Beautifully proportioned and meticulously articulated, this home’s living-room ceiling is a showstopper.
While it was challenging to design and painstaking to construct, it makes a spectacular architectural statement.
“It’s all in the details,” said the owner, who explained it took 200 hours of labour just for drywalling, not including framing, and was much more work than originally anticipated.
It was inspired by a similarly embossed ceiling that was created in moulding only, so it didn’t have the high-relief effect.
“It’s a cool element and kind of a spin on traditional coffering,” said interior designer Jenny Martin, who noted the intricate arrangement of “boxes” extends over both living room and kitchen ceilings.
A version of it repeats on the end of the island, too, and a similar form is echoed in the main staircase’s vertical spindles and newel post.
“It’s a highlight of the house,” said the owner, who had spotted a ceiling like it in a magazine some time ago and showed it to Martin, who adapted and modified the geometric pattern to suit the scale and character of the house.
The owner couldn’t be more delighted, because the classic yet contemporary feature helps define her vision of this comfortable, urbane home in the heart of Oak Bay.
Having lived for many years in two different houses in the area, the owners didn’t want to move to another part of the city.
“Estevan is such a great neighbourhood, close to the beach, a great area for running, good for our boys when they were going to school and now UVic, and close to downtown, where we both work,” said the tall and elegant Ran, who asked to keep their last name private.
Her husband was content in their previous home, but she wanted to downsize — although not too much, as family members frequently come to stay. Instead of seven bedrooms, they now have six, along with six bathrooms.
Despite its size, the house doesn’t look like a monster. It nestles into its surroundings, with a large media room and guest rooms on the basement level, below grade.
“It’s so important to fit into the neighbourhood,” said Ran, who noted the roof slope was also kept low, to reduce the mass.
Luckily, they found an ideal lot in Estevan and gathered a creative team composed of the multi-award winning Martin, builder Jamie Gill at Seba Construction and Outline Home Design’s Tim Rodier, “who did an amazing job bringing light into the basement,” said Ran.
Work began with demolition of an older home on the site and removal of the old foundation. In its place, the team created a 3,700-square foot home “with a really clean design and outdoor areas that flow from living room to patio,” Gill said.
“It’s the first house we’ve done with Jenny Martin and she gave us great direction. She is very accommodating and easy to work with.”
Martin said it was a plus being involved from the outset.
“The owners wanted it to be homey, with rich and warm colours, so it was very refreshing to work on,” said Martin. “We do so many homes that are light, beachy and airy, so it was great to work in darker, smokier, warmer tones for a change.
Martin, who has run her own company for a decade and has 10 employees, said the home is contemporary but has traditional elements, along with “wow factors” such as the living-room ceiling.
Ran said Martin — who mostly works with new construction and custom homes — is an “amazing” designer and they clicked immediately. “Building a house is so stressful and this took a year, but she always responded right away to any call and she is so soft, never in your face.”
The owner added that she is enjoying this house much more than her last, which was 4,400 square feet and also custom-built for her and her husband.
“This home is smaller and it’s all about the details,” she said. “It’s like buying an inexpensive dress and putting it with a great necklace. I love fashion, mixing and matching different kinds of furniture, and accessorizing.”
The owner admits she is a “very A-type person” who loves elegance and glamour, too. “I love the classic feel. People joke when I say we have downsized, but the whole house feels different. Our other house felt like a hotel.”
The kitchen features rich wood tones contrasting with white quartz from Cambria’s marble collection, supplied and installed by Floform. Along with a large slab on the island, the material runs up the wall behind the stove.
All the millwork and cabinets were custom made by Thomas Philips, including a secret, specially hinged, very heavy door next to the wall ovens. It looks like part of the cabinetry, but camouflages the entry into a long pantry and mudroom.
The cabinets are white oak stained espresso grey brown, and a shiny black hood over the stove, custom-designed by Martin, adds a unique touch. “Someone told me the other day they thought it was a television,” said Ran with a chuckle.
Lights throughout the house are by McLaren Lighting, including enormous lights over the island. When Ran first saw them, she couldn’t believe they would fit in, “but I placed my trust in Jenny and they are my favourites now.”
The home has a single detached garage, which Ran wanted because of the noise factor — plus all her sons’ hockey gear is stored there. “We originally planned for a double garage, but that would have meant taking space from the house. I think Oak Bay should allow larger garages so there would be fewer cars on the street.”
The front entry makes a bold statement with a rippled feature wall, rather than the bank of closet doors called for in the original plan. The owners now take guest coats around the corner to a closet down the hall opposite the staircase.
Behind the new feature wall is a spacious wet bar adjacent to the kitchen.
“We have no clothes closet by the front door, but it was so worth it to have this instead,” Ran said.
