Project Northwest Cove

We kicked off this project in the Spring of 2022. The home is ocean front situated on a wooded and rocky shoreline with expansive views over St.Margaret’s Bay. It was designed by the late renown architect Keith Graham and is about 15 years old. Despite the age of the house the kitchen and bathrooms seemed dated beyond their years and decidedly not consistent with the architectural style of the home. The extent of involvement by an Architect on the interior of a house can vary greatly from client to client, its not uncommon for the build-out of the kitchen and bathrooms to be left in the hands of the owners, which seemed to be the case with this home. As a result you could see a disconnect in the aesthetic where the architects vision stopped and the homeowners took over.

As new owners of the home, our clients were completely attracted to the style of the home and of course its stunning locale, but weren’t attracted to the kitchens and bathrooms which neither reflected their personal style nor the style of the house - both were more contemporary than what was installed at the time. Additionally they didn’t want to forge ahead and embark on renovating these spaces without some expert help - to ensure the integrity of the home’s design was maintained. And so that’s when they reached out to us for help in designing the updates that would be sensitive to the architecture, the surroundings and also reflect their tastes - they had an impressive collection of contemporary art, an affection for mid-century modern furniture, and a love for natural and organic elements.

the consultation

We began with an initial consultation in the home where together we discussed and touched a palette of materials, textures and colours that were in harmony with the rugged ocean front setting and contemporary architecture. No design planning or sourcing had begun at this point, but a clear vision for the interior updates emerged from this first meeting, our design evolved from this palette of materials put together during that session.

One of the major dilemmas presented was they intended to keep the wood floor but what should they do with all the wood trim, the entire house was trimmed out in brown wood , every single bit of millwork including the window frames was wood. Normally not a fan of this look, them nor I, I assessed the options and was convinced the best solution was to embrace it and work with it - keep ALL the wood.

Above is a peak at the wood throughout the house, plus a lot of wood windows. There was also a much too traditional vibe going on with the light fixtures and hardware so that all should go too to achieve a more modern aesthetic.

The starting point I proposed was to get rid of the very yellow-based wall colour and give the entire interior a fresh coat of a clean neutral white (which brings life to the wood, and allows the space to breathe vs the smothering effect of yellow on yellow) and the new kitchen and bath cabinetry would be wood or a grey/blue and white.

My philosophy when working with a lot of wood in a modern space is to only pair the wood with either more of the same wood (yes add more! of it for a monolithic effect) or, keep all the other builtin elements in neutral white, greys or blacks.

Here’s a look at some spaces that I reviewed with the clients to illustrate the concept of how beautiful all wood trim could look in a more modern style they desired. The first 4 images by Mazen Studios were in fact the pivotal source of inspiration for this project as these spaces had similar elements to our project like the same river stone fireplace, same windows and railing, and …our clients owned some similar furniture. (sources for the remainder of the images are unknown).

the inspiration

With the clients fully on board in keeping the wood we began developing the concepts for the new kitchen and bathrooms. I’ll share the kitchen design and other bathrooms in a future post but here’s a peak at the concept for a small ensuite in a guest bedroom

Aside from all the wood trim we also had to work with the existing tile floors in each of the bathrooms due to the under floor heating system. I love terracotta tile for their organic quality and timeless character and these tiles though not terracotta evoked that look. My philosophy again when working with a colour or material you don’t love but can’t change, is don’t pair it with colour - neutralize it by pairing it with tones of blacks and whites to give it a fresh look.

ensuite design concept

A few key pieces give the room a subtle nautical vibe; the brass cage light, a brass gallery rail wall shelf and of course some stripes and simple hooks. These are easy updates to add to any bathroom without renovating, here’s some links to these sources or similar.

1. Brass Cage Light

2. Brass Gallery Rail Kit (Straight sections only). We used a custom source but this is a the only ready-made option I came across that ships to Canada.

3. Modern Wall Hook for towels

4. One of my favourite Turkish Towels and perfect for guest rooms!

The project is well under way and nearing completion, here’s an after and before progress photo of the guest ensuite……

progress

Progress Ensuite Bathroom, Click for 'before'.

While there was at least 6 months wait before construction started the owner took on a few cosmetic updates in the meantime. Although all of the common areas of the interior are white we opted for a deep dark black/greenish-blue colour in two areas, one of them being in the entry vestibule where a large art piece hangs. To highlight the piece the clients added a rechargeable battery art light which is high on impact but requires no invasive drywall or electrical work. I think these wireless lights are fantastic and I’m eager to use one somewhere in my own home or on other project.

