MODERN FAMILY’S DREAM BY THE BAY
Modern family abode
Owner-builder creates sleek contemporary home with a touch of the traditional
This house is not right on the ocean. But it’s only a pebble’s throw away, just across Beach Drive, and the sun-splashed property offers wide-angle views across an attractive broad bay and easy access to the waterfront scene. Its silhouette is sleek, clean and contemporary and the colours, both inside and out, are a combination of bleached-beach tones that play off the nearby waterfront palette.
“We wanted a house that would have a modern feel, but we still wanted a bit of a transitional look inside, not that cold and modern feeling. So it’s a mix of both,” said Gunnu Gill, who built the house and is co-owner of Seba Construction.
He said the traditional flavour inside was achieved through numerous millwork details, such as wainscoting and coffered ceilings in the living and dining areas, where he took the same hardwood used on the floors and applied it to the ceilings for a warm glow and added texture.
“The white-washed cedar board siding outside was selected for its weathering properties, and we are looking forward to the colour turning to silver as the wood ages naturally,” said Gill, who interspersed that siding with stone veneer highlights and a stucco that was specially coated to prevent salt spray from eroding the finish.
“My dad built a house in 1985 with these same three elements — rock, cedar and stucco — so this is a flashback to my childhood,” he explained with a chuckle, although in this instance, Gill decided not to use an excessive amount of wood on the ocean side because of potential damage due to the elements.
The building is oriented to the south, an exposure that allows for passive solar heating on sunny days, which means major cost savings.