Wide view across the quartzite waterfall island to the navy base cabinetry, the white oak upper cabinets, a veined stone slab backsplash and a stainless pro range.

ALDERWOOD

Modern Sanctuary

Front of the finished two-storey home straight on, white siding under a board-and-batten gable, a teal front door between lantern sconces and a covered porch with woven chairs above the paver walk.

Client Goals & Needs:This family wanted to create a natural sanctuary drawing inspiration from natural greens and deep greys. With a love for cooking, gathering and hosting, the kitchen was designed to become the heart of the home. Thoughtful and strategic storage was required throughout to maximize the available floor space while keeping the spaces feeling sleek, calm and inspiring.

Project Type:Second-Storey Addition

Square Footage:1,400 sq. ft.

Location:Alderwood

Services rendered:

Architectural design
Interior design
Construction

Front elevation from the driveway side, board-and-batten gables over white siding, the covered porch with its woven chairs, and the paver walk curving out to the drive. — Front exterior

Kitchen seen from the family room side, the quartzite-topped island and amber leather stools under a dome pendant, navy base cabinets, white oak uppers and a panelled navy refrigerator wall. — Kitchen

Range wall in full, with a white plaster hood, a bookmatched stone slab backsplash, a brass pot filler, white oak cabinetry and a stainless pro range. — Kitchen

Kitchen counter run with a cooktop and pro range beneath a brass pot filler, white oak upper cabinets and black casement windows over the sink. — Kitchen

Two amber leather counter stools tucked to the navy island, a brass bar pull on the cabinet door and the veined stone backsplash with its brass pot filler behind. — Kitchen

Bathroom with a reeded walnut double vanity, a stone counter, brass tapware and a frameless glass shower clad in green herringbone tile. — Ensuite

Reeded walnut double vanity straight on, with twin brass faucets, a stone counter and a full-width mirror under a linear brass light. — Ensuite

Curbless walk-in shower clad in dark green herringbone tile behind a frameless glass panel, with the walnut vanity beyond. — Ensuite

Drop-in soaking tub built into a stone-clad deck with a brass filler, beside recessed white linen shelving under the sloped ceiling. — Ensuite

Bathroom with a single oak vanity, an oval brass mirror and a tub set into a stone-tiled alcove behind a glass panel, under a transom window. — Bathroom

Tub and shower alcove lined in large-format stone-look tile, with a chrome rainfall head, a hand shower on a riser and a glass screen. — Bathroom

Powder room seen from the stair side, so the deep green panelled staircase and the floral-papered walnut vanity read in one frame. — Powder room

Powder room with a white toilet set against the dark floral wallpaper of birds and blossoms, over a charcoal herringbone tile floor. — Powder room

Dining room seen past the kitchen island, with a live-edge wood table, upholstered chairs, framed art and a lit white oak display niche beyond. — Dining room

Dining room straight on, with a wood table between two black casement windows, a linear pendant and a lit oak display niche on the side wall. — Dining room

Family room open to the kitchen, with a putty sectional under a gallery wall of framed photographs, a wall-hung television over a carved wood cabinet and nesting tables on a patterned rug. — Family room

Bedroom with a wall of white built-in wardrobes, a walnut dresser run under a wide window and a built-in oak niche in the low headboard wall. — Bedroom

Bedroom with a low white oak console holding a lift-up television, a knee-hole desk with an upholstered stool and tall built-in wardrobes. — Bedroom

Covered rear porch with woven lounge seating, a dark-bladed ceiling fan, a horizontal slat privacy screen and a view over the lawn. — Covered patio

Covered porch from the garden side, its composite deck holding woven sofas and chairs beneath the painted soffit and slat screen. — Covered patio

Backyard seen from the lawn, with the covered porch and raised composite deck, planted borders, a stone path and a hot tub on its pad. — Backyard

A dog resting on a patterned area rug in the living room, beside a green upholstered swivel chair, a carved wood cabinet and a lamp-lit side table. — Living room

Three people standing together at the quartzite island beneath the dome pendant, with the white oak and navy kitchen cabinetry behind them. — At the island

The finished two-storey home from the same street vantage after the second-storey addition, Modern Sanctuary project.

Before

After

Design inspiration

The design was inspired by the client’s desire for a calm, nature-inspired sanctuary that felt deeply personal to them. Organic and natural tones used for the kitchen set the direction for the rest of the home. Moss tiles, iron-ore cabinetry, natural stone and concrete lighting brought depth and texture to the palette, while deep green hallways created a sense of continuity throughout the house. The powder bathroom’s bold wallpaper featuring an array of Canadian birds became a joyful expression of the client’s passions and a reminder of their newfound courage to take bold decisions.