Monochrom House
An extensive home renovation inspired by the art of black and white photography
Location Dalhousie, Calgary Size 2,200 sq. ft Status Completed
Status Completed
Creating warmth in black and white
As young parents who recently moved to Canada from Switzerland, the clients of the Monochrom House were looking to renovate a dated 1970s home to fit their family's lifestyle over the long term. At the centre of the design challenge was the house's compartmentalized layout, which limited the available natural light and made moving between floors and half-floors confusing and disjointed. The clients envisioned a transformation that would create bright and open spaces to welcome guests and echo the clients’ taste for warm, yet sleek European architecture.
The project’s spatial composition and material selection were inspired by the client's passion for black and white film photography. The name, Monochrom House, comes from the client's Leica M Monochrom black and white rangefinder camera, as well as his affinity for black and white film photography. The home’s new, specially designed dark room adds to the home’s long-term functionality by helping to facilitate this hobby. High contrast black finishes are used selectively against white backdrops to guide movement between rooms. The black accents serve as anchors in their respective spaces and highlight the character features that have been maintained.
An 18 foot long black island serves as a focal point for entertaining and gathering in the kitchen. Large windows and new skylights provide natural light and frame key views of the backyard garden and trees. The use of white oak flooring, baltic birch millwork, and brass fixtures lend a natural warmth to the space.
The transition between the master bedroom and ensuite is denoted through material changes, rather than hard boundaries. The open layout maximizes natural light to both spaces, while also reinforcing the clients' free-spirited European influence.
The double height space at the entry is a compositional focal point, creating views and facilitating light permeability between the upper and lower living rooms.
The freshly-painted black fireplace in the lower living room provides a sophisticated place to sit back and chill out, juxtaposed by the bright and large front window that frames entertaining in the upper living room.
