Words by Adrienne Dyer. Photos by Vince Klassen.
With its proximity to busy Cedar Hill X Road, this spacious home designed by Keith Baker of KB Design achieves both privacy and the best situational advantage, set on the lot to capture light, heat on the patio, and protection from the traffic din. “The home’s scaled front entrance creates a lovely surprise when people first enter the house,” says Baker, who explains how the layout generates volume and an unexpected connectivity of space.
The foyer opens into a central dining area flanked by two living spaces, with the kitchen extending out beside the large patio, overlooking layers of planters, shrubs and mature trees. With its slight elevation, this side of the house sits just high enough to insulate from traffic noise and block the street from view while low enough to fully integrate with the patio and the landscape.
The layout’s easy access to both private and public spaces extends to the home office, which is centrally located but separated from the living areas by a glass enclosure. The glass wall creates privacy without isolation and showcases the homeowners’ collection of art from their world travels.
In fact, with its white walls and bright, airy feel, the whole house serves as a kind of gallery for the owners’ impressive art collection. Even the lower storey four-car garage, visible from the rec room via a large picture window, is finished with Racedeck tile flooring and custom gallery lighting to showcase the owner’s collector cars.
The homeowners say they discovered Baker’s work online and were immediately attracted to his approach to West Coast contemporary architecture. They wanted their home to be stunning, but not overpower the neighbourhood. “We had fun working with Keith and the end product is quite spectacular!”
With its unobtrusive front view yet voluminous interior, this home relates to its environment in a way that exemplifies Baker’s overall philosophy for biophilic design. The result is a home in perfect balance and proportion, completely at one with its natural surroundings.
