The Appeal of Modern Home Designs in Vancouver

Heritage house tours have long been offered in the greater Vancouver area for those who appreciate traditional residential architecture and the historical interest it brings with it—and these forays don’t seem to be waning in popularity.

But guess what? Vancouver also had its first ever “Modern Home Tour” this fall, with plans already in the works for another one next year. Just look around: contemporary home designs abound in the environs of this beautiful city.

A Look at Pluses in Modern Home Designs

What is it about the natural features of this part of the world that seem to work so well with cutting edge contemporary homes nestled into their midst? Or is it a creative, forward-thinking, attitude on the part of many local home builders and buyers alike?

Here are some of the well-considered appeal points of contemporary homes in the Vancouver area.

• Practical use of space – With property values in this part of the world, you want to maximize every bit of square footage, helped along by flowing, open concepts. Function and design go hand in hand with contemporary design, which embraces the minimalist trend. This means less clutter overall—with well-chosen pieces of furniture and some eye-catching artwork, the luxury of spaciousness speak for itself.
• Understatement – Clean modernist lines stand apart from arts-and-crafts style homes with pitched roofs and gables and interior nook and crannies, while maintaining well-proportioned massing and scale.
• Indoor/outdoor aesthetic – Modern home designs often integrate plenty of wood, stone and other natural elements that reflect and highlight their west coast settings. Large windows and high ceilings allow for lots of light, plus unobstructed views of the garden, as well as mountain and ocean vistas beyond that become part of the décor and enhance the indoor experience.
• The intimacy effect – Having larger, continuous spaces, as opposed to separate rooms and alcoves, means the family tends to come together more. Simple, elegant furnishings or area rugs delineate various living areas naturally, without breaking up the overall flow.
• Interplay of levels – One side of the house may have two floors while the other side has three, an example that creates a real sense of movement and dynamism. It can also allow for an expansive deck or the textural and esthetic appeal of a roof garden.

Go Your Own Way with 100% Personal Home Designs

Contemporary doesn’t have to mean discarding all aspects of the traditional schemes. It can also mean exploring a blend of both worlds to create home designs that allow the best elements from each. In other words, modern home designs can be anything you want them to be, successfully tipping the hat to the finest well established features in combination with true contemporary cutting edge flair. The result = an up-to-the-minute modern showpiece.

Doug Kerr is the owner of Kerr Construction in Vancouver. With over 25 years of experience in the renovation and new home construction business, he has developed the Kerr System for designing and building. With this Design/Build system he has helped hundreds of clients achieve their dream homes while also winning multiple national and provincial building and renovations awards. Being a former world-class athlete…” Read more.

Creative Commons Attribution: Permission is granted to repost this article in its entirety with credit to Kerr Construction.