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Houzz Tour: And the Community Award Goes to ... a 'Zen Barn'
Contemporary minimalism wins over the neighbors and delights the owners of this light-filled Canadian home
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The professional couple who lives in this Ottawa, Ontario, house calls their home a "Zen barn" for its rustic reclaimed wood exterior and minimalist design. Rich textures inside and out warm up the modern look, and natural light streams into the house from all directions. "The stairwell, courtyard and second-floor deck above the dining area all let the interior space feel interconnected to the outdoors," says designer Rick Shean, of the Ottawa firm Christopher Simmonds Architect. And though this is an unabashedly contemporary design, neighbors embraced it, helping it win an award for best new build in the community in October 2012.
Houzz at a Glance
Location: New Edinburgh, Ottawa, Ontario
Size: 3,100 square feet; 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms
Houzz at a Glance
Location: New Edinburgh, Ottawa, Ontario
Size: 3,100 square feet; 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms
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One of the reasons Shean thinks the home delighted so many of his clients' neighbors is the structure's size. "It's not a monstrosity of a home. The size is pretty consistent with the rest of the neighborhood, and its exterior is inviting and warm," he says. Functional yet decorative red bell lights by Axo Light add to the home's curb appeal.
Lights: Alteriors
Lights: Alteriors
"This house is as much about natural light and artistic, functional light as it is about the home's design," Shean says. "Light moves through the structure and changes the space in response to the textures throughout the interior and exterior."
Shean used century-old reclaimed white oak from southwestern Ontario, as well as prefinished aluminum in some areas. "Studies show that this wood will lose around a quarter of an inch in thickness every 100 years, so even though it's 100 years old now, it has many years to go before it needs to be replaced," he says. The oak came from a local store, The Wood Source.
| Floating cabinets store items and add geometric interest. Book spines, a minimalist floral arrangement and the bell pendant give this part of the house a few unexpected doses of color. Floating cabinets: custom by CSA; live-edge table: Urban Tree Salvage |
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| Metal pendants by Tom Dixon hanging above the kitchen island follow the length of the courtyard. Double-glazed Marvin windows help keep the heat indoors. |
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| The flooring is a lightweight concrete with an epoxy topping, an elegant low-maintenance choice that resists scuffs and shoe marks. This part of the house makes the most of the available natural light, even in the long Canadian winters. |
Ash wood treads warm up the metal stairs. Radiant floor heating keeps toes toasty on all levels of the house.
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| A variety of wood textures and tones gives the space a cozy character and contrasts nicely with the stark white of the walls, ceiling and flooring. |
"My client called the house a work of art when he saw the reclaimed wood siding go up," Shean says. "It's probably one of the biggest compliments that a designer can get from his client."
Ideabook published on Jan. 9, 2013.
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Looking through these photos was like watching music.
http://www.tomdixon.net/
The kitchen faucet is by Kohler and is called Karbon:
http://www.faucet.com/kohler-k-6227-c11-cp-polished-chrome-karbon-articulating-kitchen-faucet/f563294
Could you tell us more about the concrete treatment?
I love the look!!
Thanks.
And a polite reminder to the Houzz community that we are commenting on someone's home.
Love the pendants lights.
http://www.lafarge-na.com/wps/portal/na/en/3_A_3_B_6-Floor_Screed_detail?WCM_GLOBAL_CONTEXT=/wps/wcm/connectlib_na/Site_na/AllProductDataSheet_Concrete/ProductDatasheet_Concrete_1277365309597/Product_EN
http://www.mapei.com/CA-EN/products.asp
A consequence of the 100 year old oak is that the wood absorbs and releases moisture much faster then new wood. The ventilated rainscreen allows any accumulated moisture to escape allowing the wood to dry between incidents of driving rain and snow.
The ventilated rainscreen allows the wood to remain in a somewhat similar state it was for 100 years on the original barn, although obviously not as much ventilation.
I hope this helps and thank you for your interest.
I love the big red lamps, and I do like minimalist style over cluttered and frilly, but I would like a bit more color in my home to add some comfy warmth and/or cheer.