“I’m a nester,” Craig tells me when I ask how he came to work in this field. “At a very young age I wanted to be an archeologist, but I realized that the lifestyle wasn’t going to fit my personality. A career in the architectural field was my true calling. And 34 years later, I am proud to have over 300 homes in my portfolio. Maybe an archeologist will dig one up in a thousand years,” he adds, laughing.
Consistent with his “nester” personality, Craig has worked from home for over 18 years. He finds that a regular, disciplined routine is mandatory, but says “it’s never good for an ‘artist’ to force the creative process.”
He adds: “The advantage is you can step away and refocus when needed. This is beneficial to one’s mental health and results in a better product for my clients.”
Asked about any recent life lessons, he says, “I’ve learned over the last 16 months of the pandemic that life is short and time is precious. However you choose to love, live and play, do it to the fullest.”
When it comes to his personal style, Craig leans towards clean, simple and classic, while adding a slight edge—“I do have to step back and edit myself, sometimes,” he says.
The same aesthetic carries over to his work, where his goal is to create timeless architecture.
“I hope that one day people will look back and remember the contributions I have made to the development of our communities. I have received a few awards and accolades,” he says, “but the ultimate achievement would be to have some of my homes end up on the heritage preservation list.”
Find Craig on Instagram at: craigchevalierdesigns or online at Chevalier Designs.
Clothes/Grooming
Uniform: Stretch, dress joggers; crisp, collared shirt or polo shirt and driving shoes or flip flops.
Favourite denim brand and cut: Dirk Bikkembergs, raw denim straight leg.
Current go-to clothing items: Shorts with knitted T-shirts.
Currently coveting: COVID-19 sweatpants and hoodie.
Favourite pair of shoes: Scarperia Italian loafers.
Best new purchase: 2021 BMW X2.
Favourite overnight bag: Matt & Nat ZAM weekender bag.
Favourite day-bag: Mark Ryden Tucker sling bag.
Favourite work tool: Power washer.
Sunglasses: Tom Ford.
Scent: Acqua Di Parma and Bottega Veneta.
Favourite skincare product: Aesop Mandarin Hydrating Cream and Parsley Seed Anti-Oxidant Serum.
Favourite hair product: Davines.
Favourite watch: Emporio Armani and Burberry.
Reading Material
Fave style blog: DAPPERMEN blog and Your Lookbook Men.
Coffee table book/photography book: The Group of Seven Reimagined: Contemporary Stories Inspired by Historic Canadian Paintings by Karen Schauber.
Last great read: The Physician by Noah Gordon.
Book currently reading: Paris by Edward Rutherfurd.
Favourite book of all time: The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett.
Style Inspirations & Life
Style icon: Ryan Gosling.
Favourite artist: Bill Reid, northwest coast art, and Jorge Marin, Mexican sculptor.
Piece of art: Saint Jerome by Caravaggio.
Favourite fashion designer or brand: Past was Alexander McQueen, current is Tom Ford.
Favourite music: Jazz lounge and deep house.
Era of time that inspires your style: 1950s.
Film or TV show that inspires your style or that you just love the style of: Suits and Magic City.
Favourite local restaurant: St. Lawrence and Hawksworth.
Favourite restaurant patio: Reflections at the Hotel Georgia and Joe Fortes.
Favourite wine: Flaccianello della Pieve 2021 and Black Hills Nota Bene.
Favourite cocktail: A Negroni or tequila on the rocks.
Album on current rotation: Fine Line by Harry Styles.
Favourite city to visit: Rome.
Favourite hotel: The Fairmont Pacific Rim.
Favourite app: Airbnb and SoundCloud.
Favourite museum: The Uffizi in Florence.
Favourite quotes: “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” and “There’s no ATM in Heaven.”
Favourite place in the whole world: Italy, hands down.
Story courtesy of Boulevard Magazine, a Black Press Media publication
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