Home Tour: Inside the Kitsilano Home of Pyrrha Founders Danielle and Wade Papin

Over the past 30 years, Pyrrha has developed into an internationally renowned brand with celebrity superfans (Ryan Gosling! Lady Gaga!) and big-deal collabs (hello, official Wicked collection)—but Vancouver-based founders Danielle and Wade Papin remain thoroughly rooted to this place. Their impressive custom studio-showroom in a repurposed heritage house is just over in Mount Pleasant, and the couple has lived in their circa-1940s Kitsilano home since 2005, after renting across the street for years prior. No matter how Hollywood things get for the business, this is always going to stay home sweet home.

If you’re familiar at all with the jewellery of Pyrrha, you won’t be surprised by what you’ll find inside the couple’s personal space. “We like the juxtaposition of old and new,” explains Wade—a sentiment just as true of Pyrrha’s iconic talisman-design pendants as it is of their eclectic interior design.

In the kitchen, there’s fresh walnut flooring underfoot, while in the living room, you’ll find the original boards; sleek marble countertops coexist with vintage radiators (which the contractor failed to convince them to replace); a state-of-the-art sound system is used to play perfectly scuzzy ’70s post-punk records. There are high-design pieces here—Bocci lights, Herman Miller chairs—but most of the duo’s treasures are sourced from estate sales, vintage shops or garage sales. “We’re not really curators,” shrugs Danielle. “We buy what we like.”

Spin Me Right ’Round

The couple loves music (Patti Smith played at their 20th anniversary party) and hundreds of records are stored in the dining area. You’ll find rock classics, jazz albums and obscure New Wave here.

Bird Brain

This bird sculpture is one of three by Vancouver artist George Vergette. “It’s weird as vegetarians to have this in here but I think he said it was already taxidermied by his grandfather,” says Wade.

Weirdo Hero

Marcel Dzama, a Winnipeg artist most well known for designing the Guero album cover for Beck, did the piece above the radiator—a series of grotesque caricatures of art critics. “Everything he does is kind of weird,” says Danielle. “Wade bought it for me for Christmas and I googled all the names and they’re all real people.”

Take a Seat

The sofa in front of the Casey McGlynn painting was an SPCA thrift store find, reupholstered in black vinyl. “The upholsterer had to do every little square on here individually and said he’d never do it again,” says Wade.

Be My Hero

A contact sheet from David Bowie’s Heroes album shoot hangs framed above the home bar, signed by the photographer.

Cheers to That

The Papins are big home mixologists, and the bar features all of their favourite spirits and glassware (and can even transform into a serving station, thanks to a fold-out countertop). Right now, they’re into paper planes and negronis. “We like classic boozy cocktails,” says Danielle. “We’re bucking that non-alcohol trend.” (Wade adds, deadpan, “We do Wet January.”)

Sound Hound

Wade says his PrimaLuna Dialogue setup offers “the purest expression of analog sound” with its glowing tubes. A series of accompanying amps are constantly out for repair. “One is always in the shop; it’s like a Jag. We never have all three at the same time,” laughs Danielle.

The Hearth

Instead of a roaring fire, the vintage fireplace frames a television—but the mantel is actually a facade. “There was never a fireplace, there’s no chimney,” explains Danielle. (“So we don’t have to feel bad,” adds Wade.) The couple kicks back here with their 12-year-old daughter Hazel to watch movies: Raising Arizona was a recent feature.