House tour: Cozy modern family home Author: Style At Home
Contrary to what colour-lovers may think, decorating with neutrals isn’t necessarily the easy way out. It takes skill, design smarts and, most of all, discipline to stick to a limited colour palette while keeping a space from feeling sterile. Take this bright five-bedroom, four-bath home in West Vancouver: The homeowners, custom-home builders Donato and Mariana D’Amici, had wanted a modern structure with traditional detailing to live in for a while before putting it on the market to start another from-the-ground-up project.
Their challenge was to make the space livable for themselves and their one-year old son, Teo, while also showing prospective buyers what was possible. So Mariana, a long-time fan of The Cross Decor & Design (the Vancouver hub of all things hip and stylish), hired designer Joanna Vagelatos to help them execute – and elevate – the couple’s vision. But upon entering the home, Joanna was struck by another vision: the view. “The house is raised on a hillside with beautiful views from every room,” she says. “We decided a neutral interior was the way to go because it would never detract from the setting.”
A retractable glass wall allows the family room to be completely opened up to the outdoors, doubling the amount of living space in warmer months. Oversized upholstered pieces invite easy lounging. The decor is spare and neutral to keep the focus on the glorious views.
With a toddler in the house, this tufted ottoman in the family room makes a more practical coffee table than solid wood. In the background, black drapery panels in a UV-resistant fabric can be pulled across to create an intimate outdoor zone.
Varying tones of grey-brown warm up the otherwise white living room. Joanna offset the dramatic sleek tiled floor and fireplace surround with cozier touches like the hide rug and textured toss cushions.
In this West Vancouver home, the kitchen's eat-in area incorporates pieces that range from iconic modern to just plain playful. A perforated metal Moroccan pendant light introduces a hit of sparkle, which is echoed in the silver and gold "Love" prints that seem to float on the wall in white frames.
Designer Joanna Vagelatos designed two elegant and plush upholstered benches to break up all the hard surfaces in the kitchen. "They look luxe, yet the commercial grade cotton velvet is incredibly durable and especially fitting for a house with kids in it," she says. The mini pendant lights add a hit of playful whimsy.
Photo Gallery
House tour: Cozy modern family home
Family room
House tour: Cozy modern family home
Kid-friendly furniture
House tour: Cozy modern family home
Living room design
House tour: Cozy modern family home
Eat-in kitchen
House tour: Cozy modern family home
Kitchen design
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