GOOD VIBRATIONS
A laid-back beachy vibe and pale, pared-back palette give this home a relaxed but also refined feel.
A laid-back beachy vibe and pale, pared-back palette give this home a relaxed but also refined feel.
As co-founder and creative director of the beloved Vancouver decorating shop The Cross, Stephanie Vogler has enviable access to great designs and designers. Decorating should be second nature to her – something the veteran retailer could do in her sleep, right? That’s a myth Stephanie quickly dispels when discussing her home, a four-bedroom ranch house in West Vancouver that she and her husband John Pierce, son Hudson, 13, and daughter Emerson, 12, decamped to from their Yaletown condo in 2016.
“There really is a big difference between decorating a 1,200-square-foot condo and a 2,800-square-foot house,” she admits. “Even though I’m in the industry, I found the process really challenging. It took me two years to get our house right. Lucky for me, I could bring things home from the store and try them out before investing.”
The challenge was partly because she was trying to create a feeling rather than a look – something beachy, casual and family-friendly, but also elegant and refined. “For me, it’s an instinctual thing rather than a formula. I’m trying to replicate the places where I feel the most relaxed and creative, which is usually when I’m travelling,” Stephanie says. “I’m really inspired by the beach wherever I travel to – California, Mexico, Hawaii. I’m most happy when I’m barefoot in jean shorts. I’ve tried to create that feeling at home with seagrass rugs and slipcovered furniture.”
With the essence of the look locked in, she got down to the business of bringing it to life. “I couldn’t imagine decorating a dark space; it’s not in my DNA!” says Stephanie. “I start with a white canvas or at least neutral tones, and then everything I layer on top is a building process.” The monochromatic look is a palate cleanser for Stephanie’s busy life. “My store is like my laboratory and playground, where I can do things that are more bold and fun with florals and patterns,” she says.
“IT’S A WONDERFUL OPEN SPACE WITH LOTS OF LIGHT AND A BEAUTIFUL OCEAN VIEW.”
“There’s also a busyness of being a business owner. So when I’m home, I want a serene, and completely peaceful environment.”
Ruthless editing is also key. “I’m a big fan of Marie Kondo. If you don’t love it, it needs to go. Holding on to things can be a blocker for the creative process,” she says. That idea dovetails with another of her inspirations: beautiful hotels, which are, in essence, spaces with precious few accessories. Says Stephanie: “When I’m at a hotel, I’m learning not only visually from the design, but also from the experience they create for guests – the joy you feel being treated a certain way.”
When colour is dialed way down like this, a mix of textures is also critical. “I’ve added interest with lots of rough wood finishes, chunky knits and woven baskets,” she says. “That’s a key piece of creating an interesting space, and it’s difficult to execute. Luckily, I’m surrounded by incredibly creative people in my workspace, and I ran my ideas by them on a regular basis.”
“THOUGH THE PALETTE IS MUTED AND NEUTRAL, I’VE ADDED INTEREST WITH TEXTURE.”
While the dining table and chairs have a quiet presence in the living-dining space, Stephanie filled the wall with art and greenery so it balances the rest of the large space. She introduced an assortment of rugs throughout the house; this powdery blue one riffs on the tufted blue sofa on the opposite side of the room. The IKEA Besta sideboard holds everything from dishware and table linens to school supplies.
SIDEBOARD, IKEA; ARTWORK
(far left) by Zoe Pawlak; ARTWORK (far right) by Elliott Puckette, Conde Nast Images; other ARTWORK, Jessa DINING CHAIRS, Ulla CHANDELIER, Valerie VASE, The Cross.
Despite her knowledge and access, Stephanie didn’t always get things right the first time – which is reassuring for the rest of us! For example, when they moved in, the living room’s focal point was a bossy black marble fireplace. Because the house is a rental, she decided not to invest in overhauling it. “At first, I tried decorating with black accents, but the fireplace was so dominating – it felt like a black hole swallowing up the room!” she says. Finally, she revamped it. “I debated a new style for weeks and ended up with a slightly glamorous mother-of-pearl mosaic,” says Stephanie. “If I’d made that investment early on, I wouldn’t have had to dance around the problem later.”
“I WAS TRYING TO EMULATE THE FEELING OF BEING ON VACATION IN MY OWN HOUSE.”
In the sunroom, coating the dated dark wood panelling and monolithic red brick fireplace in white paint gave Stephanie (pictured with Emerson and Hudson) the blank canvas backdrop she likes best. “Painting the room immediately freshened up the space and made it more inviting,” she says. Sliding doors from here lead out to the yard, which has views of Burrard Inlet to the south and beyond to Vancouver. “We have a beautiful view of the ocean and we’re surrounded by trees, so it’s really a gorgeous spot.”
An array of succulents layered along the fireplace ledge and the bookshelf joins collectibles like agates, coral and a longhorn skull. Editing, says Stephanie, is the first step to creating this look. “It’s really important to take away things – things that just aren’t working together – before layering new things on top.” The sunroom’s sofa was in the living room at the family’s previous home. Says Stephanie: “We moved into a huge home, so we needed more furniture.”
Tess MIRROR, Playa CHAIR, The Cross.
While the master bedroom’s white-washed-oak four-poster bed has a simple, almost rustic aesthetic, Stephanie accessorized the room with soft, curvy and elegant pieces for a distinctly feminine look. “Our bedroom is my favourite space. It’s so cozy and inviting,” she says. “I do think bedrooms are really sacred in the home,” she adds, explaining that her passion for beautiful linens started when she was a child and her mother owned a fabric store that morphed into a luxury bed linen store.
Ella CHAIR, Sierra RUG, Isla BED, BEDDING, Schumacher WALLPAPER, The Cross.
Surprisingly, when asked what makes a home livable, this seasoned design insider doesn’t wax poetic about the perfect wall colour or family-friendly kitchen. “It’s your attitude,” she says. “That’s what people feel when you invite them into your space. I want friends to put their feet up and have a glass of wine. I don’t want my home to feel formal. I also believe kids should enjoy their home and feel a sense of freedom.” Even in this seemingly perfect environment, she’s true to her word. “We truly live in our space, so don’t look too closely or you’re likely to find crumbs in the tufting of the blue sofa and scratches on our walls from my daughter’s hoverboard,” Stephanie says. “I don’t stress about it. I’m a casual person and I want my home to reflect me!” Wisely, she leaves efforts at meticulous presentation at work.
“I DO THINK BEDROOMS ARE REALLY SACRED IN THE HOME.”