House Tours
This Euro-Inspired West Coast Home Is Lively and Elegant
Photography by Tracey Ayton
House Tours
This Euro-Inspired West Coast Home Is Lively and Elegant
A Vancouver Craftsman-style home gets a vibrant revamp that melds knockout design with lived-in charm.
First and foremost, I wanted the house to feel like a home,” says Keely Tateossian. When she and husband Malcon purchased their 5,500-square-foot residence, which they share with their son, Casper, Keely’s dad and the family’s Great Dane, its full potential wasn’t front and centre. “We loved that it had great bones,” Keely says, “but they were hiding beneath lots of brown walls, black tiles and dark woodwork.” The couple enlisted designer Cara Hansen to help them achieve their vision of a beautiful, unstuffy space. “By layering eclectic materials, pops of colour and interesting textures, I helped Keely to create a personality-packed space that’s very approachable,” says Cara. “It’s striking but not precious.” In other words, exactly what Keely wanted: an inviting space where the whole family feels at home.
Pattern Play
DESIGN, Cara Hansen, Triple Dot Design Studio. WALL PAINT, Simply White OC-117, Benjamin Moore. WALLPAPER, Wildwood Black Multi, Rifle Paper Co. FIREPLACE, Urban Fireplaces. Custom MANTEL, Masana Stone. FIREPLACE STONE, Fifth + Fir. FIRE- PLACE PAINT, Bitter Sage N390-4, Behr. SOFA, CF Interiors. RUG, Loloi Rugs. FLOOR TILES, Ann Sacks.
Designer Cara Hansen rebooted the family room’s traditional architecture with a healthy dose of modern pizzazz. Botanical-print wallpaper enlivens the original coffered ceiling with dramatic whimsy, which is picked up in the fireplace’s custom concrete mantel and ribbed marble surround. Homeowner Keely Tateossian decided on the green focal wall to play up the fireplace’s design; its flanking floating shelves and cabinets offer nice balance. The owners’ glitzy starburst chandelier is a fun, jewel-like finish.
Warm Personality
COUNTERTOPS, Julian Tile. MILLWORK PAINT, Swiss Coffee OC-45, Black Beauty 2128-10, Benjamin Moore. ISLAND PENDANTS, CF Interiors. FAUCET, POT FILLER, Brizo. FLOOR TILES, Ann Sacks.
“We used a tri-colour palette in the kitchen to make it feel light and bright,” says Cara. “The perimeter millwork is painted warm white and the wood shelves and oak cabinet bring a natural element to the space.” Painting the island cabinetry black offsets the warm tones and complements the floor tiles, while white metal pendants with gold-leaf interiors further the light feel. Cara had the honed marble floor sealed to withstand the wear and tear of family life, as well as the paws of their dog, Raya. There’s also a nifty custom food station that conveniently corrals Raya’s food and water bowls, and even features a pot-filler tap. Two reeded glass cupboards act as interesting pause points.
“I wanted our house to have a lively style inspired by our travels. The checkered floors remind me of Europe. Once we chose these, everything else fell into place.” – Keely Tateossian
Corner Table
TABLE, CHAIRS, CF Interiors.
A small round table and bistro-like chairs are perfectly scaled for the high-traffic kitchen. “We didn’t want something too big that we’d have to shimmy our way around,” says Keely. “These are the ideal size to just sit and have a coffee, eat breakfast or relax and still be part of the action.” Malcon built the blackboard – it gets used daily and its frame ties in with the oak cabinet.
Make a Statement
FOCAL WALL PAINT, Black Beauty 2128-10, Benjamin Moore. PENDANT LIGHT, CF Interiors. SCONCES, CF Interiors. FIREPLACE TILES, Julian Tile.
The living room’s fireplace had bland beige tiles that weren’t in sync with the room’s energy. Star- and cross-shaped tiles, left over from the shower ceiling in the primary bathroom, replaced the ho-hum beige, and dark grout makes the pattern pop. Keely loves the positive message of the framed flag over the fireplace. Art Deco-style sconces lend soft mood lighting.
Stylish Contrast
“Keely really wanted to have a black wall in the living room and dining area, and I was all for it,” says Cara, who chose the same black that’s on the kitchen island for subtle continuity. She also painted all the trim and the fireplace mantel to make a strong monochromatic statement. The sideboard, dining table and chairs nicely offset the dramatic wall and are from the owners’ previous home. Keely says: “The table sits up to eight comfortably and lets us all engage together. The best part is the Lazy Susan in the middle! It makes for fun fondue nights.”
Quirky & Mature
BATHROOM FLOOR TILES, Julian Tile. BATHROOM WALL TILES, Ann Sacks. VANITY PAINT, Nocturnal Gray 2135-30, Benjamin Moore.
Casper’s ensuite bathroom features a blue vanity that matches his bedroom walls. “We wanted a colour that didn’t feel too ‘little kid,’ something that he could mature with naturally,” says Keely. The floor’s mosaic star is a quirky touch.
Curated Comfort
The patterned rug in the primary suite’s seating area is vintage and was in the owners’ previous home; the bench is another vintage gem. “It was left outside in the long Canadian winters, which is why it’s so weathered, but it’s still sturdy and so beautiful,” says Keely. The wall hanging is an old ship ladder that’s been repurposed as a shelf, and the new ceiling light layers in a bit of a glam.
Suite Indulgence
PENDANT LIGHT, CF Interiors.
The primary bedroom, which didn’t have a closet, was renovated into a three-room suite brought together by distinctive archways. A bedroom across the hall became the closet, and the open hallway leading to it was enclosed to create a private seating area. The home’s original dark hardwood floors were refinished in a blond shade that feels light and airy, and its pale tones are echoed in the custom archways’ trim. “I would put archways in every room if I could. I just love them,” says Keely. “They helped create an open, cohesive suite that’s become a little retreat for us.” The focal-wall treatment continues here with vertical wainscotting on a black wall that’s adorned with a natural oak shelf that Malcon made.
“The bedroom’s oak accents add a touch of natural warmth to the space, which is much needed in those rainy Vancouver months.” – Keely Tateossian
Spa Sanctuary
PENDANT LIGHT, CF Interiors. TUB, Acritec. PLUMBING FIXTURES, Phylrich. VANITY COUNTERTOP, FIREPLACE WALL TILES, FLOOR TILES, C&S Group. SHOWER WALL TILE, Olympia Tile. SCONCES, Visual Comfort.
Cara selected blue-green tiles for the wall behind the tub and the deep shades lend visual intrigue. “The soft neutral floors paired with blue-green tiles evoke a sense of the ocean and create this coastal spa vibe,” she says. “The tiles also impart a bit of drama that we maximized with a gas fireplace, which is another spa-like addition.” The freestanding tub has lateral air jets and an aromatherapy feature to further the luxurious touches. “I chose unlacquered brass taps and used brass throughout the space to create an elevated look that is still warm and inviting.”
Top Brass
PLUMBING FIXTURES, Phylrich. VANITY COUNTERTOP, FLOOR TILES, C&S Group. SHOWER WALL TILE, Olympia Tile. SCONCES, Visual Comfort.
“The brass-framed shower glass stemmed from a photo I saw in a magazine years ago and it never left my head,” says Keely. “I knew the graphic grid design would just be the ‘chef’s kiss’ that would pull it all together.” Cara’s carefully considered tile choices and vanity design are a perfect complement to the steam shower’s statement-piece presence. She says: “The combination of the reeded oak vanities and natural marble stone all play off each other harmoniously. There’s natural warmth and easy elegance.”
5 paint colours that will lighten and brighten any room
Comments