By the time these homeowners were expecting their third child, they knew it was time to move out of their modest three-bedroom home in Calgary’s Currie Barracks, an inner-city neighbourhood that was once the site of the city’s military base. But they weren’t ready to leave the area. “They really loved the neighbourhood,” says designer Reena Sotropa of Reena Sotropa In House Design Group. “They just wanted a durable, family-friendly space they could grow into, and grow with.”

The couple bought a lot and new home from Crystal Creek Homes, then brought the team from Reena Sotropa on board for the interiors, thanks to a referral from a good friend. “The clients were so fun to work with,” says designer Alanna Dunn, who worked with Sotropa on the project. “Aside from some basic details about the family and their needs, it was about as close to carte blanche as it gets.”

Baby's room
The baby’s room is a soft pink, though it’s designed to grow with her: the drapery, ceiling fixture and occasional chair are adult-worthy designs. Photo by Phil Crozier.

The homeowners wanted the new home to be light and bright, says Sotropa, and, above all, easy to keep and practical for the kids—nothing too fussy. And Sotropa’s team was careful to design the space so it could evolve over time. The kids’ playroom on the main floor, for example, will convert into a formal dining room down the road with a few simple changes. “We wouldn’t have done a coffered ceiling if it was just going to be a playroom,” laughs Dunn.

The team selected furniture pieces rather than built-in millwork for toys and art supplies, and the overhead lighting is a semi-flush fixture that sits higher than a dining room pendant might—though it can be swapped out in the future once a table and chairs are ready to take the place of playdough and art easels. That playroom also connects to the kitchen via a butler’s pantry—perfect for when it’s a dining room, of course, but also helpful for when either parent is prepping in the kitchen and keeping an ear out for what the kids are up to.

Calgary mudroom
The mudroom has a walk-in closet, a feat that was achieved by stealing a few feet
from the neighbouring home office. Photo by Phil Crozier.

 

playroom
The kids’ play room will transform into a dining room once the children are older. Photo by Phil Crozier.

Just across the hall is a warm and moody home office for him, the walls lined with white oak, and accents of brass and gold contributing to a more masculine vibe in the room. A custom built-in Parson-style desk of black marble features a panel behind it that disguises any messy computer cords. The office is more than roomy enough for him, so Sotropa was able to borrow a few square feet from that space for a truly family-friendly space around the corner—a walk-in closet for the mudroom on the other side of the wall. “The one thing we’ve come to discover,” says Sotropa, “is that while lockers are nice, if we have the space, we love to do a large walk-in closet off the mudroom. With the climate we have, everyone has five coats, ski pants, backpacks—they’re chaotic and messy rooms.”

The main living spaces on the floor—kitchen, living room and eating nook—are one open space, and operate as the core of the home, where the family spends its time. The classic white kitchen—lacquered cabinets, Caesarstone counter and marble subway tile backsplash—is warmed up with brass pendant lights over the island, and rust-brown moulded leather bar stools. There’s a strategic and thoughtful mix of metals throughout the space: the kitchen’s black plumbing fixtures pair up with brass lighting; in the living room, brass pulls on the millwork are matched with black and brass sconces and an emerald-cut black marble fireplace surround.

Moulded leather bar stools in the kitchen add a pop of colour to the open-plan main floor.
Moulded leather bar stools in the kitchen add a pop of colour to the open-plan main floor. Photo by Phil Crozier.

 

bar stools
Photo by Phil Crozier.

 

Womb Chair at staircase landing
A quiet moment by the staircase landing. Photo by Phil Crozier.

 

leather sofa in living room
Photo by Phil Crozier.

 

Throughout the space, the designers paired black and warm-metal finishes on lighting, drawer pulls—even furniture. The angular, bevelled fireplace was inspired by an emerald-cut diamond. Photo by Phil Crozier.

Upstairs, the kids were given their own playful spaces in their bedrooms. “We tried not to do anything that wouldn’t easily be changed,” says Sotropa, “and that could grow with the child.” For one of the boys, the homeowners had chosen a Restoration Hardware bed that resembled a treehouse, and so Sotropa’s team designed the room around it, a woodsy Cole and Son wallpaper providing the appropriate forested backdrop. In another, a love for Pikachu was translated into bedsheets adorned with the Pokémon character, and a colour-coordinating Hygge and West bedspread and wallpaper adorned with golden birds. “He feels he got a Pikachu room, but his mom is very happy,” laughs Dunn.

Pikachu room
For one son’s “Pikachu” room, the team paired a sheet set with a duvet and wallpaper in the same colour scheme. Photo by Phil Crozier.

 

Treehouse bed
The other’s Restoration Hardware bed is surrounded by a Cole and Son wallpaper, emphasizing its treehouse feel. Photo by Phil Crozier.

The master bedroom’s colour scheme was inspired by a Kelly Wearstler paper that the team fell in love with. The graphic teal design adorns the commode room at one end of the adjoining master ensuite; on the other side, an upholstered bed picks up that shade and unifies the space. In between, a stunner of a black soaker tub is the visual anchor to a bathroom filled with textural references: basket weave tile on the floor, dark-grouted subway tile on the steam shower, richly veined white marble on the counter.   

It’s a home that feels incredibly tailored to the clients’ current needs, but also ready to adapt as their family grows. “This particular family was really flexible and open-minded, which made them a dream to work with,” says Dunn. “It shows in their house—they just trusted the process, even when it was challenging. I think they’re very happy with the way it turned out.”

primary bedroom teal bed
The teal bed in the master bedroom was designed to match with the Kelly Wearstler wallpaper in the adjoining master ensuite. Photo by Phil Crozier.

 

black bathtub
The black bathtub was the starting point for designing this graphic bathroom. Photo by Phil Crozier.

 

Check out that gorgeous Kelly Wearstler wallpaper that lines the commode room at the opposite end of the master bathroom.
Check out that gorgeous Kelly Wearstler wallpaper that lines the commode room at the opposite end of the master bathroom. Photo by Phil Crozier.

 

View from bathroom into primary bedroom.
Photo by Phil Crozier.

This story was originally published on June 25, 2020.