It’s All About the Stunning Windows and Dramatic Staircase in This Modern Mediterranean Home in Calgary

Photos by Michelle Johnson

With its fabulous windows, high ceilings and stunning spiral staircase, this Mt. Royal home in Calgary had incredible potential from the beginning. When brought on to update the space, designer Aly Velji of Alykhan Velji Designs took full advantage of these features to create this gorgeous and modern Mediterranean interior.

It was the tile selected for the entryway that first inspired the modern Mediterranean direction, Velji says. The patterned tile was perfect for the space, so they took a cue from its aesthetic and colour palette for the rest of the home.

Beautiful and interesting light fixtures, like the brass sconces in the entryway, were installed all throughout the home for decorative detail and layered lighting. “Layers of lighting are always key in any space,” says Velji. “It’s nice to have not only overhead lights, but also wall lights, lamps.”

For the main flooring a white oak with plenty of grain in the wood was chosen for its slightly rustic texture. With so much flooring in the home, “we didn’t want anything simple and flat,” says Velji.

A bold, gorgeous green tile from Centura Tile was installed for a hit of colour in the kitchen. Handmade in appearance, the variated tiles add texture and depth to the space and play into the Mediterranean style. Some of the upper cabinets in the kitchen were removed, allowing the
lush tiling to be carried up to the ceiling for greater impact.

Black cabinetry was installed in the kitchen island and in the dining room, with long brass pulls to elevate the design. The hood fan in the kitchen was painted black to match, while crisp white quartz was installed on the countertops and island for durability.

The mullions on the glorious, large windows in the home were painted black to add definition and contrast, matching the black cabinetry and furniture accents. The nearly wall-to-wall window in the family room is a new addition, installed to let in more light and connect the greenery outside with green accents in the room.

To update the dramatic open-riser spiral staircase, Rawlyk Developments made a unique custom railing, with contrasting black spindle detailing and a white oak handrail. A flat woven carpet was used for the treads on the stairs themselves, with complementary white siding to go with the rest of the space. A beautiful, subtle curve detail was constructed at the foot of the stairs to mimic their shape.

Black porcelain title with white veining was installed in the principal bathroom. Marble mosaic hexagon tile lines the shower for a modern look that works nicely with the Mediterranean style of the home. Brass hardware, plumbing fixtures, and mirrors were used in the bathroom to match the rest of the home.