5 quick questions: Munge Leung and Charles Khabouth

So, the Ultimate space that designers Munge Leung and Charles Khabouth of Ink Entertainment are collaborating on for the IDS is quite the showstopper. I've had a sneaky look during construction and I can't wait to see it finished, especially since I've heard it'll launch their latest venture - a swish hotel/condo project. Now, this isn't the first time these guys have worked together, within the past year they've made a splash with Ame, the swanky re-do of the Rubino brother's famed Rain restaurant, as well as Ultra (yep, the one with the chickens, more here), and have even re-done Khabouth's own condo.

So, to get a slightly more in-depth take at what's going on I cornered both Charles Khabouth and Alessandro Munge, one half of ML, and asked them 5 quick questions. The first two snaps shows what's what inside Ame (the cocktails are stellar btw), the third is a peek inside Khabouth's condo.[Image: Condo interior, National Post. Portrait,  Arash Moallemi/IDS]

Arren Williams: What's inspiring you right now?

Charles Khabouth: My recent trip to paris, France.

Alessandro Munge: My travels!

AW: Is there anything that can drive you crazy when you walk into a space?

CK: Bad lighting or an unwelcoming/unfriendly host.

AM: Low ceiling heights and no natural light.

AW: What's the next thing you have your eyes on for your own house?

CK: Art.

AM: Art, and lots of it.

AW: How would you describe your style - personal or design - and has it changed over the years?

CK: I want to say that my look is simple and edgy, though I’ve stopped trying hard to look my best because I just don’t have a lot of time. Now I just wear what’s simple and comfortable – and the result is actually my best look yet.

AM: Eclectic. Timeless. Modern.

AW: What's next on the horizon?

CK: I have four serious projects on the horizon in the near future – but the most prominent and exciting for me right now is a residence and hotel development in the heart of Toronto that will be the launch of a new brand. This brand will represent the ultimate lifestyle in design, comfort, amenities and access.

AM: 5-star hotels worldwide!

Shoot me now

I wore a suit three times last week, a change for me since I'm usually in jeans as well as being fairly grubby from lugging and schlepping. The snaps below, where you can see me on one of those rare occasions, are a behind the scenes peek at a shoot for the upcoming Interior Design Show. And that crew that I'm pictured with, other than being devilishly handsome, are all the folks that have been invited to create the design spaces at the IDS 10. Our theme is The Ultimate, so you can expect to see fabulously interesting/sexy/cool spaces created by myself, architect Drew Mandel, Jason MacIsaac of Ministry of the Interior, and Alessandro Munge and Sai Leung of the design firm Munge Leung who are working with nightclub and restaurant impresario Charles Khabouth of Ink Entertainment. It was a huge honour to be invited to take part and I'm still sketching, researching and refining the concept for my project, but as soon as I know more you'll be the first to hear! [Images: James Kachan]

       

Very extraordinary chickens

I popped in to Ultra on the the afternoon of their re-opening in February and was met by controlled pandemonium. I sidestepped some workers and said hello to cool as a cucumber co-owner Charles Khabouth, who vowed they'd be ready for that evening's event. Luckily the dust settled, and everything went off without a hitch.

One of my favourite Toronto design firms - Munge Leung - is behind the restaurant's rather glam re-do, including those showstopping 15ft tall curtains printed with mondo images by photographer Stephen Green-Armytage, taken from his book Extraordinary Chickens. The curtains flank a huge solid oak table and 24 hi-gloss lipstick red charivari chairs. Not to take anything away from those chickens, but that table - designed and created for the space by edgy firm Castor - is quite the stunner too; it's a massive 25-feet long solid oak number supported by a quirky mix of vintage, baroque and hand-carved cast aluminum legs. Click here to see the table under construction, and make sure to stop in at Ultra for a cocktail or spot of dinner sometime.