Paris and Milan, but with a unique West Coast expression.
“With Provide Design Gallery, we recognize that creating and building locally is important, now more than ever. Furthermore, our clients are keen to support local design but they also appreciate that they can have a designed piece of furniture that was made at an incredibly high standard – that equals or even surpasses something made in Europe – and all with less cost and environmental impact. There is incredible design talent here in Canada – especially in Vancouver – and you don’t have to source far to have beautiful furniture, lighting, accessories, and art for your home. I look forward to welcoming everyone to Provide Design Gallery today and into the future,” said Keeler.
The company ships all across Canada and into the United States.
“The space itself is unlike anything currently in Vancouver, with visitors experiencing a sense of warmth and comfort due to the plethora of luxurious furnishings, but juxtaposed against the gallery ‘s high drama design and architectural elements which results in a gorgeous experience made to inspire possibilities,” says the company.
“Upon entry, one is immediately captivated with a one-of-a-kind wood wall sculpture with LED elements by Brent Comber, the painted black wood ceiling that adds extra moodiness, and a full wall of natural linen drapery. The delights only continue as one passes through the carefully curated living, dining, casual seating, office, and bedroom spaces that show how to expertly apply the collections to your home, including how to style a sofa with cushions and a throw, a bookcase with decorative objects, or a bed with exquisite linens and pillows.”
In a nod to global art centres, the gallery will be routinely updated with unique and ever-evolving vignettes, which will allow clients to truly picture how the various collections would translate into their own homes.
“It’s quite possible that each time you visit, you’ll be treated to a new visual and design experience,” added Keeler.
