H&L S FEATURE HOME WONDERLAND IT S ALL IN THE DETAILS 54
WORDS BY GAIL JOHNSON PHOTOGRAPHS BY EMA PETER WHEN CAROLYN AND MICHAEL SCHOLZ WERE ENVISIONING THEIR NEW HOME IN WEST VANCOUVER S BRITISH PROPERTIES, THEY KNEW THEY WANTED A MODERNIST ARCHITECTURAL STYLE AND TO MAXIMIZE THE SWEEPING VIEWS OF DOWNTOWN VANCOUVER AND THE OCEAN. But what mattered to the couple most was having a home that would accommodate their large brood and adapt to their changing needs over time. The result is a three-storey, 9,000-square-foot contemporary home that put the family at the heart of the design. We re a blended family of seven kids, says Carolyn the younger members range in age from 15 to 30. We have a couple of teenagers and wanted to be able to be at home all together but not always be in each other s space. We also wanted to have spaces for the young adults living with us to give them some privacy and still be within the family. The Scholzs turned to McLeod Bovell Modern Houses to bring their vision to life, the team working from scratch on the gently sloping 27,000-squarefoot lot. They wanted a wow house, says Lisa Bovell. At the same time, they had an idea on how their family was going to exist together and operate together at this moment and through time. The house operates the way their lives do. That was our primary responsibility. OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2014 55
56 Left. Colourful details inject personality and a touch of whimsy into the space.
T h e W e l l - T e m p e r e d H o u s e Doug Campbell ARCHITECT 778.838.1645 DougCampbellArchitect.ca Within the bright, seven-bedroom home, which has black-stained tongue-and-groove cedar siding, are two young-adult suites. One, at 750 square feet, is fully self-contained, while a 400-square-foot semidetached suite doesn t have a kitchen but does have a private entrance. While the home s spacious living area is open and airy, spaces are subtly defined by level transitions and other design features. The kitchen opens onto the main family room, with double-height ceilings and aluminum-and-glass doors that pocket into the exterior wall; another living area a few steps down has its own elongated glass-encased gas fireplace. Adjacent to the kitchen is a multi-purpose room which can be completely concealed by a sliding panel with a large table that could be used as a homework station or a buffet for parties. Then there s Michael s office, which is situated toward the back of the property but looks through the home s outdoor dining space and pool area to that spectacular southern view. A key component of the design was the Scholzs desire for a formal dining room, a request that s somewhat atypical for those seeking a modern floor plan. HARMONY SENSE INTERIORS Inspired by Function and Beauty See our work on Property Brothers episodes filmed in Vancouver Proud Accredited Member of CDECA & 2014 Award Winner of the Decorating & Designer Competition in two categories. RENOVATIONS INTERIOR DESIGN HOME STAGING Harmony Sense Interiors #105-267 West Esplanade, North Vancouver, BC 604.790.5990 harmonysense.com OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2014 57
Below. A pivot door connects the indoor space to an expansive outdoor living area. We didn t want a wide-open box, Carolyn says. A lot of contemporary design is beautiful but can also be a little bit clinical. We love the way there s coziness in each room. Now that most of our kids are living adult lives, we host a lot of family dinners and wanted a home that was conducive to having their friends or partners over too, she adds. A pivot door connects the dining room to the expansive outdoor area, which has several mini rooms, as Carolyn describes them, each section seamlessly blending into the next for a cohesive feel. There s a barbecue and dining area, infinity pool and hot tub, a spot for lounge chairs, a grassy space for a trampoline and different locations to simply sit, including one with a fire bowl filled with clear glass that gives the illusion of ice cubes alight. 58
THIS HOUSE IS REALLY ABOUT HOW THE FAMILY GETS TO BE TOGETHER. MATT McLEOD Above. Each design detail was carefully planned to align with the way the family lives. OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2014 59
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Opposite. A neutral palette of whites and greys is accented by the use of cement throughout the home. FERROVIA ALL FORMANI COLLECTIONS ARE NOW AVAILABLE THROUGH : BRADFORD h a r d w a r e 101-1626 west 2nd avenue vancouver armoury district 604.569.0783 bradfordhardware.com Closets Blinds To make the outside space both functional and beautiful, McLeod Bovell incorporated roof overhangs as large as 25 feet. These provide shelter from the elements and help smooth the transition from indoor to outdoor living. Made of black standing seam metal and Swisspearl panels on the fascias, the roof itself has unique angles and a shaped underside. The outdoor area is warm enough that we sit out there most nights through the spring, summer, and fall, says Carolyn. With the cantilevered roofline we can still be out there even if it s raining, which really opens up the sense of space. McLeod Bovell also devised the home s hard landscaping and did much of its interior design, such as sourcing the antique dining room table imported from France. They worked with Carolyn, herself an interior decorator, to select a neutral palette consisting mainly of whites and greys, including the use of cement throughout the home. The team chose elements of surprise too, such as shots of colour that pop throughout the home the purple of the sliding panel door in the kitchen, for example. Closet & Blinds OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2014 61
Left. An open kitchen is perfect for cooking lessons and baking days. The only area of contention for the Sholzs was the putting green. Carolyn worried it would detract from the home s sleek aesthetic, but McLeod Bovell turned a patio area at the back of the home into a practice space covered by a thick roof overhang. It ended up being a really smart use of space, Carolyn says. The kids are out there all the time. One of Carolyn s favourite areas is the kitchen. I m the passionate cook of the family, as are many of my girlfriends, she says. We ve had cooking lessons from local chefs as well as full-on baking days. I love that the kitchen connects so well to the rest of the space. Matt and Lisa s attention to detail is amazing, she adds. I m absolutely blown away by this project. h 62