At Home In The Elements

Words by Adrienne Dyer. Photos by Tony Colangelo.

At the end of a wooded country lane, a rocky seaside setting inspires the design of this 6,100-square-foot home, characterized by a contemporary fusion of modern industrial and rustic farmhouse styles. Built to withstand the exposed west coast elements and designed to harmonize with its natural surroundings, “Elements” is the result of close collaboration between Ryan Hoyt of Ryan Hoyt Designs, Dave MacKenzie of Falcon Heights Contracting, and interior designer Mari O’Meara of Mari Kushino Design.

“We wanted the home to look organic and beautiful in its rugged setting, which is overwhelmingly close to the elements and the ocean,” says Hoyt, whose greatest design challenges were protecting the sensitive ecosystem and working around the huge rock on the property. The solution was to preserve the rock with an L-shaped design, adding stone pathways and a patio to follow the topography so that the home becomes part of the natural landscape.

The farmhouse-style architecture is modernized by linear sections, clad in a mixture of both yellow cedar siding in a horizontal orientation and white Hardie panels in a contrasting vertical board-and-batten style. Mullioned windows, installed in proportions that soar to a peaked roofline, emphasize the lighthouse quality of the home and create expansive views of the Strait of Georgia from inside.

“My greatest challenge with the interior design was knowing where to soften,” says O’Meara, who balanced heavier elements, like glazed black patina steel beams, burnt oak floors, and black kitchen cabinetry with porcelain countertops, handmade Moroccan tiles above the stove and unique hand- forged brass cabinet pulls.

Cascading glass pendants illuminate the main staircase, which is fashioned from wood treads repurposed from railway cars set into a steel structure.

The master bedroom and ensuite are softened by natural wood millwork, grey shower tiles, and floor-level windows that float the room above the sea for a retreat-like feel.

Many of the home’s most breathtaking features would not have been possible without the masterful construction and finishing of the Falcon Heights Contracting team. Most notably, the 20-foot wood-burning fireplace and concrete hearth and surround, which had to be poured in place (through a hole in the roof) after the house was close to completion.

Also, the industrial steel elements of the staircase, railings, and beams required multiple stages of welding, plus on-site sandblasting of thousands of pounds of crushed glass over the exposed steel that involved hand painting before finishing in a clear lacquer to achieve a consistent patina the homeowners envisioned.

“It’s a sophisticated house, with many intricate elements that all came together in a collaborative effort,” says MacKenzie. From the glassed-in wine room and steel library bookshelf to the Built Green Platinum-rated construction, the dwelling is oriented to respect its craggy setting while offering uncompromised viewpoints from its thoughtfully curated interior.