Forest Hill Home

Our client collects and displays contemporary art throughout their home.  Their house is relatively new, and its overall size and individual spaces are quite expansive, making it ideal for displaying art.  However, it was built in a very traditional style that was not to our client’s taste, nor did it complement the art.  We have been transforming the house a room at a time to make it a place that serves as both art gallery and home.

When planning our interventions in this home, the goal is always to find connections between the spaces that display art and its surroundings, with the use of millwork, wall recesses, projections, and even lighting.  The master bath was completely transformed, with a new floating vanity, and concrete flooring and countertop.  Fixed louvers offer privacy for the bathtub, but also diffuse natural light from the windows.  For the kitchen, we replaced all of the surface finishes, and created a light box band that surrounds the space.  Elsewhere books, photographs, and other personal objects are displayed with care and purpose in custom cabinetry.  Even the choice of a paint colour on a wall creates a vivid place for the display of art.  Throughout the house we worked with the owners on choosing a mixture of classic modern and contemporary furniture in keeping with their surroundings.  For the outside of the house, we have designed new window privacy screens as well as a front entrance awning.  The small openings create an intricate floral pattern that are interesting in themselves, but also cast shadows both inside and outside the house.

Credits:

Base construction and interior finishes:  SGR Management
Millwork:  Patina FC
Metal window screens and doorway awning:  PD Lab
Landscape in collaboration with: Terraplan Landscape Architects
Photography: Andrew Snow, Jeremy Vandermeij  & Geoffrey Wiebe