Are you guys ready for this? Because we found the treasure map and we can’t wait to show you all the gold on downtown’s Church Street. Welcome to our sneak peak inside SB Contemporary Gallery – a 100 year old, brick, multi-level commercial/residential building where Sarah Beveridge and her husband Chris Carvallo of International Machine Service have produced a brag-worthy home and commercial art gallery. Throughout its years, the building has worn many hats, once a beauty parlour, a laundromat and even a butcher shop. Their building has been the perfect canvas for modern industrial home design and styling (plus having a hubby handyman like Chris makes for a match made in renovation heaven). The couple has owned the building for just over a decade and, like most passionate designers, still find they are making ongoing changes and improvements.
Their most recent project was the addition on the back, including the staircase connecting the two levels of backyard retreat. Rather than using standard spindles, the 300 square foot deck and 20 step stair case is lined with rebar and the balcony is furnished with rustic wood furniture, handmade by Chris with wood from ‘Dusty Loft Antiques’ in Harrow (where any good person should go for handy dandy odds and ends). Inside the family loft, features like exposed ductwork, beams, aluminum checker plate and pipe detailing offer up that special feeling we all get from visual dimension and drama (BTW, Chris manufactured the hand railings inside out of old gas pipes from the once-upon-a-time laundry mat). After removing the roof from the back half and building up the extension, they salvaged some of the wood, later transforming it into strikingly beautiful, rustic sliding barn doors. The essence of hand-crafted quality radiates in every aspect of their home.
Like many industrial design enthusiasts they’ve decked out their home with an eclectic mix of furniture, both modern and vintage silhouettes in bold colours and patterns. Authentic and well-traveled tapestries adorn the walls from Chris’s birthplace, Chile. All of the colour, textures and patterns in the furniture, decor and art contribute to a visual balance by sharply contrasting the industrial features of the building.
Their home is an exceedingly personal project that has journeyed through the love and heartbreak, passion and hard work, challenges and success of their family. And their personal art collection runs just as deep. Sarah’s artwork in the house is revealing yet secretive. Using flowing red thread and personal letters she evokes a sense of intimacy; blurring the line between whats public and private to her audience. You’ll find artwork by other artists such as Trina Hesman, Victor Romao, and even their two daughters who have adopted the pleasures of creating and curating.
As the owner of SB Contemporary Art, Sarah has utilized her experience and knowledge of the Canadian art community to create a thriving Windsor gallery that is also studio space to some of Windsor’s most acclaimed artists. You’ll find a bevy of names like Adele Duck, Elaine Carr, Sasha Opeiko, Matthew Hawtin, Susan Gold and Sheila Butler on the directory of artists who work from SB Contemporary. The gallery displays up to 8 exhibitions each year and they offer artist talks, classes for all ages and different workshops throughout the year. They also offer in-house art consultations for those of you who might be looking to build a collection. The proximity to downtown Windsor and Detroit has been ideal for visitors, collectors and enthusiasts both north and south of the border.
SB Contemporary Art is throwing a party to celebrate the buildings 100th year. The SB Summer Party is at 1017 Church Street, Saturday August 11, 10am to 4pm. Or you can pop in between July 14th to August 11th to see their upcoming “In the Works” exhibition highlighting the works of artists and students that have taken classes at SB’s Studio over the last seven years. When you pop in don’t forget to tell them Border City Living sent you!
Contact Information:
1017 Church Street, N9A 4V3 Windsor, Ontario
SB Contemporary Art
SBContemporaryart
sbcontemporaryart.com
