HISTORY REVISED. A 1958 First Shaughnessy home gets a new contemporary design DESIGN

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1 HISTORY REVISED A 1958 First Shaughnessy home gets a new contemporary design BY JANE AUSTER PHOTOGRAPHY: MARK WHITEHEAD STYLING: DERICK RODROZEN 42 THE SPRING ISSUE

2 VANCOUVER SPRING 2016 THE SPRING ISSUE 43

3 Designer Derick RodRozen of RodRozen Designs captured a serene ambience through the use of both colour and lighting. A focal point is the aquamarine frosted glass staircase illuminated from beneath with LED lights. 44 THE SPRING ISSUE

4 VANCOUVER SPRING 2016 What we embarked on was a four-level, split modern contemporary. FIRST SHAUGHNESSY, one of Vancouver s oldest communities, is home to some of the city s finest heritage properties. Among them are stately century homes with graceful views and an aura of establishment. A home with a decidedly different personality has burst onto the scene. For a decade, real estate entrepreneur Jason Hari has owned the site, which had a 1958 four-level split on it, virtually untouched since the mid 20th century. When he decided the time was right to move in with his wife Parm and their young family, he realized he had an opportunity to transform the site beyond a simple renovation or teardown. I knew it was time to do something interesting with the property, Jason says. What we embarked on was a four-level, split modern contemporary, which is apparently a very rare large-estate property since most of the homes are designated heritage status and are, at best, partially renovated. Fortunately for the Haris, their home was outside the Heritage Conservation Area in First Shaughnessy, so they were able to let their imaginations run free and build a home uniquely suited to the needs of their family. With an eye for design developed over the years through his real estate work, Jason could see the potential to capture the sight lines around the house, implement a fusion of ethnic and contemporary design, and create a flow in an open-concept layout. THE SPRING ISSUE 45

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6 VANCOUVER SPRING 2016 The Haris turned to RodRozen Designs, a firm Jason had encountered when living in Coal Harbour, to help them transform the mid-century, 5,350-square-foot house into a sleek, contemporary home. The original house featured a traditional, choppy layout of eight bedrooms, three bathrooms, kitchen, dining room, living room, tiny deck and small garage. Today there are just three bedrooms and three bathrooms, as well as spacious open-concept ground-level and lower-level rooms for children s play and sleepovers. It took RodRozen more than two years to complete a three-step process to turn 1958 into 2016: first stripping down the interiors to the studs, breaking walls to create extra-large wrap-around windows, heightening ceilings to as high as 17 feet, adding just the right custom-made furniture, fixtures and led lighting; then building a large deck, multi-sport court, garage to accommodate Jason s car collection (including electric), fountains and exterior lighting; and finally landscaping with mature trees and shrubs. They came into our office and we started talking about what is important to the family, says designer Derick RodRozen, who headed the design team. Parm said, I want it to be a family home, for the kids to be able to have memories and build a life in this home. I want THE SPRING ISSUE 47

7 They came into our office and we started talking about what is important to the family. 48 THE SPRING ISSUE

8 VANCOUVER SPRING 2016 to be very close to them, and I want them to be around me. When they are doing their homework, I want to share it with them, for them to have a playroom and room for sleepovers. It was also important for Jason, who works from home, to have a comfortable office. They also really wanted lots and lots of light. In fact, the property is bathed in natural light thanks to the large doors that open onto the deck. Three home offices feature natural views and wrap-around glass walls so family members can see one another as they re going about their business. Derick RodRozen also enhanced the natural lighting with strategically placed light fixtures, including a frosted-glass staircase to the second floor, underlit by shimmery aquamarine blue leds. The house is such a stark contrast between the before and after, says Jason. Something from 1958 is typically renovated three or four times, but this house was untouched, so it went straight from the 50s to 2016 and a Georgie Award for Best Residential Renovation over $800,000 from one extreme to the other. The end result is quite something. The exterior area boasts a giant games area for basketball and tennis. THE SPRING ISSUE 49