House Tour: A Family Home that Marries Sophistication with Playfulness

A Vancouver home blends bold sophistication and playful design, reflecting its family’s lively yet refined style

Olivia Vergunst|Published

A Vancouver home blends bold sophistication and playful design, reflecting its family’s lively yet refined style, Image: Tina Kulic A Vancouver home blends bold sophistication and playful design, reflecting its family’s lively yet refined style, Image: Tina Kulic

Image: Tina Kulic

Nestled in Vancouver’s vibrant Main Street neighborhood, a 2024 reimagining of a “Vancouver Special” gives new life to a family home that’s equal parts bold, sophisticated, and playful. Designed by Jenalee and Christopher Nordstrom of Schédio, the home is the perfect reflection of its homeowners: a Canadian couple with two young boys who craved a lively, yet refined space. The result is a unique blend of modern Pacific Northwest design and whimsical touches that make it stand out - and feel like home.

The essence of the house lies in its “Sophisti-quirk” style, Image: Tina Kulic The essence of the house lies in its “Sophisti-quirk” style, Image: Tina Kulic

Image: Tina Kulic

The essence of the house lies in its “Sophisti-quirk” style, a term coined by Jenalee Nordstrom to describe the mix of sophistication and fun. It’s an approach that’s evident throughout the space, from a cantilevered corner window to vibrant pops of colour, including a vintage piano painted in bright citron, and playful accents in unexpected places.

The house has vibrant pops of colour, including a vintage piano painted in bright citron, and playful accents in unexpected places, Image: Tina Kulic The house has vibrant pops of colour, including a vintage piano painted in bright citron, and playful accents in unexpected places, Image: Tina Kulic

Image: Tina Kulic

The home's design elevates family living, with areas like the kids' play zone beneath suspended nets creating an interactive space that’s both fun and visually striking.

Areas like the kids' play zone are beneath suspended nets creating an interactive space that’s both fun and visually striking, Image: Tina Kulic Areas like the kids' play zone are beneath suspended nets creating an interactive space that’s both fun and visually striking, Image: Tina Kulic

Image: Tina Kulic

The design journey began with the architectural renovation of a 1978 original. Schédio replaced the flat roofline with a steep-pitched, vaulted ceiling and introduced a modern mix of materials: matte black stucco, vertical cedar slats in the Shou Sugi Ban style, and blackened hot rolled steel. These elements create a monochromatic exterior that feels at once bold and timeless, fitting seamlessly within the neighborhood while offering a modern twist.

Elements create a monochromatic exterior that feels at once bold and timeless, Image: Tina Kulic Elements create a monochromatic exterior that feels at once bold and timeless, Image: Tina Kulic

Image: Tina Kulic

Inside, colour takes center stage. The home’s neutral base palette, made up of natural materials like cork floors and rift-cut white oak, is peppered with bold hues, including the striking cobalt blue faucet in the powder room, mint green grout in the kids’ bathroom, and olive green tiles in the ensuite. These playful bursts of colour are complemented by natural stone, quartzite, and durable concrete finishes, grounding the home with both beauty and sustainability.

These playful bursts of colour are complemented by natural stone, quartzite, and durable concrete finishes, Image: Tina Kulic These playful bursts of colour are complemented by natural stone, quartzite, and durable concrete finishes, Image: Tina Kulic

Image: Tina Kulic

A standout feature is the corner window, which seamlessly wraps around the front and side of the home, offering unobstructed views of the neighborhood and mountains. This carefully engineered detail is a nod to the family’s desire for connection to the outdoors while letting in abundant natural light.

The family have a desire for connection to the outdoors while letting in abundant natural light, Image: Tina Kulic The family have a desire for connection to the outdoors while letting in abundant natural light, Image: Tina Kulic

Image: Tina Kulic

The home’s layout maximizes light and space, with the main living areas situated on the upper floor to capture the beauty of the vaulted ceiling and floor-to-ceiling glass panels that open onto a generous deck. The downstairs level is dedicated to family rooms and bedrooms, including the kids' play zone - a fun, suspended area beneath the upper floor’s nets.

The home’s layout maximizes light and space, Image: Tina Kulic The home’s layout maximizes light and space, Image: Tina Kulic

Image: Tina Kulic

With sustainable materials, locally sourced furniture, and one-of-a-kind art pieces, this house is a celebration of the Pacific Northwest lifestyle. From the family’s colourful piano to the playful layout, this home is the perfect fusion of fun, functionality, and forward-thinking design.

It’s a reminder that sophistication and quirk can live harmoniously under one roof - creating a lasting family legacy.

Credits

Photography by Tina Kulic, Instagram: @tina_emapeterphoto

Interior Design by Schédio, led by Jenalee Nordstrom and Christopher Nordstrom, Instagram: @schediospaces