Olson Kundig Architects together with Erica Colpitts Interior Design has reimagined this midcentury modern house for a young family, nestled in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The 3,300-square-foot home was extensively renovated, though the footprint was only minimally enlarged. The designer was brought on to meld Olson Kundig’s overall design for the home with an ever so slightly soft and romantic interior.
The dwelling was revitalized to maximize available usable space to create a comfortable and functional home base for family living. The remodel elevates the experience of the existing home while honoring its mid-century origins, adding extensive new glazing to open the interior to light and views, and enhancing connections between living spaces and the landscape beyond.
DESIGN DETAILS: ARCHITECT Olson Kundig INTERIOR DESIGN Erica Colpitts Interior Design CONTRACTOR Braybrook Projects MILLWORK Intempo Interiors LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Amelia Sullivan METAL WORK Drabek Technologies
The remodeled carport is pulled closer to the street to allow for a new enclosed storage space behind.
Just beyond, a reconfigured mudroom connects an informal side entry to the main volume of the home’s interior.
The formal arrival sequence unfolds along a short garden pathway, culminating in a rusted steel entry box and a weathered steel door that creates a textural counterpoint to the home’s pre-weathered Kebony siding.
One corner of a steel panel beside the door is peeled back to reveal a cheekily inset wall sconce that lights the front porch.
Inside, a continuous, single-plane roof is expressed throughout the home, maintaining the honesty of the original post and beam structure and drawing the eye through the interior to the forest beyond.
At the front of this midcentury modern house, an angled carport nods to the home’s mid-century roots, with slim cruciform steel columns that delicately support the cantilevering volume.
Within the central living area and gathering space, the home’s original brick fireplace is preserved as a focal point. New insertions of oversized windows and sliding doors along the back wall support a flow of activity between indoor and outdoor spaces, as well as capturing light and views.
The proportions of the main rooms are comfortably intimate, but there are striking moments of expansion achieved in the gorgeously airy main foyer and the floor-to-ceiling forest views throughout the home.
This house has an intentionally neutral color palette of warm creams and heathered oatmeals paired with cognac-colored leather, dark flax, and deep charcoals—all anchored by the significant use of blackened steel, concrete, and surprisingly moody millwork.
Feeling both easy and exquisite, the home is a juxtaposition of irresistible elements: natural and refined, dramatic and serene, visually stunning and physically comfortable. It is a home that can weather whatever life brings to it.
What We Love: This midcentury modern house underwent a stunning transformation, evolving into a harmonious blend of modern sustainability and timeless elegance. It is a testament to the possibility of creating a sustainable sanctuary without compromising on style or comfort. We love so many details in this home, especially the integration of expansive walls of energy-efficient windows that maximize natural light while capturing idyllic forest views.
Tell Us: What are your thoughts on this revitalized midcentury in North Vancouver? Please share your thoughts in the Comments below!
Note: Check out a couple of other incredible home tours that we have showcased here on One Kindesign in the province of British Columbia: A striking hillside house overlooks a serene lake in British Columbia and A sophisticated coastal chic home in Vancouver gets a stunning update.
A long bookshelf, a feature of the existing home, separates this area from the main circulation hallway. Stripped of varnish that had discolored over time and reclad in bronze and blackened steel, the bookshelf anchors the interior living spaces and complements the home’s wood and glass palette.
The kitchen and dining room were expanded and more efficiently organized, spilling onto a new exterior deck with a generous awning to foster year-round use. Sliding windows create a pass-through connection between the kitchen and outdoor bar seating, adding new functionality for hosting friends and family.
A custom steel stair, complementing the living room bookshelf, leads to a multi-functional open space on the lower level, which provides additional area for entertaining and play, as well as a Murphy bed and bathroom for guests, laundry, and storage.
The cornerstone of this renovation was the integration of high-end energy-efficient windows that not only fill the interiors with natural light but also minimize energy consumption.
Each space was created with a sense of purpose, and every detail spoke to the homeowner’s commitment to mindful living, from sleek metal accents to the warmth of sustainable materials.
A small powder room features a carved stone sink basin supported by a steel armature, highlighting the elegance and ingenuity of designing for tight spaces.
The family’s bedrooms occupy the opposite side of the home, including an expanded owner’s bedroom suite with a spa-like bathroom and dramatic views of the forest.
Set into the topography of the sloping site, the lower level opens onto an exterior terrace with a lap pool and lush landscaping.
PHOTOGRAPHER Ema Peter
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