Modern Interiors in British Columbia

The residents, who live in Calgary, frequently entertain, and with 16 beds, bunks, and twin-bed-wide window seats, there is no shortage of places to sleep.

Reclaimed materials like salvaged windows and doors kept costs down, while white paint, bright customized workspaces, and custom millwork keeps things airy on the interiors.

Lam and her son Max prepare a snack together in the open-plan kitchen at the center of the house. The fir floor that covers the living space steps downward twice, creating a grade change that roughly follows the topology of the site. The ceiling is sheathed in untreated hemlock; the custom stools were designed by Brent Comber.

In the bedroom, a light by Bretford in Chicago is next to an Ikea Malm bed topped with Indian linens and folk weavings. The rug is from Paola Lenti. A Bocci 19 brass bowl sits near a hamper from Connected Fair Trade Goods.

The residents collaborated with the architects to achieve the sharp graphic sensibility they desired. Part way through the project, they realized the space would be more compelling in muted tones.

A 14-foot-wide opening at the rear of the house contributes, along with the concrete flooring, to an almost seamless transition from indoors to the patio. A spate of mid-century furnishings includes chairs by Hans Wegner and Poul Kjærholm and an Achille Castiglioni Arco lamp.

The bathroom was similarly designed to make the most of exterior views.

If their everyday mantra sounds something like "reduce, reuse, recycle," these eco-conscious gifts won’t weigh on their conscience.