Anyone who is familiar with Ottawa’s winters will probably tell you: It gets cold in those parts. So when Andrew Reeves’ clients came to him later deciding on a plot of land for their dream home, they expressed visions of a shelter from the biting cold that didn’t detach them from character, along with a warm refuge where they could rest their wearied bodies after a long moment. “My clients are nurses working long hours and’d stored up for this home,” says Reeves. “They wanted it to be an articulation of the way of life, therefore there are a whole lot of things about the home which are an extension of who they are.”
in a Glance
Who lives here: Greg and Beata Campbell
Location: The Glebe, Ottawa, Ontario
Size: 2,800 square feet
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White walls and ceilings, stainless steel surfaces and appliances, and unadorned windows can create a white-box effect for some individuals, but not for Reeves’ clients.
“I suggested that a wood island for the kitchen for some variety and contrast, but they favored stainless steel. I believe that it might have something to do with their work; they’re about stainless steel and white partitions in the hospital, therefore they have a deep connection to this substance and remedy,” he says. The walls also reflect each of the natural light coming in by the encompassing picture windows.
Cabinetry: Ikea
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The architect and also a horticulturalist from Richmond Nursery embedded a potted Brazilian olive tree to the ground and surrounded the surface with stones, developing a small interior garden.
“Among those clients expressed how sad she gets during the winter months and how she wished she can be about character — but the chilly leaves staying outdoors hard. We added the tree and created a Zen garden to earn winters more bearable; we introduced the outdoors inside of the particular patch of character,” says Reeves.
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The exterior exhibits a mixture of stuccowalnut, metal and glass. The materials break up the boxy volume of the home and add interest to the facade with geometric patterns.
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“The home is in a less established part of the Glebe and on an eclectic street full of entirely different architectural designs and rooflines,” says Reeves. “We’ve got a two-story home on the left and also an apartment building to the right, therefore this modern home is the only structure with any architectural attraction on the street.”
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Even though the remainder of the home has wide-planked white walnut floors, the entryway stands up to the wear and tear from the outside with darkish ceramic tiles. The dark tile accentuates the ebony cabinetry and contrasts with the light wood floor and seats material.
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A custom made cabinet’s mirrored glass door both conceals clothing and lends the entrance a mysterious charm. The entryway chair makes a statement and welcomes the homeowners with its regal, elongated back.
Cabinetry, seating: custom, Constructive Behavior, made by Linebox
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“They maintain irregular schedules due to their tasks, so the casual character of this efficient, compact kitchen really appeals to them,” Reeves says. “Everything they should prepare or eat a meal is only a couple of steps away. They only use the formal dining table when guests are about.”
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The architect framed the outside perspectives of character with picture windows and a clerestory window. A modern fireplace expands the sleek, angular look of the whole home.
Fireplace: Spark Fires
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“The staircase divides the dining and kitchen area from the living area without taking away from or intruding on the sense of openness of this distance,” says Reeves.
Windows lining the rear of the tree and in every staircase landing wash the interior — and also the olive tree — with mild.
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Reeves sought inspiration from boutique resorts when designing the master suite. “My clients didn’t want any stark divisions between the tub and the bedroom; they love the open quality of the package and said they think that it’s likely to be their oasis once they start growing their family,” he says.
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Three frosted glass panels partly protect the soaking tub by the bedroom. Hardwood flooring delve into ceramic floors and signal that the transition from bedroom to bath.
“The bath is the very first thing greets you in the morning and the last place spent some time in before you go to sleep; knowing this, they requested for a gorgeous space to wander into at any odd hour without having to open doors,” says Reeves.
Porcelain tiles: Stone Tile
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A combination of picture and clerestory windows adds light and warmth during the winter, frames outside views and visually extends the ceiling elevation. Blue skies and varying foliage framed by the windows add splashes of colour to the neutral bathroom.
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The homeowners specifically requested a sauna. “You can go for weeks without perspiration in winter,” Reeves says, “therefore the sauna is one of the ways they’ve invested in both the home and their health.”