Words by Adrienne Dyer. Photos by Tony Colangelo.
Set against a rocky backdrop, this West Coast contemporary custom build has created a family-centred home that showcases the collaborative efforts of builders Falcon Heights Contracting and Jason Good Custom Cabinets. The 4,000-square-foot residence features an outdoor pool and spa, a detached garage with yoga studio, a mudroom with dog shower, and a craft room and ballet studio for the homeowner’s two daughters.
The house is oriented to take in views of the valley, with a wall of windows and a sunken living room with ceilings that vault to almost 30 feet. Porcelain floors both inside and out create a seamless transition through a sliding glass wall of windows onto the patio and pool deck.
“It took a significant amount of blasting to get the house that far back on the lot, tucked as high on the hill as possible, to take advantage of the views, while providing the materials to raise the front of the property,” says finishing foreman Josh McCulloch.
“The homeowner loves walnut, as well as mid-century surf culture, which inspired the colours and wood choices throughout the house,” says Good. Natural white oak floors blend with a mix of walnut and white oak cabinetry, creating Good’s continuous, two-toned theme. The distinctive pairing is especially striking in the living room, where the central fireplace is partially clad in rift-cut oak panels, recessed flush into the drywall.
The built-in walnut bookcase features push release doors and rests on a continuous-poured hearth and stairs, where McCulloch set an ornate wood tread on top of the concrete bottom step. Built-in end tables hug the custom sofa so that the entire seating area feels completely integrated.
Overlooking the living room is a striking steel-and-wood upper hallway railing, fabricated on site by Good and Falcon Heights Contracting. This creates a strong horizontal design element that’s as unique as it was challenging to build.
In the kitchen and butler’s pantry, Good designed exquisitely grain-matched walnut cabinets, installed to ceiling height, featuring wood-grain “cathedraling” from custom-selected logs. Above the island, the simple linear grain of white oak complements the fireplace and dining room buffet.
In both the master bath and the girls’ bathroom, simple round drawer pulls allow the exquisite, subtle rift-cut oak grain to shine. Salmon-toned tiles provide fun colour in the daughters’ shared bathroom, while the ensuite features quiet greys warmed by the soft tones of wood.
The fully automated pool and hot tub are the pièce de résistance in the design and ensure that the outside is as spectacular as the inside. The high-tech pool room is built into the hillside below grade, making it invisible from the house. Luxury finishes are highlighted by an abundance of natural light in this welcoming contemporary home, thoughtfully tailored to the lifestyle of this active family.
