Personal Space: The Power Couple Behind Tomasz Wagner Photo and Films Opens the Doors to Their Live-Work Space

The Mount Pleasant home of wedding photographer Tomasz Wagner and spouse/studio manager Amy Tran has always been designated as a live-work space—but until a few years ago, the industrial-grade loft leaned aesthetically toward the “work” side of that equation.

“It was super rough. It used to be a workshop and there were light fixtures just hanging from wires. I would shower at the climbing gym instead of here,” Wagner laughs. Despite the discomfort, the couple stuck it out in the, uh, rustic conditions for years, forgoing small updates in favour of waiting for the big, all-in reno project. “We didn’t want to get too settled,” explains Tran.

Their patience paid off. Thanks to a makeover two years ago from Vancouver design firm &Daughters (a recent winner of Western Living magazine’s esteemed Robert Ledingham Memorial Award), the vibe is now decidedly more in the “live” camp. The loft space was torn down to the studs and then reconstructed into a warm, welcoming home, complete with a cozy dining nook (“It’s actually great for napping,” says Tran) lit by the glow of a paper Hay lamp. 

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There’s still plenty of work being done here, but Tran and Wagner literally compartmentalize their business hours for their studio to a pod-like space by the front door. The curved, raised workspace is panelled in wood and sound-dampening wool; breezy curtains delineate the area from the living quarters, hung high enough that the couple’s three cats can sneak underneath for a visit in the middle of an editing session.

Though the renovation is now complete inside the condo, the neighbourhood is going through its own overhaul—nearby, construction is constantly under way for new development and the incoming Skytrain upgrades. “Maybe when we get to 55, things will finally really feel like they’re settled,” jokes Wagner. “We’re excited to see the neighbourhood evolve.”

Home Tour: At Home with Photographer Tomasz Wagner and Studio Manager Amy Tran

Photos by Tanya Goehring

Working It

Tran has been managing the back end of Wagner’s wedding photography and videography business for more than 12 years. “I think we’ve really hit our stride in the last eight,” she jokes. The couple refers to their workstation as “the cabin,” and it does feel like a retreat. Wool panelling on the walls dampens the sound but also allows Tran and Wagner to pin up art and photos.

Photo Finish

Wagner has been shooting film for years and does all his own scanning and colour-grading. Usually you’ll find Fuji Frontier scanners in a big lab, but Wagner uses a miniature version—a connected custom keyboard allows him to colour-correct with a few taps.

Camera Ready

Photo tools and scanners are tucked away neatly into tension-mounted shelves. Wagner’s favourite photo books (like the collaborative Overgrowth, which he helped fund and includes other artists such as Hideaki Hamada and Miss Bean) are in pride of place for inspo, along with vintage camera boxes and a pristine Hasselblad camera.

Gather ’Round

“A cozy space was the vision: something softer than the industrial space it was, something that felt more like a hug,” says Tran. “The nook was a big part of that.” They eat in the dining nook, of course, but Tran can also vouch for it as a comfortable snoozing spot. The paper Hay lamp is a nod to their love of Danish design, and to Tran’s Chinese heritage.

Sculptural Moment

The ceramic pearls on the wall, from Studio Arhoj, were a find in Copenhagen. “We first fell in love with their work six years ago, but it wasn’t until we were staying nearby in Stockholm that we could order the pearls and have them shipped to our hotel,” says Tran. (A few other prints from Arhoj can be found elsewhere in the space.)

Above It All

The giant light fixture hanging from the highest point of the sloping ceiling (20 feet up!) was a serendipitous find at the now-shuttered design shop Espace D. “We first found this Petite Friture fixture in Paris but they only make it in Europe, and it was just too hard to bring home, and then there would be conversion issues even if we could import it,” says Wagner. “But then I walked into Espace D and saw one hanging, all lit up, and asked if the owner had any more to sell. He didn’t; he was willing to sell his display one to me.” The couple were touched, and sent him photos of the lamp in its new home. Says Tran, “It’s like we adopted it.”

Hidey Hole

The three cats (Gus, Olek and Oola) access their litter box through a discreet cut-out under the stairs (a suggestion from the designers at &Daughters). The previous owner was a woodworker, and made the floorboards himself. A set of KEF speakers flank an EQ3 cabinet in the living room (previous page)—ideal for listening to their vinyl collection, which is heavy on the electronica.