by Furnishly | Apr 20, 2022 | Design Inspiration
Settled 30 feet above Sakinaw Lake in British Columbia, Canada, Vertes Retreat is a luxurious vacation home, made for a family of four. Created by W O V E N Architecture and Design, with landscape design by Houston Landscapes, this 380 square metre home unfolds in an L-shape arrangement that beds easily into the rocky environment. The two wings of the home are topped with flat roofs that project over a wraparound terrace with outdoor living areas. Inside the home, sharp monochrome decor, cool concrete floors and warm wooden ceilings make up clean, spacious living areas. Floor-to-ceiling windows and glass doors bless the interior with an influx of natural light and breathtaking views.
Shared materials and level transitions dissolve the barrier between the interior and exterior living spaces to encourage life to flow in connection with nature. Covered outdoor living spaces mean that the spectacular surroundings can be enjoyed under any weather.
An outdoor sofa and chairs surround a fire pit on the terrace, to chase away the chilly air. Small side tables are dotted around to hold drinks and snacks within arm’s reach. See more ideas for outdoor side tables.
The holiday home promotes rest and recreation, a total escape from the busy urban buzz.
The modern fireplace burns like a beacon to call the family to gather around and share stories and good times. This is the fire where lasting vacation memories are forged.
Inside the luxury holiday home, a crisp decor palette of grey concrete, fresh white cabinetry and bold black elements build a spacious and airy atmosphere. Wooden ceilings cap the cool interior palette with a crown of tonal warmth, which is echoed in smaller furniture items and accessories around the home.
The cosy living room is dominated by a commanding black steel fireplace wall that frames and intensifies the brightness of orange flame. A log store is built in alongside the modern fireplace for both convenience and aesthetics. A large area rug threads subtle colour into the lounge scheme.
A huge, black-framed window with a phenomenal rocky view looks just like a framed painting. A bespoke window seat has been installed along the sill of the window to capitalise on the mesmerising vista.
A formal dining area is situated between the lounge and the kitchen in the Great Room, where breathtaking forest views expand as far as the eye can see.
A slimline linear suspension light spans much of a central kitchen island without disturbing the simplicity of the minimalist white kitchen design. Modern kitchen bar stools line up along one side of the island to fashion a casual dining spot where the family or their guests can chat with the nominated cook.
An outdoor kitchen and dining area expand opportunities for interaction with nature on the beautiful Sunshine Coast. Above them, the skylight that begins inside the living room continues out across the wooden overhang on the terrace to complete one continuous line.
The covered outdoor space effectively extends the living room, providing options for family settings and offering possibility of a little solitude.
The restrained exterior material palette consists of cedar siding and cedar soffits, which build a warm and welcoming tone. The attractive timber also bonds the house with the cedar forest around it.
A weighty wood slatted wall partitions the home entryway from the stairwell.
Wooden treads contrast lightly against the black powder-coated steel elements.
Whilst the spacious single-story wing contains the Great Room, the two-story wing is home to the entryway, a media room, and the garage, with the bedrooms located on the upper floor. Long balconies make way for the homeowners to take in the morning view.
The topography slopes away from the foot of the house. Tiered landscaping softens the linear perimeter of the property.
The glass front entrance has views all the way through to the back of the property, where picturesque rock formations are framed in floor-to-ceiling windows.
The terrain rises in breathtaking undulations around the modern structure.
Glass walls open the home fully to a spectacular view of the glorious lake and its surrounding woodland.
The contemporary architecture beds low between the rock formations, leaving the skyline uninterrupted.
A larger log store is located outside of the property to last through the long rainy winters of the Pacific Northwest.
Exiting the home means walking directly into the wilderness, to the sound of birdsong and the breeze.
Skylights span the entire length of circulation paths along both wings of the home to pull in much-needed natural light during the duller months.
With wide openings along all sides of the building, the eye is able to gaze from one side of the forest to the next.
Exterior lights pierce the wooden overhang to provide a practical and atmospheric glow at nightfall.
The L-shaped property fits ideally around the natural rock formation of the enviable lakeside location.
Site plan.
Ground floor plan, including the Great Room, grand entryway, media room, and garage.
Upper floor plan, including the master bedroom and large bathroom, plus two additional double bedrooms with small ensuite bathrooms. This drawing also illustrates the ground floor’s skylight in its entirety, beginning above the Great Room and ending on the covered terrace.
Recommended Reading: Ultramodern Lake House with Luxurious Details
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by Furnishly | Aug 30, 2021 | Design Inspiration, Style
Name: Kristine Bélanger and my wonderful husband
Location: Quebec, Canada
Type of home: House
Size: 1360 square feet
Years lived in: 1 year, owned
Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: We are a couple who has been deeply in love since college. In a relationship for 11 years, married for four, our life is amazing. I have always dreamed of painting all the things when we rented. As soon as we got the house, I started to FINALLY paint!
