WELL SUITED
Peaceful, elegant, inviting – that was Leigh Peterson’s brief to interior designer Gillian Segal when she tasked her to create a new look for her new life
The moment I walked in, I could tell that this house would be ideal for my new life as an empty nester,’ says Leigh Peterson. Recently retired with two adult children, Leigh was ready to embark on a new adventure – with her dog Lexi – when she found this place located a stone’s throw from the beach, in Kitsilano in Vancouver.
‘There is a youthful vibe with a focus on healthy living,’ she says of the charming area, which has many restaurants and small, independent stores. But the factors that really convinced Leigh to go for it were the home’s good-sized garden and the beautiful environment. ‘There is a spectacular view from the third floor that takes your breath away – a perfect spot to watch the sunset with a friend and enjoy a glass of wine.’
Built in the late 1990s, the property had an Arts and Crafts style with a masculine feel before the renovation, which was led by interior designer Gillian Segal. ‘Gillian softened the hard angles into arches and used neutral, soft tones,’ says Leigh.
The house featured period-style wood inlay floors, stained glass and old, brass door hardware, among other details. ‘Our goal was to salvage and maintain these features while bringing new life to everything else in a way that was sympathetic to the original home and character of the neighbourhood,’ says Gillian. ‘We wanted to create a
favourite item ‘The painting by Barbara Cole in my en-suite bathroom’
sophisticated and comfortable blend of heritage and contemporary elements.’
The interior designer helped Leigh to envision the new aesthetic. ‘Gillian was keen on turning the wide doorways between the rooms into arches, but I was nervous about that,’ says Leigh. Eventually Gillian was able to persuade her, and now the arches are one of Leigh’s favourite elements in the house.
Inspired by the hues found in the beaches of the Pacific Northwest, the warm colour palette combines with marble, oak, bronze and brass. ‘There are a lot of natural materials layered beautifully throughout the home,’ says Leigh. Wool and silk rugs, velvet upholstered chairs and bold lighting adorn the different spaces where artwork with a strong emphasis on Canadian artists such as Erin Armstrong and Curtis Cutshaw add touches of bright colour.
‘My home is a serene, luxurious retreat that suits my current stage in life to perfection,’ explains Leigh, who loves her bedroom in particular, decorated in her favourite shade of blue. ‘Like the other rooms of the house, it is very restful.’
Peaceful, elegant and inviting, the new spaces reflect everything Leigh could have ever imagined for her dream home. ‘My lifestyle, pre-pandemic, involved lots of entertaining and casual nights with family and friends,’ she says. ‘I can’t wait to share my beautiful home again.’