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Mirrors are the perfect way to add sparkle and light,
particularly for an interior space like this dining room.
They echo existing light sources in the room and can
reflect architectural details for interest.
MODERN
MUSKOKA
A Little Country in the City
WRITTEN BY CAROLYN M. RUNYON
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ADRIAN SHELLARD
(SHELLARDPHOTOGRAPHY.COM)
Interior designers shape environments for a variety of
situations. They design apartments, townhomes, mid-size
homes, and mansions for singles, couples, and families. But what
happens when there is an unoccupied house with no client to
represent How can a designer develop a home with personality
and style identity with no one to interview LeAnne Bunnell of
elle design in Calgary, Alberta, came up with a clever solution
to this challenge.
When elle design was asked to style the interior of a local
builder’s showcase home, Bunnell simply invented her client.
“We felt that the home and neighborhood were appropriate for
a family, so we created a couple with a child,” says Bunnell. “We
actually assigned names to them.” Her staff chose occupations,
hobbies, likes, and dislikes, and used these details to create a
showcase home with individual character.
This 2,075-square-foot house with three bedrooms and twoand-one-half
baths, is located in Calgary but the “owners” love the
outdoors and wanted their home to resemble the so-called cabin
cottages in the scenic countryside of Muskoka, Ontario. The imaginary
homeowners tended toward a softened contemporary style
with traditional aspects combined with an essence of nature.
The original house had smart use of available space, according
to Bunnell. “It was not ‘over grand,’ but rather well laid out
and reasonable in size. We kept a neutral canvas of black and
white, and then added touches of nature, history, and a little
whimsy,” she says. “This new construction had a modern flair,
using contemporary and family-friendly elements and modern
finishes for a more carefree home. We needed to humanize it
and add some depth and personality.”
The kitchen, although interior, is kept bright and airy by light
cabinets, stainless steel appliances, and a crackled glass-tile
backsplash. “Our ‘owner’ is an avid baker, so we added a dark
wood bake center,” says Bunnell. “It grounds the room with a
traditional feel, yet, because of the open shelf, it doesn’t block
the flow of the area visually.” The kitchen opens to a dining area
and living room where mirrors reflect the light of the large living
room windows. A light, birch-pattern wallpaper introduces
a touch of nature to the dining space. And a natural wood bench,
26 home by design|april|may|2014