Designer Karla Amadatsu puts a warm and welcoming spin on a modern new-build.

The desire for “modern warm decor” is undeniable. Enter those three words into a search engine and upwards of 75 million images will soon be at your fingertips. Maybe that speaks to a bit of online oversharing, but when Michelle Kopp was looking for a designer, the Internet proved to be a boon. “It was 2010, my husband Brad and I had just bought our very first house in Vancouver and we wanted help with the decor,” she says. “I did an online search, came across Karla’s portfolio and fell in love with her inviting, casual style.”

The couple loved working with the designer so much that when they and their now twelve-year-old daughter, Mackenna, made the move to Kelowna in 2016, Karla Amadatsu, of Vancouver’s Kerrisdale Design, was on speed dial again. The designer arrived when the 5,200-square-foot space was in mid-construction, but the foundation for its aesthetic was already firmly in place: modern warm. “Their new home has clean, contemporary lines, which I wanted to maintain while adding interest, style and, of course, warmth,” says Karla. Her formula for this tricky balance? Channel mostly modern lines with the furniture and introduce varying colours, finishes and textures for a welcoming effect.

The shell of the home – gorgeous wide-plank white oak floors and graphic black windows – was already in place and needed no tweaking, with one exception. “The lighting was nice but not special enough,” says Karla. “Lighting is often overlooked and seen as solely practical, but I like to think of it as the jewellery of the room.” She chose a mix of sculptural chandeliers, pendant lights with metallic flourishes and custom-made sconces to up the embellishment and light the way for the fun part – the furnishings.

The Kopps had kept some traditional furniture from their previous place, a Craftsman-style home, and tasked Karla with making it work in the new setting. The most compelling example of this success is the living room’s tufted linen sofa, which had sat in their former living room virtually unused. By pairing it with a sleek marble coffee table and deceptively casual rug, Karla gave the classic piece a fresh mod countenance. “Paying attention to how varied textures, like linen, marble and jute, play against each other is what creates the interest here,” she says.

Throughout the space, Karla layered in a melange of natural wood tones for two purposes. “The slightly darker hues are similar to wood colours in mid-century modern furniture, and they’re a nice variation on the white oak flooring so they keep it from feeling flat,” she says. She countered all the black fixtures and trim with lively lashings of gold and bronze for nuanced contrast and referenced the view to Kelowna’s natural beauty with the addition of large potted plants.

Karla thinks the finished product is layered and stylish, as well as “modern warm,” and the homeowners do, too. “From day one of moving into our Kelowna house, we felt comfortable right away,” says Michelle. “It’s as if Karla transported all the comfort of our previous home with us into our new dwelling. We love it here.”

Photography: Tracey Ayton | DESIGN, Karla Amadatsu, Kerrisdale Design; MIRROR, CONSOLE, RUG, Kerrisdale Design; PENDANT LIGHT, Pine Lighting; VASE, CB2.

The front hall exudes lovely warmth thanks to its dynamic decor. “It’s quite an open space and could otherwise feel very bare without the right touches,” says designer Karla Amadatsu. The sleek black-framed console is in tune with the home’s windows and hardware but its top, crafted from antique mirror, has an aged quality that’s a segue to the hall’s other showstopper elements: a mirror with bone-inlay that feels handmade and a patterned rug that strikes a cozy note.

 

Photography: Tracey Ayton | CHANDELIER, Pine Lighting.

Michelle had already chosen the dining room chandelier and Karla thought it worked perfectly with their vision. The white dining chairs do more than radiate casual charm. “I chose white specifically as it stands out against the wooden table and shows off the chairs’ lines better to create more interest,” says Karla.

Photography: Tracey Ayton | CHAIRS, ARTWORK, SCONCE, Kerris­ dale Design; VASE, BOWL, CANDLESTICKS, CB2.

Homeowner Michelle says she would never have chosen the dining area’s dotted artwork but admits it’s now one of her favour­ite elements. “Our guests always comment on these pieces,” she says. “I love how they tie in with the black details throughout and pull everything together.” Karla designed the sconces as a nod to the kitchen’s pendant lights and to visually connect the spaces.

