Testimonials
“We were introduced to Chris Knell through one of our design associates that met him on a project and was impressed with his work. We invited Chris to the Livingspace showroom as we were updating a few of the kitchens and closets with Dada and Molteni's new collections and needed to add a quality finish to enhance the beautiful woodwork. We discussed the job with Chris and he educated us about his work and his experience with Venetian lime plaster and the lasting value that the masters in Italy have been applying for centuries. We were very happy with the result and the start of a relationship with Chris. We have since happily recommended Chris for many of our projects and will continue to do so in the future.”
Ross Bonetti - Livingspace Vancouver
“ There’s something about plastered walls that adds depth and solidity to a surface that paint or wallpaper can’t. Drywall turns to stone and the textured surface begs you to touch it. But what Chris has done to our ceilings is truly remarkable. The polished, leafy finish to the living room ceiling draws your eyes upward and holds your gaze. And in our master suite, a bronze, brass and stainless-steel liquid metal plaster — yes, metal — adds a luxurious warmth that glows in the sunlight”
Emily Spencer
" It has been a pleasure to incorporate the talents of Christopher Knell of Contemporary House into a few of our projects. In this fast paced world geared toward streamlining, the artistry that comes from handmade craftsmanship like his is fading. Chris is an artisan of the highest caliber focused deeply on each step of his process. He is as particular regarding the site preparations as he is about the final coat being applied to his form of art. His talents with plaster have provided texture and depth to our spaces helping to create rich environments in which our clients inhabit.
We very much look forward to working with Chris on our next project and many more in the future.”
Katayoon & Benjamin - Blank Canvas Interiors
“It was through word of mouth that we heard of Christopher Knell. He met us on site in the early days of our renovation. Although we had set ideas of how we were going to handle the fireplace and surrounding walls, after speaking with him and listening to his fresh ideas we decided to give him an opportunity to present his concept to us. We also discussed an entry staircase wall with him. Not only did he show us sample boards of his work but he took us on a tour of his work which is on display at Living Space. After selecting from the colour palette and the styles of plaster from his custom sample boards specifically made for our condo, he visited our place several times to work out meticulously how and when would be the opportune time during the project to work on the walls and what preparations were required from our contractor. While working his magic he earned respect from all the trades who happen to be on site during the 3 weeks he worked on our project. He also gave us some good advice of how to finish off other aspects of our living / dining room area. He is most articulate and together with his presentation and sample boards, our son was able to Photoshop an accurate rendition of the finished space and we were not disappointed. Christopher is a delight to work with, very knowledgeable and skilled in his field – a true artist.”
Adele and David Cohen
“Christopher Knell from Contemporary House was recommended to me by Livingspace in Vancouver, to create a feature wall in my two-floor condo in a black Tadelakt finish. I was so impressed by Chris’s work that I asked him to complete all the walls in my condo. This included a kitchen back splash, steam shower room, bath and vanity area, as well as a second shower room. Chris s a true artist and his work is amazing. He has a great work ethics and it was an absolute pleasure to work with him.”
Monika Momeni
“I have known Christopher Knell for nearly 10 years and have grown to understand his philosophy in regard to work ethic and his wonderful skill in Venetian lime plaster finishes, which he creates in custom homes and high-end commercial projects. I myself have been able to become friends and over time exchanging ideas and traditional methods that are unquestionable true to European standards and as a qualified British tradesman he excels in the field. When a client wants only the best in plaster wall finishes he stands alone. In my opinion Chris is probably one of the top lime plasters and he stands out head and shoulders above the competition, literally in both quality and personal execution of the project. Many companies build reputation initially and as they grow quality it is hard to maintain with adding and training staff, with Chris you know you are getting a sustained quality installation every time. There are very few tradesmen that go the extra mile, it’s what’s called integrity and Chris has it in spades. Long may he prosper as Contemporary House, creating unique finishes on his pallet – that being his clients walls and ceilings.”
Barry Affleck
Internationally recognized Lime specialist (Textureline and Protek)
“My wife and I are truly thrilled with the work that Chris and Jamie of the Contemporary House have completed in our beautiful home. They have magically transformed our house far beyond our best expectation. It is a rare pleasure to collaborate with professionals – artisans – who have this level of skill, vast experience and an immaculate work ethic with true care for detail and quality. Chris and Jamie gave our character-filled farm house a breathtaking make-over, plastering the walls, restoring a central adobe wall into a real beauty, and creating absolute perfection within the 2 bathrooms and 2 showers. Whenever a technical challenge would present itself, Chris’s expansive experience and knowledge allowed him him to go to the root of the issue, coming up with just the right solution to take the action needed to fix the root of the problem. Not only is Chris a very talented plasterer, he is also an experienced builder, which gives him and his team an invaluable advantage within any environment they are hired to work in. Over all, the quality of the work is outstanding and the work ethic of the team is beyond admirable. Last but not least they have a great sense of humour which create an inspiring work atmosphere. We are looking to buy another house so we can work with them again.”
David and Zuzana Marchandise
“My wife and I found that Chris was a very creative, talented and dedicated plaster specialist. We described the design idea for feature walls in our Vancouver apartment to Chris and, although he hadn’t produced this precise effect for any previous client, he returned with a sample board that worked so perfectly (on his first attempt!), that we were quite astounded. When completing the work he communicated extremely well concerning all practical issues, presented us with no surprises with respect to costs and left the worksite neat and clean each day. Despite some initial challenges with arriving at the desired result, Chris continued to rework the plaster feature walls until in the end we were all quite thrilled with the elegant and dramatic result. We truly appreciate his professionalism, talent and dedication.
Teryl Mullock, Architect AIBC
“Artistry is the synthesis of piercing vision, prophetic scope, mastery of material, and command in execution. Christopher Knell of Contemporary House is the distillation of all these assets. From initiation through to completion, Christopher Knell brought everything within him to truly create a unified and seamless show piece that dramatically transformed the retail storefront while adhering to the minimalist design intent. I had the honour to witness and be educated by this artisan which will always be imprinted in my memory. There is without a doubt that Christopher Knell is passionate about his craft, the people he connects and works with, and the development of venetian plaster as a paramount finish and language in our developing interior landscape.”
Evan Broens, Project Manager (Owner Representative & Consulting)
“Christopher Knell buys his lime plasters from us. We absolutely love working with him and are lucky enough to have some of his beautiful work in our shop. His artistic walls gives a truly unique finish for each project he works on. We have recommended him to many clients and have had nothing but fantastic feedback from his customers.
Moriah, Greenworks Building Supply