– by Barry Mathias, Photography by nuttycake.com –
The modern architectural design of this house is a contrast to the traditional, well-established homes of leafy Fairfield and Oak Bay. Built and owned by Rob and Janice Mickelberry, the house demands your attention with its flat roofs, lack of chimneys and large windows.
Apart from the home on the left, also built by Rob, there are no other buildings of comparable design in the area, yet it suits its environs.
“I bought the property ‘sight unseen’ about three years ago,” Rob says, “when I was travelling around America with my family in a ‘rock star’ bus.” On returning he lived in his old house while he subdivided the lot, and built the new house in 10 months, completing it in May 2013. Rob is the owner of Prodigy Development Services Ltd. and his firm has won seven CARE Awards from the Victoria Residential Builders Association.
The house dominates the centre of the plot. There is a wide tarmac drive on either side of which are small, manicured lawns with high bushes and trees. Directly in front is a wide, wood-clad section of the building, with two large windows and a flat roof above a glass-paneled garage with tiled surrounds. It juts out, making a dramatic statement, with a white concrete staircase leading up to the front door set back on the left, and a wide carport supporting a multi-windowed, two-storied section set back on the right. There is a satisfying contrast between the light brown coloured wood and the predominantly white building.
“This is an energy efficient home,” Rob says. He was determined it would be an economical house to run, and employed City Green Solutions early in the planning. “We achieved an EnerGuide 88 rating on this house, which is pretty amazing.” This qualified the building for BC Hydro Power Smart New Home Program incentives. Natural Resources Canada estimates that a rating of 80 means a home will use up to 30% less energy. With an 88 rating, Rob says: “The savings are much greater, and are achieved by building a well-insulated outer shell, or envelope, using spray foam insulation, and building it on an insulated concrete form foundation.”
This is a 3,200-square-foot home with five bedrooms, three full washrooms and a two-piece, by Zebra Designs. The insulation enabled Rob to install a much smaller air-source heat pump, to provide both radiant floor heating and domestic hot water, than a house of this size would normally require. “All of the windows are double or triple glazed, with low-e coatings.” There is also a heat recovery ventilator, and no exhaust fans anywhere in the house. Coupled with these energy-saving devices is an imaginatively designed home.
The front door opens into a spacious vestibule with a flight of stairs in engineered oak leading up to the main level. It establishes the fact that this is a building of high ceilings. At the top is a large open space with an airy kitchen ahead, a comfortable lounge to the left and, continuing round, a spacious and most unusual dining area. Sandy Nygaard Interiors designed the innovative interior of this home.
The bright L-shaped kitchen has extensive white quartz counter tops, walnut cupboards at low level, and white painted cupboards above. There is a matching large island in white quartz enclosing the dishwasher, a wide sink with a multi-functional tap, and spacious walnut cupboards. Below the eye-level white cupboards is a pale blue glass backsplash that matches the long table in the dining area; an unobtrusive ceramic hob blends in with the counter top. Further along are two large stainless steel Fisher Paykel refrigerators, inset into the wall, that offer enormous storage potential. With its modern inset oven and discreet lighting, this kitchen is designed for ease and efficiency. There is even an aluminum blind that hides both a microwave and an elaborate coffee maker. Everything blends.
Next to the kitchen is a well-designed work area with a computer, music console and concealed shelving. This flows into an artistic social space with two comfortable red leather settees, a black recliner, glass tables and plenty of light. The house is designed with multiple windows and white walls throughout, giving a feeling of space and optimism. The concrete floors, with their “troweled” finish, encapsulate the in-floor radiant heating system.
The dining area is remarkable. The long table has a thick, light-green glass top on a grey aluminum base; it can seat 12 people around its rectangular shape, or can be rearranged into a square, and four large white ball-shaped lights accentuate the height of the ceiling. At one end of the room a glass-sided staircase leads to the upper level, while at the other end the entire wall is an enormous glass-paneled “garage” door that rolls up, allowing guests to retire onto a spacious covered patio overlooking the pool. The use of mirrors and attractive wall art emphasize the space and brightness.
The variety of art is noticeable: “Most of it has been painted by our friends, and each has its own significance,” Rob explains.
On this level is the master bedroom: a cool, spacious room with a glass door that leads onto an inviting patio with ornamental bushes and trees, with floor-to- ceiling windows on each side. A large bed occupies the centre of the room, and the emphasis is on white: duvet, rug and walls, bringing emphasis to the wall art and a potted tree. Adjacent is a walk-in wardrobe.
The modern en suite at the other side has an air of completion and order, as does the whole house. Two white, square-shaped sinks, with individual wide mirrors, contrast effectively with the light walnut vanity unit. Ahead is a tiled walk-in shower with hidden jets, two rain showers and a handheld unit, next to that a deep tub, and beyond a separate toilet. It is a combination of efficiency and luxury. The social space also includes a two-piece washroom and a comfortable television room.
Upstairs, we have a fine view of the dining area before we move down the corridor. There are three spacious bedrooms on this floor for the children. The bedrooms are unusual in that each room has a raised level that can accommodate the bed, or can be used as a social area. “It’s a popular innovation,” Rob says. One of the rooms has a balcony that overlooks a treed area of unexpected size. There is a well-designed five-piece washroom and plenty of large windows.
The finished basement includes another tasteful rec room and a mudroom with space for the family’s outdoor equipment. There is an entry to the main garage, off which is the “technical centre” of the house with the hot water heat pump, and the impressive backup equipment. “This is the key to low cost heating,” he notes.
Unlike many homes, Rob designed the outside space at the same time as he built the house. The covered patio connects to the attractive “summer” pool. It is 38 by 18 feet, and enjoys a private location, surrounded by a range of smart loungers for socializing and overlooking a semi-circular lawn beyond which is a view of undeveloped woodland … a delightful glimpse of the past!