Photography: Tracey Ayton | PENDANT LIGHTS, Kerrisdale Design; STOOLS, Vancouver Special; VASES, WATERING JUGS, BOWL, CB2.

The kitchen’s sleek design and ample storage are a recipe for easy living. “On our busiest weeks, when we’re behind on our housework and don’t feel all that put together, the place still looks pretty presentable and show-worthy,” says Michelle.

Photography: Tracey Ayton

The custom-built kitchen needed very little embellishment. Karla chose distinctive black stools as bold accessories that pop against the white oak and quartz island, and pendant lights with glam brass accents. “The burnished tones are a fun departure from the faucets and hardware, and feel a bit dressier,” she says. Unadorned windows keep the pretty views a focal point.

Photography: Tracey Ayton

“This is both the living room and the main family hangout area, so a TV was a must,” says Karla. “The modern-style fireplace (designed by Mika Rempel of Mika Design) meant that it could hang a little lower than it would on a more traditional mantel, and this makes for an optimal viewing height.” To counter the contemporary aspect of the space, Karla layered in a high-impact play of textures and styles, from a simple basket to woven leather chairs, stools and plush velvet armchairs. A gutsy marble coffee table is at home in the mix thanks in part to its low profile.

Photography: Tracey Ayton | WOVEN CHAIRS, LIGHTING, RUG, CUSTOM PILLOWS, Kerrisdale Design; Velvet CHAIRS, COFFEE TABLE, Restoration Hardware; COFFEE TABLE ACCESSORIES, CB2; White PICTURE FRAMES, Pottery Barn.

A gallery wall of black-and-white family photos is both personal and on point with the palette. It’s also a savvy and inexpensive way to adorn empty wall space. The tufted natural linen sofa from the owners’ previous home is invigorated with black-and-white cushions.

Photography: Tracey Ayton | ARTWORK, Minted; CHAIR, Ballard Designs; DRAPES, LAMP, RUG, Kerrisdale Design.

"The home office’s cabinetry is very sleek so I wanted accents here that would bring in the warmth we were looking for,” says Karla. The more traditional chair, also from the owners’ former home, has an almost whimsical feel against the streamlined desk and creates compelling tension. The artwork riffs on that, while gold accessories add a bit of sparkle to the workspace and are in sync with other finishes in the home.

Photography: Tracey Ayton | HEADBOARD, DRAPES, SCONCES, CHAIR, Kerrisdale Design; NIGHTSTAND, BEDDING, Restoration Hardware; RUG, Serena and Lily.

Pleated linen drapes softly frame the master bedroom’s focal point windows. “I’m glad we chose this classic type of drapery,” says Karla. “It adds softness and a finished effect to this serene room.” A simple linen headboard and white bedding maintain the serenity that’s deftly punctuated by an interesting rug. “It has a geometric pattern that really speaks to the feel of the home: natural, textural, graphic and modern all at once.” Touches of gold and black keep things from feeling flat.

Photography: Tracey Ayton

Photography: Tracey Ayton | Pink Ground WALL PAINT, Farrow and Ball; BED, RUG, CHANDELIER, Pottery Barn; BEDDING, Anthropologie; Window seat CUSHION, Kerrisdale Design.

Mackenna’s room is a wish list of what every little girl plans for her dream bedroom. “Honestly, what girl doesn’t want a gold canopy bed?” says Karla. For all of its prettiness, it was imperative the space be functional, too (read: kid-friendly but easily adaptable into the tweens). While pink is Mackenna’s favourite colour, Karla didn’t want it to look too bubble gum so chose a blush shade with nude undertones that feels warm and sophisticated.

Photography: Tracey Ayton

A window seat is another dream feature and this one is more than a pretty perch. Karla had it upholstered in a high-grade faux leather that’s used in commercial spaces, so even though it’s off-white, it is durable and super easy to clean.