Suburbs With Attitude

I read through the Dec/Jan 2007 issue of Dwell Magazine and was enthralled with the cover article (although admittedly, I usually am) titled Suburbs With Attitude. The LeBlanc Residence is showcased, showing how a traditional split-level ranch in a suburb of Vancouver has been renovated into a home with a truly minimal aesthetic. Below is a snippet describing the basics of what was accomplished by architect Peter Cardew....

When you compare before and after photographs, you can see where the old facade was standard-issue split-level, busy and cutesy, the new one is handsome and plain. By subtracting a cosmetic dormer and a few other superfluous openings, exchanging complex elements for simpler ones (for example, a mullioned picture window for a single sheet of glass), and adding a light-colored concrete driveway (the perfect foil for a house painted black), Cardew reworked the facade so that it looks better proportioned and draws attention to—celebrates even—the split-level’s iconic form.

Inside the home Cardew addressed LeBlanc’s shopping list of concerns: the need for a more gracious entry, natural light, and an open feeling throughout the public spaces. By reangling the outside stairs and widening the front door to a welcoming five feet, the architect created an entry that feels both distinctive and generous. By lowering the ceiling height to seven feet in the foyer, he made the adjoining living-area ceiling feel much taller than its conventional eight feet (an old trick from Frank Lloyd Wright’s playbook). By knocking out the walls and doors that separated the living, dining, and kitchen areas, he turned a ’60s layout into an ’00s open plan that reflects the casual way the owners like to live.

Love it!

Images copyright Dwell