Play's the Thing
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The house’s open-plan layout encourages the entire family to hang out together, even while partaking in different activities. The durable area rug, made from carpet tiles by InterfaceFLOR, is the ideal base for both reading and playing with trains, as Luka, three, demonstrates.
Photo by: Christopher Wahl -
Daughters Uma and Maelle have the run of the house.
Photo by: Christopher Wahl -
With its reclaimed-wood cladding, the kitchen is a rough-and-ready backdrop for the family’s tableware.
Photo by: Christopher Wahl -
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The courtyard is an extension of the house, with a big table that hosts parties, a stage for impromptu performances, and part of an old loft overhead that will one day become a treehouse for the children. Photo by Stacey Brandford.
Photo by: Christopher Wahl -
John and Anne love to cook, but with three kids running around at mealtimes, “it’s mayhem in here,” John says.
Photo by: Christopher Wahl -
Uma has a private room just over the wall from her parents. She’s sitting in a vintage Eames chair that John’s friend scored at an auction.
Photo by: Christopher Wahl -
John built a shelf system for the basement when it was Anne’s office; he adapted it to store the kids’ toys when the area became a playroom.
Photo by: Christopher Wahl -
In the bathroom, the twins take advantage of a custom-built Corian sink and wooden base with integrated step when it’s time to wash up.
Photo by: Christopher Wahl -
Double Jointed
In the downstairs bathroom, John chose a “potwasher” fixture by Encore that’s often used in restaurant kitchens. Its double-jointed arm lets it reach every corner of the custom Corian sink, where all five family members wash up—sometimes at the same time.componenthardware.com
Photo by: Christopher Wahl -
Behind Closed Drawers
To continue the spare lines of the kitchen cabinets, John designed and built an “appliance garage” by cutting up Ikea drawer fronts to build hinged doors that enclose an area beneath the cabinets, hiding a toaster, microwave, breadbox, and electrical outlets.ikea.com
Photo by: Christopher Wahl -
Buddy Hacked It
The light fixture hanging over the stairs to the playroom is another Ikea hack: The hanging hardware is actually for curtains, and the six Grundtal lights are meant to be hung under cabinets. They’re mounted on a horizontal three-quarter-inch-thick piece of pine, and two other slats hang vertically along the two sides. “It’s really an afternoon project,” says John.
Photo by: Christopher Wahl -
Kids’ Lit
To display the children’s artwork in a fun and flexible way, John designed a four-foot-high lightbox, custom-built by Geron, and installed it above the staircase. The front panel is non-glare acrylic held in place with magnetic strips; low-voltage LED strips provide the backlighting. “We’ll change out the art at least at every holiday and birthday,” says John.geron.ca
Photo by: Christopher Wahl
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