Article by Michelle Heslop. Photos courtesy of Lida Homes.
When this young couple was looking for the right builder to custom build their vision for a light-filled contemporary home, they turned to Dave Stephens at Lida Homes for his transparent approach to project management. “The couple already had the land and building plans from Aspire Custom Designs when they contacted us in early August 2016,” says Stephens. They started the foundation work in October 2016 and the home was completed seven months later. Stephens adds that the couple originally built the house to sell but fell in love with it and decided to stay.
Set on a sprawling 13,500 square-foot property with mature plants in Gordon Head, the 3,740 square-foot home includes a separate two-bedroom, two-bathroom main floor suite. Interior designer, Shawn Richardson worked closely with the couple to complete the home’s six bedrooms with four belonging to the main home, a spacious master bedroom with ensuite, a second master with ensuite and two additional bedrooms that share a bathroom.
The owners were decisive when it came to the home’s interior elements and were sure about an airy, family-friendly layout with contemporary touches to warm the space. “It was important for the home to reflect the couple’s easy spirit approach to life and work. I designed a functional kitchen to take them into the future as their family grows. Unique to this home, the owners also wanted a second kitchen for the main floor suite,” adds Richardson. A douglas fir door with frosted glass lets light in the foyer while maintaining privacy.
The breezy front entrance is an introduction to the home’s airy theme and guides you into the primary rooms of the open concept main floor. Soaring ceilings with a wall of double-height windows connect the interior to the expansive backyard. To bring the open plan warmth and interest, hand-scraped engineered Acacia wood flooring strikes a contrast to the clean lines of the predominantly white kitchen. To complete the main floor, the layout includes a home office and powder room.
The sectional sofa from Scan Designs serves as a visual partition between the distinctive areas. To add to the home’s indoor/outdoor feel, double glass doors from the kitchen lead to an eating area in the backyard.
Over five feet in length, the 8-light chrome flush mount crystal chandelier hangs gracefully above the living area and casts a twinkling light over the main floor when the sun sets.
“At the top of the owner’s priority list was a functional kitchen with a simple design featuring plenty of storage opportunities and minimalistic finishes,” says Richardson. For the essentials, they chose MDF white shaker cabinets paired with white quartz countertops and white subway tile backsplash to bring a classic contemporary aesthetic. For functionality, features such as a magic corner cabinet that optimizes otherwise dead space and deep island cabinets were added. The island offers plenty of counter space in the kitchen’s convenient working triangle.
Stephens concludes that “this project ran smoothly with very knowledgeable homeowners who knew what they wanted and were very compatible to work with. We are happy to report that this project was completed on time and on budget.”