People always ask how I convinced my husband to have so many colors in the house. The truth is… he loves them too (at least that’s what he says to me haha!) I am a color lover. I want them all over my house.
Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Colorful, effortless, affordable, and colorful again.
What is your favorite room and why? My bedroom! There is so much color, but it is still peaceful. It is everything I’ve dreamed of!
What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? An IKEA SIMESTED rug in the As-Is section. It was $35. OMG!
Any advice for creating a home you love? Take your time… and don’t listen to decor advice from people who don’t live in the house.
This house tour’s responses were edited for length and clarity.
by Furnishly | Aug 27, 2021 | Design Inspiration, Style
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Name: Amara Haywood and one Roommate
Location: Saskatoon, Canada
Type of home: Condo
Size: 1,004 square feet
Years lived in: 2 years, renting
Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: I live here with my roommate in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and our home is a reflection of different things that inspire us. We are both in our late 20s and both describe ourselves as creatives, so our space is the perfect reflection of us. We both love the ’60s/’70s era music, so you will see a lot of nods to musicians around the home, including Dolly Parton, Bruce Springsteen, Fleetwood Mac, and Freddie Mercury (to name a few). We love to have friends over and make cocktails, so our bar cart is always fully stocked. We wanted the space to be a reflection of our personalities but also ensure that it was comfortable and cozy for the long Canadian winters. Because of this, there are a lot of blankets and pillows around the condo but also plants to ensure there is lots of life in the home even when it’s gray and snowy outside.
Both of us agreed that we find overly modern spaces a bit cold and sterile feeling, so we went the exact opposite route when it came to decorating. As I mentioned we wanted the space to reflect our personalities, while also being comfortable. Both of our mothers are very into decorating spaces, and my mother always told me, “the biggest compliment is when someone comes to your home and immediately makes themselves right at home because that is a sign you have created a comfortable and inviting space,” so that was our overall goal for the space. Our space has a lot of natural elements such as plants (lots of plants), wood, dried plants, rattan, but also mixes in warm tones such as mustard yellows and pink shades. This is definitely inspired by the ’70s era color palette.
Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Boho, Glam, Funky
What is your favorite room and why? Hands down the living room/dining/kitchen space. We spend a lot of time in the common space eating, drinking and watching TV. If we did not love this space so much, I think it would have made the COVID-19 lockdowns a lot less bearable. We both love the light this space gets, especially in the morning, and the overall vibe this area has. The gallery wall is my favorite feature in the home, as it truly reflects our personalities and interests. It is truly the perfect place to wind down after a day at work.
What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? Our dining room chairs! The previous chairs we had were a little clunky and did not fit the smaller dining space very well. For the majority of the pandemic, we were both working at home, me in my bedroom and my roommate at the dining room table. I just felt as though our dining chairs were not comfortable, so I decided to sell them. We replaced them with a bench, which fits in the small space better along with two beautiful teak chairs I found secondhand. I came across them on Marketplace. They are vintage with rattan covered seats and just fit the space perfectly.
Any advice for creating a home you love? The most important thing to me is lighting. With having such long winters here, it is easy to get the winter blues, and I feel that bright light helps me feel inspired and cheery. When it comes to decorating, I think it is important to fill your home with items that bring up memories and tell a story about who you are. Every day when I wake up, the first thing I see is a map of where I lived when I was a child, and then I go into the living room and see prints of musicians that I love. These are all items that evoke happy thoughts and memories. And above all, create a space that you will want to spend a year-long lockdown in…because you never know what is going to happen.
This house tour’s responses were edited for length and clarity.
by Furnishly | Jul 10, 2021 | Design Inspiration, Style
In a since-deleted post, the user tried renting out a 160 square foot “micro studio“, which was technically true, but the space only consisted of a bathroom–with a bed inside it.
The listing read: “This unit is ideal for a single individual looking to live downtown at an affordable rate, and who does not need much space.”
Combining the bathroom with a bed, cooking facilities, under-bed storage, and some house plants for good measure, the listing described the rental unit as a “newly renovated micro studio” located in Vancouver’s West End, and packed a lot into such a tiny space.
The ad also mentioned brand new granite tops and porcelain flooring, along with storage space, a hot plate, a bed, a mini-fridge, and a large window.
The listing suggested that the renter would be on a three-month lease, with the option to extend, and no pets would be allowed in the property.
There’s no denying that the Craigslist user was creative with their space, but as guidelines were not followed, it’s no surprise that just a few days after the listing went live, it was removed from the site.
