WR Spec

Sharon Litchfield

• Interior Designers

This 2500 square foot infill proved to be challenging; not because it is a standard skinny house, but because of its length. At 62 x 17 feet, it is long and narrow. If not designed right, this open concept floor plan would easily have felt like a bowling alley. This challenge informed the decision to design the home in way that creates a ‘pocket’ of experience in each space as you move through it. To achieve this key consideration was given to materials and how they relate to each other in varying details.

photo_credit Sharon Litchfield — Sharon Litchfield

When you walk in, both from the front and the back of house, you are met with a raw metal and glass divider. While this lets a beautiful play of light in, it also acts as a physical barrier to differentiate the entrance from the adjacent space. The glass allows the person to visually connect to the interior beyond, which is a soft environment of creamy whites, warm oak, and leathered black granite.

While the metal and glass screens are a consistent element mirroring each other at either end, the mood felt in both is contrasting. At the southern front entrance, a ceiling installation of thick OSB slat are painted black and compress the height. The horizontal slats are carried through from the entrance into the dining room, creating a 'T' with the screen. The rear, northern entry is quite the opposite with its white on white on white; 1" slim slats installed both horizontally and vertically, with a complimentary white tile carried in from the fireplace surround. White slats are strategically installed on all the walls surrounding the powder room, offering the design of an obscure doorway.

The powder room is a complimentary light and bright space; while the tile from the minimalist mudroom is installed throughout and up on a pony wall, the small feature in this space is the moss wall. Perfectly situated across from a frost window, it offers a slight intro to the organic vibe of the home.

This home was designed to be a place of Zen; one that felt very calm within a modern touch and a slight nod to an Australian influence. The palette throughout was kept minimal, allowing for creativity in types of materials selected and play of how they were installed. For instance, while the kitchen feels bright with its slim shaker white cabinetry and hint of black and wood, the side dining room is moodier with the same wood being the predominate feature as a built in with black cabinets.

Rooms upstairs are kept bright and simple. Warm tone, wide plank wood under foot, and the same white on white palette with doors, trim, walls, and ceilings. This allows for a recess of visual stimulation (letting clients adorn their walls with their beautiful art) and ease into the bathroom spaces beyond.

The upper main bathroom was designed to be a 'concrete retreat', while being playful with a horizontal tile installation. This is secondary to the hero of the home, in our humble opinion, which is the primary ensuite. The ensuite is the definition of the design for the home. Here all design rules for this build collide. Creamy white terrazzo floor underfoot and up a pony wall (which doubles as a storage ledge), is beautifully complimented with wood tile, creating a feature along the shower and tub wall. While black cabinets might feel a harsh contrast here, it feels quite the opposite; the black on black element grounds the space, elevating the modern aesthetic.