story by Janice Henshaw | photography by www.nuttycake.com
On the small upper ferry deck, the sun is hot and visitors snap photos of the islands, orange-hulled freighters, barges loaded with sawdust from the Crofton Mill, and Mt. Baker in the far distance. The picturesque crossing from Crofton (Osborne Bay) on Vancouver Island to Vesuvius Bay, Salt Spring Island is less than three nautical miles and takes a mere 20 minutes.
Salt Spring Island, the biggest and most visited Gulf Island, is home to over 10,000 residents. Homeowner Uta Nagel welcomes me to her kitchen with a just-baked peach cake and a cup of fresh coffee. The view over the thick maple and fir trees, and down to St Mary Lake, is superb.
A beige gazebo covers a seating area on the new deck that encourages outdoor living even on the hottest of summer days. Uta laughs as she explains that it is through the gazebo that she first met her neighbours. One summer evening, frustrated with the delay in getting the deck finished, she and her friend decided to lay planks across the deck joists and enjoy ice-chilled gin and tonics. It was all quite lovely and relaxing, until the wind started to gust.
Much to their horror, the gazebo lifted into the air and sailed off, landing in a tangle against the fence. Crisis encourages connection, and with help from her neighbours, the flying gazebo was soon re-installed on the deck, and they were all getting to know each other over dinner at Uta’s.
The 1,400-square-foot house was “small, but I saw tremendous possibilities,” says Uta. It came with shag carpet, original dark stained oak kitchen cabinets, squeaky sliding glass doors and pink blinds on all the windows. “It was built in the 1970s and not much had been changed, but it has this amazing view. I saw the listing online and when I looked at it I thought ‘this is my house, I need to buy this house.’”
“It’s a phenomenal experience to be here. I look at the view and am so grateful. Where else politically, is it so safe and peaceful? The loudest thing here is … an eagle fluttering about. For the first time in my life, I feel peaceful; everything is easy.”
The renovation, however, was not so easy, taking nine months and going over budget as renovations often do. The house was gutted, walls were moved, more windows were put in, and a new chimney was built. “It all costs more because everything has to be brought in by ferry or barge. The whole renovation game is not for the weak,” said Uta.
By profession, Uta has designed interiors for the past 15 years. She earned a degree in Communication Design from Emily Carr University and has recently specialized in photographic art glass, such as backlit glass walls and partitions that create privacy, yet let natural light shine through. She is a photographer, art coach, and space designer.
“With this house I wanted to implement what I thought would be a really fantastic makeover, for my work, to show people what is possible.” Uta is always excited to share ideas and help others to transform their space with her unique design concepts. Her design work can be seen at www.utanagel.com.
Uta wanted to give her house back its era but with an open-concept, contemporary elegance: “I always like to create big open ceilings if possible.” The trusses could not be removed but were painted white to create a more spacious feel.
In the bright and classy kitchen, high gloss white cabinets line the wall, paired with velvety grey and white quartz counter tops. Uta describes it as “understated elegance, a little bit traditional, lots of warmth.” The black glass stovetop is electric, its exhaust fan sitting on a curved piece of glass, which creates a noteworthy small architectural feature.
“At the far end of the kitchen the white wall was too white, too unsexy, and so I put some beautiful raw wood up, but it just didn’t quite work, so I stained it dark. This created more focus, more depth to the room. Sometimes you never know, you just have to trust that it will work out.”
The main bathroom was a “total redo.” All new fixtures were installed, and shiny white/grey accented porcelain tiles were added around the tub. The vases of flowers, soft linens and pendant lights add timeless elegance.
The closet in the master bedroom was converted into a narrow three-piece ensuite. Privacy was made possible by installing a sliding opaque glass panel instead of a door. The panel hangs from the wall by sliders and does not require a floor guide. “It was one of those ‘Oh Yes’ moments when I figured that out,” says Uta.
Large windows and French doors were added to the two bedrooms, allowing light to stream in. Uta’s beautiful artwork, flowers and trees, plus several pillows give the rooms a warm and inviting feel. Floor-to-ceiling cabinets provide ample storage space.
In the living room, a new wood fireplace and a chimney faced with sand-coloured travertine tile create ambience. The inner wall features three of Uta’s tree photographs and the gorgeous view encourages one to sit down and dream. The richly-hued rugs bring it all together, an oasis of comfort, warmth, and style.
“This little house − you know the little engine that could? − this is the little house that could. It has the location and the view – it is on the bus route. You just have to wave the buses down. It’s a lifestyle feeling,” explains Uta. “Right when you open the front door, you get a bit of a higher heartbeat, a bit of a wow, and to find that, that’s what I have been striving for.”
“Eventually I am going to put one of my photographs on this wall facing the living room, a big magnolia with a brown background that will be printed on glass, and backlit. Then I’ll be done.”
To view the complete photoshoot, visit http://www.nuttycake.com/Vault/Architecture/Uta-Nagel-Saltspring.
