Jamie Goehring’s 1962 Douglas Wiley home
sits just outside Vancouver, Canada, in New Westminster. The 4- bedroom, 3- bathroom is a pop of Palm Springs in the Pacific Northwest. “It’s quite the place,” says Jamie. “I don’t think there any other houses like it in town.”
But this home wasn’t always so picture perfect. Jamie and his team spent six months renovating the home, using a detail- driven design process along the way.
RENOVATION PROCESS
Creating the perfect team for the perfect home was no easy feat— Jamie had to let an architect go early on in the design process who he felt was “killing the cool vibe.” Instead, he turned to friends Nathan Berry of Westwind Finishing and Paul Kane. Paul and Jamie designed the renovation, while Nathan and his team implemented it. Jamie’s work as a film producer certainly came in handy during the renovation: “Project management is kind of my thing,” says Jamie.
So, the trio spent their time researching similar mid century homes, creating sketches and plans, sourcing authentic and exciting materials and executing the designs. “Paul did the sketch- ups, and I’d go backand- forth on them a thousand times until we agreed on them, and then Nathan would execute those drawings,” says Jamie.
When it came time to fi nd materials needed for the renovation, Jamie turned to mid century homes he admired, like the many homes of Neutra in California. He also frequently referenced Atomic Ranch for its up- to- date resources guide. And because his source materials were so SoCal, it’s no surprise that his home became a beautiful example of it too. “Because my inspiration was the Neutra houses and some of the other great homes of California,” says Jamie, “it was easy ... for me to bring that California feel to the house.”
“Because my inspiration was the Neutra houses and some of the other great homes of California,” says Jamie, “it was easy... for me to bring that California feel to the house.”
SURPRISE FEATURES
One of the biggest transformations happened in the basement of the Wiley home. The original owners of the home never finished the basement, and the owners who followed did some work in the space, but more was still needed. When Jamie came along, he learned from the previous owners that they suspected there was a fireplace hidden behind one of the basement walls. Jamie’s team checked and learned that it was true. Sitting behind one of the walls was a fireplace in “pretty good condition,” says Jamie. Even better, sitting next to the newfound fireplace was a built- in hutch. “Being in the film business and loving film and television, I had tons and tons of DVDs and Blu- Rays that I needed to put somewhere,” says Jamie. “[ The hutch] was the perfect opportunity for me to do that!”
The front yard of the home also got a generous touchup. It had been originally landscaped in a very Pacific Northwest style, but Jamie wanted an approach that was a bit more mid mod. So he and his team started from scratch— they pulled out all the Northern Pacific plants and replaced them with California plants that could survive a Vancouver winter.
The result is a striking piece of landscaping: clean lines of grasses and flora mirroring one another, creating a pleasingly symmetrical effect. “I’m a mathematician at heart ... I love symmetry, and I love clean lines,” says Jamie.
INTERIOR DETAILS
Jamie’s detail- driven design was reflected in the people involved in the renovation process. To get the as- close- to- perfect results he was looking for, he encouraged team members to embrace how special the house was, and he told his team he was looking for “the next level of your skill set.” And treating the home like a piece of art certainly paid off: its unique details, like its baseboard- free flooring and cedar accents create a masterful, one- of- a- kind space.
The living area features floor- to- ceiling windows, a cedar post- and- beam ceiling and an eye- catching quartz fireplace. A touch of marble with historical roots runs throughout the space— original to the home, the marble is from the now- demolished Bank of Montreal in Vancouver.
The nearby kitchen fits Jamie’s needs perfectly: “We don’t cook a lot,” he says with a laugh, but he and his girlfriend like to entertain. So the oversized fridge holds extra space for storing food for parties. The oak cabinetry is a nod to the classic Mid Century Modern kitchen look, and the kitchen lights are all original to the home.
The primary bedroom holds more floor- to- ceiling windows, creating a luxuriously sun- bathed space in the summertime. “Once we wake up in the mornings, we open the blinds, and in summer it is so beautiful,” says Jamie.
The attached bathroom is just as jaw- dropping. It features an original in- floor bathtub and a secret garden that provides both privacy and a touch of green. The space is covered in tile, with a blue tile feature wall as a nod to the bathtub’s original color.
“I love it all so much,” says Jamie of his home. But his favorite spot is in his dining room, with his chair to the back of the window. “From there,” he says, “I can see everything in the house. I can see how beautiful my living room is, I can see how beautiful my office is, and I can see right outside to the pool and the deck ... I have a 270- degree view of the house, and it is just my favorite spot.”
The bathroom features an original in- floor bathtub and a secret garden that provides both privacy and a touch of green.