Beautifully proportioned and meticulously articulated, this home鈥檚 living-room ceiling is a showstopper.
While it was challenging to design and painstaking to construct, it makes a spectacular architectural statement.
鈥淚t鈥檚 all in the details,鈥� said the owner, who explained it took 200 hours of labour just for drywalling, not including framing, and was much more work than originally anticipated.
It was inspired by a similarly embossed ceiling that was created in moulding only, so it didn鈥檛 have the high-relief effect.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a cool element and kind of a spin on traditional coffering,鈥� said interior designer Jenny Martin, who noted the intricate arrangement of 鈥渂oxes鈥� extends over both living room and kitchen ceilings.
A version of it repeats on the end of the island, too, and a similar form is echoed in the main staircase鈥檚 vertical spindles and newel post.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a highlight of the house,鈥� said the owner, who had spotted a ceiling like it in a magazine some time ago and showed it to Martin, who adapted and modified the geometric pattern to suit the scale and character of the house.
The owner couldn鈥檛 be more delighted, because the classic yet contemporary feature helps define her vision of this comfortable, urbane home in the heart of Oak Bay.
Having lived for many years in two different houses in the area, the owners didn鈥檛 want to move to another part of the city.
鈥淓stevan is such a great neighbourhood, close to the beach, a great area for running, good for our boys when they were going to school and now UVic, and close to downtown, where we both work,鈥� said the tall and elegant Ran, who asked to keep their last name private.
Her husband was content in their previous home, but she wanted to downsize 鈥� although not too much, as family members frequently come to stay. Instead of seven bedrooms, they now have six, along with six bathrooms.
Despite its size, the house doesn鈥檛 look like a monster. It nestles into its surroundings, with a large media room and guest rooms on the basement level, below grade.
鈥淚t鈥檚 so important to fit into the neighbourhood,鈥� said Ran, who noted the roof slope was also kept low, to reduce the mass.
Luckily, they found an ideal lot in Estevan and gathered a creative team composed of the multi-award winning Martin, builder Jamie Gill at Seba Construction and Outline Home Design鈥檚 Tim Rodier, 鈥渨ho did an amazing job bringing light into the basement,鈥� said Ran.
Work began with demolition of an older home on the site and removal of the old foundation. In its place, the team created a 3,700-square foot home 鈥渨ith a really clean design and outdoor areas that flow from living room to patio,鈥� Gill said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the first house we鈥檝e done with Jenny Martin and she gave us great direction. She is very accommodating and easy to work with.鈥�
Martin said it was a plus being involved from the outset.
鈥淭he owners wanted it to be homey, with rich and warm colours, so it was very refreshing to work on,鈥� said Martin. 鈥淲e do so many homes that are light, beachy and airy, so it was great to work in darker, smokier, warmer tones for a change.
Martin, who has run her own company for a decade and has 10 employees, said the home is contemporary but has traditional elements, along with 鈥渨ow factors鈥� such as the living-room ceiling.
Ran said Martin 鈥� who mostly works with new construction and custom homes 鈥� is an 鈥渁mazing鈥� designer and they clicked immediately. 鈥淏uilding a house is so stressful and this took a year, but she always responded right away to any call and she is so soft, never in your face.鈥�
The owner added that she is enjoying this house much more than her last, which was 4,400 square feet and also custom-built for her and her husband.
鈥淭his home is smaller and it鈥檚 all about the details,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like buying an inexpensive dress and putting it with a great necklace. I love fashion, mixing and matching different kinds of furniture, and accessorizing.鈥�
The owner admits she is a 鈥渧ery A-type person鈥� who loves elegance and glamour, too. 鈥淚 love the classic feel. People joke when I say we have downsized, but the whole house feels different. Our other house felt like a hotel.鈥�
The kitchen features rich wood tones contrasting with white quartz from Cambria鈥檚 marble collection, supplied and installed by Floform. Along with a large slab on the island, the material runs up the wall behind the stove.
All the millwork and cabinets were custom made by Thomas Philips, including a secret, specially hinged, very heavy door next to the wall ovens. It looks like part of the cabinetry, but camouflages the entry into a long pantry and mudroom.
The cabinets are white oak stained espresso grey brown, and a shiny black hood over the stove, custom-designed by Martin, adds a unique touch. 鈥淪omeone told me the other day they thought it was a television,鈥� said Ran with a chuckle.
Lights throughout the house are by McLaren Lighting, including enormous lights over the island. When Ran first saw them, she couldn鈥檛 believe they would fit in, 鈥渂ut I placed my trust in Jenny and they are my favourites now.鈥�
The home has a single detached garage, which Ran wanted because of the noise factor 鈥� plus all her sons鈥� hockey gear is stored there. 鈥淲e originally planned for a double garage, but that would have meant taking space from the house. I think Oak Bay should allow larger garages so there would be fewer cars on the street.鈥�
The front entry makes a bold statement with a rippled feature wall, rather than the bank of closet doors called for in the original plan. The owners now take guest coats around the corner to a closet down the hall opposite the staircase.
Behind the new feature wall is a spacious wet bar adjacent to the kitchen.
鈥淲e have no clothes closet by the front door, but it was so worth it to have this instead,鈥� Ran said.
