Stone and copper are known symbols of quality, durability, and prosperity – the use of these materials in this urban contemporary home design was key to its success.
Winner of two Greater Ottawa Home Builders Association Housing Design Awards for “Exterior Living Space” and “Housing Details”, The Forever Home has a contemporary expression with a flat-roofed design. Stone walls extend horizontally into the landscape, reinforcing the horizontal character of the house. Floor-to-ceiling glazing, second floor cantilevers and natural exterior materials of copper, limestone and wood achieve a balanced contemporary expression.
The natural patina of the copper material amplifies its beauty, and provides a complimentary coloration to the light natural limestone. The copper paneling was designed with a mix of vertical and horizontal patterns to provide playful textures on the second-story volume of the house. The horizontal pattern was inspired by the unique stone coursing pattern that was created for the residence. The stone walls which shape the ground floor are designed to extend out into the landscape and serve as a natural stone base for the copper volumes of the second floor.
Working closely with the team at 2H Interior Design, Partner and Designer, Danielle Hannah, describes the exciting partnership with Hobin Architecture and Roca Homes, having worked room by room, on every small detail throughout the home. Inside, finishes and furnishings are rich in texture but visually gentle with neutral colour tones and light woods.
“Our team was brought into the process very early. Working with a professional couple with young kids, we knew this was going to be their forever home so each space was important, and had a purpose. As a family who loves to cook and entertain, the kitchen is the heart of the home. We made sure the overall aesthetic was beautiful, but also functional, incorporating a variety of storage, and an adjacent pantry for appliances,” says Danielle. “Our design process is really important, we wanted to capture a look that incorporated gorgeous texture, brass, steel and a hint of aged iron.”
The main living spaces are filled with texture, muted tones and walls of limestone and oversized metallic tiles. A three-storey screen of brass and blackened steel delineates the open staircase and is a focal point in the house, casting subtle shadows throughout the day.
Adjacent to the front entry at the lower level, a wine room provides a space for entertaining, with dark moody finishes, a large worn table and full views of the climate-controlled wine collection. Private office spaces were detailed to meet work-at-home needs and personal tastes.
The exterior terraces were designed to provide year-round enjoyment of the outdoors. In an unconventional layout, the house is pushed back on the site to wrap around a large patio adjacent to the street. This allows the outdoor space to receive afternoon sun without sitting in shadows cast by the two-storey house form. At the centre of the terrace, a linear swimming pool is adequately sized for all varieties of fun and leisure, and includes an infinity edge which opens views to the surrounding landscaping.
The home is uniquely accessed by a main entrance at the basement level as the site descends toward Rockcliffe Park’s McKay Lake. Only from this vantage point is the home expressed as a three-storey form. Elsewhere, the home presents a bungalow aesthetic.
