Wall storage

The flooring in the open-plan living area is Douglas fir that’s been lye-treated and brushed with white oil, which eliminates the wood’s natural red tones.

Upstairs, the space is made cozy and comfortable using dark tones and cedar panels on the wall and ceiling. “Initially, we looked at adding a floor to our house. We didn’t start out by saying, ‘Let’s build a tower in our yard.’ But it’s perfect,” says Jess.

The living room is five steps down from the kitchen and office space and features textured black slate tile from Olympia Tile, Voyage Immobile sofas with Farniente collection upholstery (a wedding present from Flanders’s mother) by Roche Bobois, and a rug from Turkmenistan the couple picked up in Jerusalem. The sliding glass doors are by Loewen and the glazing above is by Inline Fiberglass. Sawatzky relied on Wayne Arsenault for the custom millwork and carpentry.