Reuniting with these alumni clients for a third project is one of the greatest honours of our work. There is something deeply meaningful about being invited back into a family’s life, watching their story evolve and creating spaces that grow alongside them. More than any award or accolade, their continued trust is the greatest testament to the work we do.
In our design work, we are often guided by the heart and captivated by the light. Our Honoring Heritage project seemed to consult with nature at every turn, with an abundance of natural light pouring through the many windows of this century-old heritage home. Inspired by the warmth of the sun, we layered rich, earthy tones and natural materials throughout the renovation as a quiet homage to the home’s history.
Within architecture of such extraordinary lineage, our intention was to honor its grandeur without sacrificing approachability. The composition became a careful balance: dressing the home in rich finery, then adding just enough whimsy to keep it from taking itself too seriously. Durable, carefree materials allow the rooms to be truly lived in, filled with rambunctious laughter, spontaneous gatherings and the beautiful messiness of everyday life.
And then there is the powder room, one of our favorite spaces to design. Small in scale but limitless in personality, it is where we encourage clients to set aside their fear of growing tired of something bold and embrace what we call contrast confidence. Because a room visited in small doses can afford to make a very big impression. In most spaces, restraint has its place. In the Kerrisdale powder room, however, more was most definitely more, and we took that philosophy to an entirely new level.
Designer: Huong Nguyen
Photographer: Tracey Ayton