This particular light currently only comes in silver or black (a bronze finish will be available soon) but if you want a different finish you could spray paint it brass or white. What I like about this one is the small back plate, it also has two light levels, detaches by magnet from the wall plate, plugs into a USB port to charge, the shade tilts and the arm is telescopic. Thanks to my clients for sharing this find with me. Source link below.

5. Rechargeable Art Light (in Silver)

6. Rechargeable Art Light (in Black)

More to come on this beautiful coastal home and its fresh updates.

One Thing Every Room Needs

House & Home Feature:

A Q&A feature in H&H this past January asked Designers what’s the one thing they think every room needs, I instantly knew what my response would be as I have at least one piece in every room and continue to collect and add more throughout my home.

Even in contemporary design, in fact even more so, adding something that references the past adds instant character to a space and lends to the story and experiences of the building itself or the people who live there. I especially love the mix of old and modern, its the juxtaposition with new that makes the old look fresh and current - this can even be the case with different eras of antiques, like a saarinen tulip table and chippendale chairs. When working on modern architectural projects I particularly love the contrast of an aged element or antique piece in an all new and minimal space which can elevates the piece to a feature like artwork or sculpture

Carol Reed Interior Design | Photo by: Janet Kimber

In case you missed it the feature is now online and you can check out all the other designer’s responses on the H&H website here.

Book: The Maine House

Favourite BookS: the Maine House

Over many winter weekends huddled beside a cozy fire, I poured over a new design book I received for Christmas called The Maine House. The book by Maura McEvoy and Basha Burwell is a gallery of unpretentious and weathered seaside abodes. I felt an enormous sense of familiarity as I soaked in the images of these rooms and houses with their distinctly East Coast character..

“Here are the spaces where a life well lived is defined by spirit, creativity, and longevity. Here is a kind of visual wealth that money just can’t buy. Here is The Maine House.”

The Maine House book by Maura McEvoy and Basha Burwell

The styles range from contemporary architecture to humble and rustic fisherman shacks and summer cottages, many owned by the same family for generations with such storied character it would be impossible to replicate without looking contrived and theme-y. There are uncanny resemblances to my own home and the seaside vernacular so prevalent here in Nova Scotia, where we share the same Bay of Funday with Maine. Here’s a peak inside some of some the beautiful spaces and photography…..

A peek inside The Maine House Book

I’m especially drawn to the way the homes are captured in the imagery, there’s a candid-ness to them giving the reader a sense that this is what the home would look like on any given day, simply recorded by a photographer utilizing beautiful light - no extraneous effort to make the spaces or house look anything other than its own self.

A peek inside The Maine House Book

For me, this ‘candid’ perspective of the photography is how I love to view spaces the very most, not overly primped or propped for a photo.

A peek inside The Maine House Book

I crave to know what a space looks like if I were in it, often a too perfectly pretty picture or a vignette of a room will not be a true depiction of how the room looks or ‘feels’ if you were in the room but rather just an isolated moment framed by the camera.

A peek inside The Maine House Book

The common thread throughout the various homes is that they all have stunning views and interesting collections, showcasing a lot of ingenuity and creativity.

A peek inside The Maine House book.

The interiors that impress me the most have always been ones that are as beautiful as they naturally look in daily life when you walk in and gaze upon them with your own eyes. Granted I have no idea if this in fact how the photos were taken but it certainly is the achieved effect.

A peek inside The Maine House book.

The contents of the book really reflect that real life lived -in essence to me because they’re not designer houses. I know that seems counter-productive for me to say but I’ve never been a fan of homes that look like a ‘designer home’, but that’s not to say they can’t still ooze style and character and a sense of place. I’m most impressed and inspired by homes that look like the owners just have remarkable style, great taste and interesting life stories. That’s why this book resonates with me so much.

“These are not designer houses: they are homes created by the people who live in them - from writers to fishermen, textile designers to farmers - distinctive for their ingenuity, originality, and fierce individuality

The book has adorned my living room coffee table for the winter but is now moving over to the guest barn which is where I’ll do all my reading from now until the late cold days of fall. If you’re looking for a great addition to your cottage coffee table or seeking inspiration for your dream coastal getaway I highly recommend it. If you’re lucky enough to be a guest at a friend or relative’s cottage, this would make a fantastic gift!

Check out loads more images from The Maine House book here.