design et al are delighted to announce that Studio 8 Design have been shortlisted for Luxury residence – Canada Award in The International Design & Architecture Awards 2019.
A luxury vacation home that takes its inspiration from nature, achieving a soulful, inspiring and relaxing retreat.
The clients enlisted Studio 8 Design to design a vacation home that would allow them to truly relax away from the city. In order to create a tranquil retreat, Studio 8 Design emphasized the connection to the natural world which is restorative and relaxing. Studio 8 Design took inspiration from the beautiful natural setting and found ways to incorporate natural elements into the design to create a connection between indoors and out.
Wood was used extensively throughout to bring warmth and beauty to the space. For the slab feature walls, Studio 8 Design selected a natural stone whose pattern related to the trees outside. The hand-wrought bedposts in the master bedrooms also subtly suggest the trees. All the soft seating is deep and comfortable and upholstered in natural linens and cotton. In order to achieve a look that was not traditional, but not too cold and modern, Studio 8 Design came up with a new concept for a cottage – contemporary and exquisitely detailed with rustic and authentic warmth.
The contemporary elements are found in the drywall reveals around windows and doors, clean-lined millwork, modern led lighting throughout, and large windows with minimal blinds that maximize views. The rustic elements are found in the extensive use of wood, the custom barn doors, the black hardware and lighting, the X patterns, and the exposed black ductwork and raw beams. The custom stump vanities were a favourite element of this project.
Studio 8 Design wanted to create the sensory experience of feeling rainfall in a forest. From there a tree trunk was used to encase the vanity, a concrete sink with a hand-finished texture, and a ceiling-mounted sensor faucet which reminds one of rain. In a world that is often feels harsh and disconnected, this project provides a connection to nature and heart-warming elements such as the extensive wood and stone. The design is complex and exquisitely detailed, yet there is a simplicity to the design that feels “meant to be”. The resulting space is comfortable and inviting and simply feels good to be in.