High ceilings, clerestory windows expand space

The contrast of rough-edged table and native carvings suits the geometry of the home, its clean and eye-pleasing lines.

“We spent a lot of time dreaming about what we wanted to build, drawing and thinking, and one of the things we really enjoy are the high ceilings and clerestory windows which make it feel so much bigger,” she said.

Her husband also enjoyed designing sev- eral pieces of furniture including the glass and labradorite sideboard in the dining area, and similar two-level countertops in the bathrooms.

Born in Washington, D.C., Bill describes himself as more of an engineer than a designer and someone who is passionate about sustainability.

He emphasizes there is no old growth wood in the house.

“That was one of the things we stipu- lated. We reused and reclaimed wood as much as possible.

“For instance the boards on our deck all came from an old, yellow cedar dock, and were re-sawn. Laminated structural beams came from Oregon, engineered wood “I” joists from Alberta and high-density furniture-grade composite board was used in the cabinets and covered in maple veneer from farmed plantations.

“We did this because it would have taken a heck of a lot of trees to build this house.”

They both credit Bill Hustler, of Anderson Cove Construction, for the high-quality interior woodwork throughout the home.

“He had a team of crafts people working for him and one of the things that’s so wonderful about building this house was, the amount of love and work that went into it,” Bill said.

“That’s why it looks like this after 21 years,” Sherri said.

Clockwise from top left: • The dining table is “live edge” style, long before this kind of look was popularized. At left is a sideboard designed by the owner with a glass top and labradorite shelf.

• The master bath is tiled in shades of pink, with a pink sink and fixtures.

Above: The waterfront property slopes down to the sea and is part of a strata with shared green space in the middle.

• Architect John Keay designed clerestory windows to bring high-level light into the home from all directions.

Left: The kitchen counter is solid labradorite. A large pantry at left, is just around the corner from a tiny TV set into the wall, with a sliding wood cover.