The Devani Home

This entire home was built and designed by the current owners, and the inspiration for the home came from their daughter's love for play and the whole family's enjoyment of the outdoors. In a city that that deals with long cold winters, much time is spent indoors and the family wanted to bring in as much of the outdoor environment into the home. The result is an open and airy concept that utilizes natural materials, colours and textures, evoking the feeling of being outdoors.

FEATURES

Floating Net: When you first walk in to the entry way, there is a floating net (or hammock) above and resides on the second floor open to above space. This lets the skylight filter light down and create a bright inviting vestibule which leads your eye to a hidden flush closet. The owner's daughter loves to greet people when they first walk in when she is on the net. This space is a snuggle nook for her to get cozy in while she gets to look outside and read or play while experiencing the connection to the park while across the street.

Open to Above: The next area in the house is the flex space or the pondering room. This is where the family listens to music and reads while getting to look outside to the park. The "Open to Above" space was created with cedar slats to mimic the idea of being in a natural surrounding such as a forest. The second storey light filters into the room through the slats and creates a whimsical pattern through out the room. A favourite of the whole family's, inspiration for this came from travels in Kyoto. The idea of a wooden shoot came to the homeowner from when they were in the bamboo forest, and the feeling of serenity that was incapsulated within the tall shoots and flickering light.

Fireplace: Using Corten to bring some of the outdoor exterior into this interior space adds warmth against the raw grey concrete and kitchen wall. Inspiration of this came from travel in the Atacama Desert, where Corten is much used. The fireplace is a reminder of the warm desert sand.

Concrete Panels: The panels in the home are custom concrete panels that blend into the kitchen and add a blank canvas for the fireplace and chevron oak floors.

Window in Master Bedroom: A last minute addition to the house, as the owners realized that by adding a window to this area, they would once again bring the outdoors inside. This window has a view of the park and the wood frame around the glass window wall sets the view to the outside without any interruption.

Master Ensuite: The materials used in the ensuite were once again part of bringing the green landscape in. The walls are coloured with textured mossy green tile while the water closet and vanity is warm and add a spa like feeling with the wood panelling in oak and alder. The mirrors wrap around the whole bathroom making it feel extra bright and large. All the materials in this room are textured and nicely compliment each other.