A rustic Whistler townhome gets a modern facelift
Transcription
A rustic Whistler townhome gets a modern facelift
HOMES Then & Now A rustic Whistler townhome gets a modern facelift STORY & PH OTOS BY BO N N Y M AKA RE W IC Z 48 WHISTLERTHEMAGAZINE SUMMER/FALL 2013 Feature walnut panelling frames the kitchen, dining and living room — defining each area with an open plan. A relaxed brown-grey upholstered Flexform Magnum sectional from Inform Interiors anchors the living space, while providing ample space when friends gather for après, dinners and hockey nights. The integrated fireplace surround of walnut and stainless steel with concrete by New Lines showcases and anchors the main living room space. Floating shelving and built-ins frame the bigscreen TV with a cantilever swivel mount allowing it to be pulled into the room and tucked away when not in use. WHISTLERTHEMAGAZINE SUMMER/FALL 2013 49 AFTER The dining area is defined and united to other spaces by a walnut-clad bulkhead, which also doubles as valance, washing light over a painting of Burrard Street Bridge by Vancouver artist David Wilson. A Bensen Radius dining table and bench meet Eames black-molded plastic side chairs with wood dowel base. Custom flat-panel walnut cabinets replaced the rustic shaker look. A new quartz countertop and raised bar finish off the peninsula-shaped kitchen. The bar area not only allows for friends to gather to chit-chat during meal preparation, but also blocks the kitchen prep from view. 50 WHISTLERTHEMAGAZINE SUMMER/FALL 2013 BEFORE ANYBODY WHO GREW UP as part of a large family knows the rule that if you announced, “No one take my chair!” before heading to the fridge, your spot would be saved upon your return. If the family featured in this story had the same rule, that chair would be their classic fireside Eames chair. The walnut and leather chair and ottoman, designed by Charles and Ray Eames for the Herman Miller furniture company in 1956, is not only the hottest seat during Hockey Night in Canada family gatherings, but it also takes some responsibility in this mountain makeover. When the young Vancouver family went looking for a ski pad to call their own, they certainly didn’t have to go far. For several ski seasons, they rented the unit a few doors down and several of their close friends already owned in the complex, so when an end unit came on the market in the spring of 2012 they jumped at it. They also decided to renovate before moving in, to create an inviting Whistler home that friends and family would look forward to spending time in for après, dinner or a weekend stay. “We didn’t like the idea of taking it all out and putting it all back in. If we were going to do a reno we wanted it to look different.” As a result, the 1998 townhome went from Whistler rustic to mountain contemporary. Recommended by friends, the couple enlisted contractor Tom McColm of TM Builders, who in turn suggested interior designer Lynn Gentile of Cabin Fever Interiors to design a clean yet relaxed palette. “Clean, calming and modern was the directive. The owners loved the West Coast modern look and the tone and sleekness of walnut,” she explains. >> Top: The previous incarnation of the condo had a decidedly rustic feel. Right, above: In keeping with the linear tone of the walnut, interior designer Lynn Gentile chose vein-cut limestone Mare Bianco for its natural silvery grey tone on the vertical surfaces in the bathrooms. “Vein cuts in stone produce a subtle, striated appearance which lends itself to a clean modern look. Perfect for a modern ski pad,” she says. Right, below: Light flows throughout the upper staircase after a wall was removed and reflective surfaces such as glass and stainless steel added. Initially not part of the plan, the staircase was added after subtle coaxing by builder Tom McColm, and turned out to be a welcome touch to the renovation. HOME&BUILDING GUIDE The following businesses are proud to be involved in this featured home T604 935 3838 www.cabinfeverinteriors.com Proud to be involved in the home featured on these pages Whistler, BC 604-902-5939 604-902-1972 T.M. Builders inc. www.tmbuilders.ca 604-932-8836 UN TA I N DESIG N @ M E.C OM HA KE B1 CA ALP NAD A 13 2 0 LA 52 Handsome Kitchen Design Fine cabinetry & custom millwork Established in Whistler since 1990 2.3 3 9 6 P. 6 0 4.9 .9 3 3 8. 04 32 6 F. 22 MO RO AD, C W HIS TLE R, B V0 N 1 [email protected] 604-938-3222 1320 Alpha Lake Rd. WHISTLERTHEMAGAZINE SUMMER/FALL 2013 The classic walnut and leather chair and ottoman, designed by Charles and Ray Eames in 1956, takes some responsibility in this mountain makeover. Much like wedding planning, the only design request from the male side of the family was to have the timeless Eames lounger and ottoman fireside. “It was the perfect tie-in to the walnut millwork,” Gentile adds. To create the calm ambiance, Gentile used simple, natural materials with clean transitions throughout the spaces, while offering a punch in two strong focal points — a contemporary fireplace surround and sleek new kitchen. “Out with the river rock and in with the new contemporary players,” Gentile explains of the masculine, yet soothing nontraditional fireplace design integrating walnut, concrete and stainless steel. “The merging of concrete, walnut and stainless steel was the perfect formula for tying in the kitchen and grey tones elsewhere in the home,” she says. During the renovation the floorplan remained somewhat intact, except for the lower bedroom being transformed into a media room and the removal of a wall to open up the staircase leading to the upper floor. While it was not in the initial plans, this change means that morning and afternoon sunlight now floods the revived space due to white walls, glass panels and stainless steel railings. “Now that we are living here, one of the things we love is the open staircase,” the owner explains. “It gives the home a sense of flow between floors and lets in a lot more light.” In many ways the renovation reflects the style, comfort and a timeless feel of the Eames lounger. The vision the Eames brothers had when they designed the iconic chair was for it to have the “warm receptive look of a wellused first baseman’s mitt.” For this family a goalie mitt would be a suitable replacement. W Scan with to view more photos of this condo.