Q̓ᵂalayu House

Project description by Leah Rourke. Photos by Dasha Armstrong.

Q̓ᵂalayu House is a 10-bedroom home built for the Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island as a “Home Away from Home” for expectant mothers and families from the North Island and surrounding communities while receiving health care in Campbell River. Relish Interiors worked with the Foundation for nearly 2 years to design, decorate and furnish the 11,000 square foot home in time to welcome Island families in August of this year. Q̓ᵂalayu House is the second project of this kind that the Foundation has opened on Vancouver island so far, the first being Jeneece Place in Victoria. Both buildings were designed by Architect Alan Lowe.

A lot of research was done with regards to the needs and desires of the client, and ultimately the end users, during the programming and planning stages of the design process. Taking into consideration the information gathered from functional planning, and feedback from the steering & building committees, we started to narrow down the elements for each area of the home. We came up with a cohesive design that we feel will appeal to everyone who visits the house. It is a West Coast contemporary paired with classic elements to create an enduring design both aesthetically and functionally. Warm wood tones, light wall colours, textured features and rich accents with pops of copper set the tone for the home through the great room, kitchen & dining area. We wanted it feel modern but not cold, rich without being opulent, whimsical instead of juvenile, and stylish – but not at all pretentious. It appeals to children by incorporating splashes of colour which also reflect our local indigenous cultures by merging them with tones derived from nature. We stayed away from very primary colours and leaned into more earthy versions of them. Materials that are sourced locally such as cedar and arbutus fieldstone provide a grounding affect, while accents of geometric patterns add a playful touch. In rooms that traditionally feel utilitarian such as bathrooms and laundry areas , we incorporated calming and soothing materials. And in the spaces that will be most often utilized by little ones, there are fun features, colours and materials that promote learning and play.

The house features 10 guest suites each with its own bathroom, a large kitchen with 3 work stations to accommodate several families and indoor & outdoor dining. The foyer leads into a vaulted great room with exposed glulam beams and a linear fireplace surrounded by local stone. A the far end of the hall a special sitting room is tucked away as a cozy place to relax while maintaining a clear view of the Campbell River Hospital. A large multipurpose room that was designed especially for little ones is stocked with comfy furniture, plenty toys, games & books and features a mural commissioned by local artist, Nick Hutton-Jay. Two additional multipurpose rooms provide more space for everything from practicing wellness & spirituality to education sessions and meetings. The light and bright guest laundry room – which is available 24/7 – is simple, functional and anything but utilitarian.

View of the 2 storey great room from the foyer. A built in window seat overflowing with toss pillows looks out over a large deck to Discovery Passage & Quadra Island.

The linear fireplace is surrounded by Arbutus Fieldstone by K2 Stone. Art work by local talent Kelly Corbett provide a graphic element and bright pop of colour. The portholes from the upper floor create peak-a-boo space for little ones. We wanted this semi-formal room to feel comfortable, welcoming, functional and whimsical while still maintaining a certain level of sophistication. While a blue velvet fluted-back sofa may seem opulent to some, we think the performance fabric adorned piece says “curl up on me!”

The custom kitchen designed by Relish Interiors and built by Trendwest Millwork & Cabinets has three fully stocked work stations to accommodate several families and large groups. Durability was the most important consideration for this space which will get a lot of use for many years to come. The laminate wrapped slab cabinets in walnut and deep blue are topped with Calcutta Novo quartz by Caesarstone. The two-toned millwork was designed as a way to break up the enormous space, and also indicates which cabinets are for guests’ personal use vs communal storage.

The custom backsplash was created by mixing several coloured mosaics from Walker Zanger. Copper accents are utilized throughout the house.

Who says a commercial space can’t feel like home? This pretty vignette is just special.

The sitting room is tucked away at the far end of the house and is a haven for new or expectant moms to shut the world out. Just open the shades to see the adjacent Campbell River Hospital. Performance fabrics on the furniture will enjoy that this light, bright and relaxing room will stand the test of time.

Another view of the sitting room. A great place to unwind, enjoy a coffee and read a book.

One of the 10 guest suites which includes a queen and a double bed, built in desk with TV above, sitting/eating area by the window, mini-split heat pump, and a full bathroom. The double bed is surrounded by room darkening drapes to provide additional privacy and light control for family members. Although functionality was important, the rooms feel luxurious and create an escape for the guests.

One of the 10 rooms is a family suite with an additional bedroom that has 2 twin beds.

One of three multipurpose rooms to be utilized by families features a mural commissioned by artist Nick Hutton-Jay. This room was dubbed the “Rainbow Room” and the mural represents the whimsical take on a traditional primary coloured rainbow which was used as the basis for designing this space.