A LITTLE LUXURY

says one of the homeowners of this bright new build in Vancouver’s coveted Kitsilano neighbourhood. “I envisioned something super bright, with lots of windows, lots of light and lots of white,” she says. “But I didn’t want the space to feel austere or cold. I wanted warmth, comfort and softness.”

Though she and her husband loved their community, they had lived in their dark and narrow townhouse for 10 years and were ready for a change. So when their real estate agent found a place just a few blocks south in

“I JOKED THAT I WANTED TO LIVE IN A GLASS AND WHITE BOX,”

a more quiet family-friendly nook near their seven-yearold daughter’s school, the couple pounced.

Though the house was small and dilapidated (it had been a rental property for 15 years), the couple loved its location so much – including its tree-canopied street – they decided to tear the place down and build their dream home from scratch.

With a binder full of ideas ripped from magazines, the homeowners turned to designers Tanya Schoenroth and Angela Robinson. “I said: ‘Here you go!’” notes one of the homeowners of handing over her stack of inspiration. “‘Here are all my hopes and dreams. Let’s see what we can do!’”

So the design team (who have separate firms but often work on projects together) took the owners’ vision of a “bright white glass box with a soul” and created what Tanya dubs a “modern coastal” aesthetic.

Completed last year, the resulting 2,900-squarefoot three-storey house features large windows and skylights, uncluttered openconcept rooms and clean architectural lines.

Fresh white-on-white dominates the abode, as requested, but the scheme is tempered by driftwood-like bleached-wood elements, such as the light-stained wide-plank oak floors. Meanwhile, marble details, from

Custom SOFA, SIDE TABLE, TOSS CUSHION, OBJET (on coffee table), The Cross Decor & Design; custom SIDECHAIRS, Angela Robinson; FIREPLACE, Vaglio Fireplace Centre; FIREPLACE SURROUND, Bordignon Marble & Granite; FIREPLACE SURROUND INSTALLATION, Huard

Marble & Tile; DRAPERY, Cloth Studio; RUG, Livingspace. the kitchen’s herringbone-tiled backsplash to the family room’s dramatic fireplace surround, add richness.

While the house is decidedly modern – especially with all the sleek white and glass features – it’s not all hard and square. The clean backdrop serves as a fresh beautiful canvas for injecting character and coziness. Light fixtures are playful and sculptural, textural fabrics like the linen drapes and velvet sofa add softness, furnishings inject pops of colour and the unique shapes of the kitchen’s pendant lights and family room’s swivel chair give personality.

It’s exactly what the homeowners hoped – and exactly what the designers hoped to give them. “This home really reflects its owners,” says Angela. “Fresh, vibrant, casual and sophisticated.”

TABLE, Rove Concepts; CHAIR, POUFFE, The Cross Decor & Design. Custom BED FRAME, custom floating NIGHTSTANDS, Angela Robinson; RUG, East India Carpets; custom ARTWORK, Lauren Mycroft; BEDDING, RH Restoration Hardware.

Tasked with devising a dream house teeming with white and glass elements, two designers set about making a traditionally stark aesthetic feel cozy, comfy and full of personality.

REFRIGERATORS, WALL OVENS, Edmonds Fine Appliances. LEFT & BOTTOM In the kitchen, a herringbone-tiled Carrara marble backsplash lends interest to the mostly white space. The pendant lights, each sculpted from a long strip of wood veneer, offer organic warmth and a touch of whimsy. Instead of creating a hard-to-reach cupboard in the corner, designer Tanya Schoenroth left some shelving open for displaying cookbooks.

FAR RIGHT & BELOW With a sumptuous midnight-blue velvet sofa, a luxurious shag rug, linen drapery, a marble fireplace and sleek leather-and-chrome sidechairs, the living room boasts a lavish sophisticated look. “We wanted this room to be a little more glamorous and elegant because it’s the first thing you see when you enter the house,” says one of the homeowners. “We wanted the effect to be, ‘Kapow!’”

BELOW & RIGHT The wife’s office is filled with mid-century-style furnishings. “The armchair was my grandfather’s, and I had it reupholstered,” she says. “It’s a special piece that came along with us from our former house.” A metallic cowhide rug lends a hint of cozy glamour, while an offset bookcase displays favourite curiosities and family photographs.

RIGHT, BOTTOM Awash in light grey and white, the master bedroom presents a serene airy look, while the upholstered bed offers softness and texture. The artwork above it is a custom piece; look closely and you’ll see the lyrics from the homeowners’ wedding song. “It’s one of my favourite pieces in the home,” says Angela. “It’s so subtle yet meaningful.”