White Rock by Andrea Mclean Studio
White Rock is a minimalist oceanfront house located in White Rock, Canada, redesigned in 2020 by Andrea Mclean Studio.
Description
Situated in White Rock, a coastal city 45 minutes drive south of Vancouver, the house perches overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The original house was old, in disrepair, and engulfed by unkempt trees and bushes. With the rebuild of this home, the clients’ objective was to ensure that all interior spaces take advantage of the views to the water and beaches without any obstruction. They wanted the style of the home to allow a clean and minimal backdrop for their vintage furniture and accessory collection, as well as their love of colour.
The design concept centred on honouring the context of the home’s adjacency to edge of the Pacific Ocean. Materiality would take cues from the natural colours and textures found on the surrounding cliffs and beaches. Materials that are honest, weathered, raw, and sun bleached. The architect had specified exposed Douglas Fir beams for the top floor’s ceiling structure and finish. This was the logical starting point for the interior palette and the proposal was to use flat cut Douglas Fir veneer laid on exposed edge plywood for all the architectural millwork.
Interior space planning was carefully studied to ensure uninterrupted views and that spaces flowed openly from one to the next. Consistently carrying the materials throughout the home was also important, like the exposed aggregate floors. The same Douglas Fir millwork that is in the kitchen, is also in the primary bedroom, for example. While the kitchen is devoid of superfluous hardware, the bedroom closets have chunky round fir handles, akin to holding a piece of driftwood.
The furniture and artwork reflect the colours found in the varying skies from foggy greys to orange and pink sunsets. There is nothing ‘on trend’ in this home, instead it’s very personal, and local, just the way a house should be.
Photography courtesy of Andrea Mclean Studio
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- by Matt Watts
