Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Scarboro Craftsman
Today's Houzz Tour take us all the way to Calgary for a new Craftsman Style home's makeover. The first thing about this house that grabbed my attention was a gorgeous paprika-colored kitchen island, a rarity in the current "we must make everything as neutral as possible for resale" attitude that pervades every home design show on television these days.
Melissa Hryszko of Veranda Estate Homes and Interiors and her clients had no such resale concerns, as this house is their "forever house." In fact, she says of the kitchen island "to this day it is still one of my favorites! I love to see clients take risks with design, color, and materials, and in this case this client took risks in all 3 areas and it turned out amazing. Not everything has to be vanilla coated; make the home your own, it is your haven after all!"
This is great advice. Let's see how Melissa helped guide these clients along as they put their personal stamp on their home. Also, if you’d like to swipe some of their personal stamps and make them your own, many of the photos contain captions and/or tags with information about materials, sources and color choices.
Melissa Hryszko of Veranda Estate Homes and Interiors and her clients had no such resale concerns, as this house is their "forever house." In fact, she says of the kitchen island "to this day it is still one of my favorites! I love to see clients take risks with design, color, and materials, and in this case this client took risks in all 3 areas and it turned out amazing. Not everything has to be vanilla coated; make the home your own, it is your haven after all!"
This is great advice. Let's see how Melissa helped guide these clients along as they put their personal stamp on their home. Also, if you’d like to swipe some of their personal stamps and make them your own, many of the photos contain captions and/or tags with information about materials, sources and color choices.
The house was a new build in an established neighborhood, so they were careful to ensure that the style and scale fit in with the existing homes. "Simple elements such as the front veranda and dormers are common design elements for a Craftsman style exterior," Melissa says. "We added the cedar-stained soffits under the veranda to add warmth as you enter the front door – it really is the little things that can make a home stand out from others."
Wondering about the reason for the slate in front of the French doors? So was I. Melissa explains, "with this home being built in this specific neighborhood, the garage cannot be attached to the home. So the French doors are actually the main entrance into the home for the family. We live with a climate that changes rapidly, so lots of muck from snow and mud can get tracked into the home. The slate was chosen for its colors but also for its durability in this high traffic area. We also incorporated this tile in the lower level of the home around the wet bar and utilized it in the lower level bathroom."
A lot of time, thought, and planning went into the design of the cabinets and their arrangement. Melissa calls them "our pride and joy...built on-site in the home and truly custom and one-of-a-kind." After discussing the clients' needs at length and determining their function, style details such as a shaker-style cabinet door, a simple cornice, and frieze detailing to help the cabinets reach the top of the 9' ceiling were chosen.
"The client loves to cook, and she cooks a lot, so the second sink was a no-brainer," Melissa says. "The extra prep area is a great addition, especially if you entertain a lot and like to have multiple zones to the kitchen.
The Craftsman-style hardware is a simple oil-rubbed bronze half-moon pull and matching knob.
"The client loves to cook, and she cooks a lot, so the second sink was a no-brainer," Melissa says. "The extra prep area is a great addition, especially if you entertain a lot and like to have multiple zones to the kitchen.
The Craftsman-style hardware is a simple oil-rubbed bronze half-moon pull and matching knob.
The extra prep area is a great addition, especially if you entertain a lot and like to have multiple zones to the kitchen.
"The use of the butcher block came down to aesthetics. While this surface is a higher maintenance item in the home, it will just get more beautiful over time," Melissa says. "We felt that with the orange island we needed to help neutralize it, and if we had used the same dark counter top surface that we used on the perimeter of the home then it would have screamed Halloween!"
"The use of the butcher block came down to aesthetics. While this surface is a higher maintenance item in the home, it will just get more beautiful over time," Melissa says. "We felt that with the orange island we needed to help neutralize it, and if we had used the same dark counter top surface that we used on the perimeter of the home then it would have screamed Halloween!"
"While there are many modern touches to the kitchen such as the glass backsplash and island color, we did want to keep the style of the home in mind," Melissa says. "Thus, we added classic and timeless elements like the the school house pendant lights and the half-moon drawer pulls.”
The kitchen backsplash is by Daltile (glass 1" x 1" iridescent mosaic in the color called 'Pumpkin,' it has since been discontinued). The countertops for the kitchen perimeter are a honed granite called Antique Brown.
The kitchen backsplash is by Daltile (glass 1" x 1" iridescent mosaic in the color called 'Pumpkin,' it has since been discontinued). The countertops for the kitchen perimeter are a honed granite called Antique Brown.
The flooring throughout the main level of the home is a 3-inch chestnut flooring that is finished on-site. "It is incredibly durable and perfect in homes where little ones and animals run around," Melissa says. "We did add a custom stain with a brown undertone to the wood, but we did keep it quiet and subtle. Chestnut is a photosensitive wood, so over time it will darken naturally."
The clients have two small children, and their bathroom was designed with a little fun and whimsy in mind. It started with the blue and white checked floor that the client had in mind. From there, "with careful wall color selection and simple accessories to mix into the room, we were able to create a fun space for the little ones to get ready for the day."
The master bathroom is one of the only rooms with a neutral palette. The vanities are a polished antique brown granite, and the top-mount sinks are by
Kohler Memoirs.
Kohler Memoirs.
The clawfoot tub "was one element that the client knew she wanted from day one. Not a pedestal or a drop-in, the clawfoot. There was quiet a bit of time spent researching to find just the right one, and the Cheviot option fit the space perfectly and gave the right feel that she was looking for."