100-Year-Old Residence With A Contemporary Interior

This contemporary home is located inside a 100 year old building and preserves the original features while incorporating new ones

This contemporary home is located inside a 100-year-old building and preserves the original features while incorporating new ones

This historic Vancouver residence, which is 100 years old, was renovated by Canadian studio Falken Reynolds to enhance the original features and add a contemporary feel to the spaces.

The designers created a thoroughly modern interior with nods to its heritage roots, and now the decor includes stark white surfaces and contemporary finishes. A new open-plan layout puts a kitchen at the core and a dining nook nearby because the kitchen is the most important feature for the clients who are two chefs. It occupies more than half of the square footage of the main floor, but appears smaller by way of color-blocked forms and materials. Falken Reynolds optimized space by building one stationary kitchen island and added a nearby dining table at the same height. Supported on industrial caster wheels, the table can be moved easily to make space when necessary. The fixed island incorporates electrical and mechanical systems, while the movable element can also make way for an extended surface for larger dinner parties. The result was a space for two chefs to work their magic in the kitchen and then transform the space into a large dining room to host multi-course meals. The kitchen cabinetry and countertops are contemporary, and juxtapose with the home’s historic details. The use of white and wood surfaces throughout help to tie the interiors together.

A sitting room is located at the front entrance and is visually separated from the kitchen by a corner fireplace. Converting a series of tiny rooms to an open plan involved shoring up the crumbling foundations, adding structural beams and raising parts of the floor.

Preserved details in the home include oiled oak herringbone floors, an exposed red brick wall, Shaker-style doors with crystal doorknobs, and a carved, dark wood balustrade along the stairwell.

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The kitchen is the main space of the house, whose owners are two chefs, and it takes the main part of the footage together with the dining space

The kitchen is the main space of the house, whose owners are two chefs, and it takes the main part of the footage together with the dining space

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The kitchen is done with maximal functionality and the mix of wood and white surfaces are a chic modern idea

The kitchen is done with maximal functionality and the mix of wood and white surfaces are a chic modern idea

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The dining zone features a comfy area for four people and an artwork plus a stylish pendant lamp

The dining zone features a comfy area for four people and an artwork plus a stylish pendant lamp

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The living room is flooded with light, there's comfy furniture and a built-in fireplace, some vintage finds to add interest to the interior

The living room is flooded with light, there's comfy furniture and a built-in fireplace, some vintage finds to add interest to the interior

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Old and new mingles effortlessly in this home, and it shows off its personality while bringing a contemporary flavor

Old and new mingles effortlessly in this home, and it shows off its personality while bringing a contemporary flavor