A unique connection to nature

THE DETAILS:

A UNIQUE CONNECTION
TO NATURE

A FEATURE
YOU DON’T SEE
EVERYDAY

The interior design plan of our Contemporary Tudor Revival project in Etobicoke is complete, and we are so excited to release the 3D renders. This unique custom home started with a shared dream of featuring mature olive trees as a centerpiece of the main floor. Our 3D interior models depict the position of the largest olive tree within the living room and foyer. The trees, which range between 100 and 150 years old, were personally selected by our clients from an olive tree farm in San Jose.

OPPORTUNITY AS A
RESULT OF
MASTER-PLANNING

Jesse takes a holistic approach to his design seeing through the entire plan, including custom-home design, interior design, landscape design, and furnishings, so he is able to weigh the impact of his decisions on the overall environment. This greatly impacts proportions, flow, functionality, and aesthetics. Master planning a design achieves seamless connections between spaces that transcend indoor and outdoor space division, as well as the limitations of multi-storey designs. Here, the full-height great room is surrounded by a mezzanine hallway that leads to the bedrooms. Jesse specifically designed this feature to create a sense of connectivity between the beauty of the ground-floor tree and the second-floor living areas. The renderings are a great example of how this level of master planning can aid in maximizing natural light. In this case, Jesse directs morning light between spaces using a symmetrical alignment of the foyer with the rear two-storey window wall. The result is that guests are greeted upon entry with luxurious views of both the inside as well as the lush exterior landscape. More importantly, the main floor olive tree feature receives the amount of direct natural light it needs to survive.

Here, the full-height great room is surrounded by a mezzanine hallway that leads to the bedrooms. Jesse specifically designed this feature to create a sense of connectivity between the beauty of the ground-floor tree and the second-floor living areas. The renderings are a great example of how this level of master planning can aid in maximizing natural light. In this case, Jesse directs morning light between spaces using a symmetrical alignment of the foyer with the rear two-storey window wall. The result is that guests are greeted upon entry with luxurious views of both the inside as well as the lush exterior landscape. More importantly, the main floor olive tree feature receives the amount of direct natural light it needs to survive.

INTENTIONAL
WINDOW
PLACEMENT BRINGS
THE OUTSIDE IN

The rear facade of this home was designed to further support the olive tree’s direct sunlight requirements and adds architectural significance, which characterizes the backyard entertainment amenities. This rear facade offers a far more contemporary aesthetic than the front, with over 60% of it being windows that overlook the backyard. Detailed preplanning allows for a high-maintenance plant that’s not meant for our climate to thrive. Jesse used the same sun studies to design specific up-lighting for the planters, so that when the interior lights are off and our clients are having an outdoor dinner party, the tree is visible from the backyard through the window wall, creating a unique ambiance. Thinking of the design plan through the eyes of a guest, and the experience you are creating as a designer, both inside and out, is the biggest benefit of our multidisciplinary approach.

A SENSE OF
LUSH
SURROUNDINGS

To add to the intended effect, Jesse designed elaborate English gardens that also include complex lighting plans. These gardens, seen from the rear window wall, quaintly characterize the interior spaces in different ways at different times of day. You can almost think of these gardens as a live art piece, offering varying colours through the seasons, and ambient lighting during different times of day.