Natural material inside and out for a space that is beautiful as well as highly functional as a family home – Jeremy’s family, no less.
No mysterious details, with big, sprawling overhangs and cantilevers — but rather a showcase of the beauty of traditional architecture, timber accents, and roof lines that make sense. Custom-built home designed and inspired by Kimberley and life in the Kootenays.
It was really important to focus on each space, having its own defined role.
When you step into the entryway, you are in a designated zone where you can comfortably shed your shoes and jacket. You start getting a feel for the house, but it doesn’t spill all its secrets immediately. The rest of the space is out of view, giving you this sense of mystery and anticipation as you walk in.
The kitchen has high wood ceilings and simple yet beautiful finishings. It acts as a communal gathering place that brings together family and friends. It’s where we cook our food and nourish our family, but most significantly, it’s the hub of the house where many conversations are had, meals are eaten, and quality time is spent gathered around the island.
The living room has a cozy vibe, with an intentionally lowered ceiling and a woodstove as the centrepiece. It showcases our handcrafted built-in furniture, which extends through the common areas of the house. We made many pieces inside the house by hand in our workshop; the timber from the roof structure matches the material that we used for the record player, floating shelf, bench, and features around the staircase.
Located on the main floor, the primary bedroom is seamlessly connected to the ensuite bathroom and cleverly serves dual functions as a powder room accessible from the living room. The kids’ bedrooms are upstairs on either end of the house, and there is a spacious communal area at the center. High ceilings and skylights fill their communal space with abundant natural light.
A breezeway connects the office and shop, enabling those working in these spaces to operate independently and efficiently without being completely cut off from the rest of the home.
The intentional placement of windows throughout the home allowed us to play with sunlight throughout the day and frame specific views and trees we wanted to see from inside. All of the flooring is solid Douglas Fir 1×4 boards, and the siding is solid 1×4 cedar—all of which was harvested here in the Kooteneys and machined at local family-owned sawmills in a sustainable manner.
We view this house as a functional and beautiful space to raise our family and embrace Kimberley, BC, as our new home.
