Nestled at the base of Grouse Mountain, amidst forest and a tranquil creek, stands a quintessential west coast home in North Vancouver. Previously stripped of its original character, this renovation project opens up the main floor plan to connect the kitchen and dining areas while reintroducing materials and details consistent with the home’s vintage.
A standout feature of the home is the original cedar ceiling. By widening the doorway between the dining room and kitchen and removing the sloped portion of wall above the floating shelves, a sense of expansiveness is created. To conceal the void left by the wall removal, new cedar shiplap was feathered into the existing ceiling and stained to blend seamlessly.
An original stone fireplace in the living room is maintained and restored. Cedar cladding extends beyond the kitchen and continues to wrap the living room walls opposite the fireplace, creating warmth and a backrest for the combination bench and display shelves. A large Akari pendant and wall sconces create varied lighting and an intimate atmosphere.
The family room is located a half level below the kitchen, dining and living rooms. Tucked into the back of the home and surrounded by foliage, the room is made intimate and cozy through the use of acoustic cork ceiling and blue grass cloth walls. A new brick fireplace surround takes cues from 70s typologies, creating a warm ambience on cold, wet winter days.
To reconnect the family room with the rest of the home, we removed existing bar height kitchen counters that impeded visual connection and expanded the opening between the rooms by designing a low, multi-purpose banquette in its place. The built in seating is flexible and serves the family as a breakfast nook, homework station, puzzle table and prep surface.
The banquette transitions from one level to the other through a thickened backrest that doubles as a raised display surface and a comfortable, open threshold between the two rooms.
