FARMHOUSE MODERNE

Written by RENSKE WERNER : Photographed by MARTIN TESSLER

In the kitchen of a renovated West Vancouver farmhouse, designer Juli Hodgson used identical Calacatta marble (sourced through Bordignon Marble & Granite) for the hood fan and main wall to harmonize the two surfaces. The custommade, razor-thin blackened-steel floating shelves above the sink provide storage for dishes in the prep kitchen. The island’s base is grounded by a charcoal-colored Boffi finish, and Lapalma Miunn stools by Karri Monni provide seating for the whole family. The Flexform sofa is designed by Antonio Citterio. »

In the kitchen of a renovated West Vancouver farmhouse, designer Juli Hodgson used harmonized slabs of Calacatta marble (sourced through Bordignon Marble & Granite) for the hood fan and main wall to harmonize the two surfaces. The custom-made, razor-thin blackened-steel floating shelves above the sink provide storage for dishes in the prep kitchen. The island’s base is grounded by a charcoal-colored Boffi finish, and Lapalma Miunn stools by Karri Monni provide seating for the resident family. The Flexform sofa is by Antonio Citterio.

romise me you can do something with this!” Designer Juli Hodgson, founder of Hodgson Design Associates, was standing at the edge of a large Vancouver lot when her client turned to her with the plea. They were staring at an outdated 4,000-square-foot farmhouse with ochre-colored stucco, dark brown trim, and an interior full of closed-off nooks and crannies.

Intrigued by the home’s French country–inspired architecture, Hodgson was able to look past the drab interior—limited natural light, dated wood paneling, and faded reddish-brown stained oak windows—to the structure’s bright future. “I envisioned the whole interior immediately,” the designer recalls of that day. “It would be a modern farmhouse with white window trim and blond oak floors.”

Hodgson chose a style she calls modern luxury, which expresses itself through “the refined details, such as lighting integration, concealed door hinges, and fullheight doors.” She incorporated these design solutions into a minimal material palette to seamlessly merge simplicity with richness.

“p This high-quality thread runs throughout the home, which features pieces from the likes of Antonio Citterio, Patricia Urquiola, and B&B Italia, primarily sourced through Inform Interiors. “These luxury details make the design,” Hodgson explains. “Even when you have a great material palette, if the connections between the décor and the materials are clumsy, the design does not appear seamless, and a sense of calm is lost.” The home’s austere materials, a subtle backdrop for other high-end statement pieces such as a Cassina side table and a pair of Walter Knoll lounge chairs, reflect the Northwest desire to avoid ostentatious displays of luxury. Knowing her clients didn’t want an ultramodern interior, Hodgson was nervous about pitching a Glas Italia statement console for the entryway, but serendipitously the family already had their eye on the exact same piece. Other contemporary design decisions, such as the uninterrupted marble wall in the kitchen, make this renovated farmhouse both elegant and warm. “This home didn’t need perfection,” Hodgson says. “It needed to emanate the insulated feeling of a family home, so that’s what we made it.” »

Floating oak treads and a glass railing allow maximum natural light to flood into the staircase that links the home’s first and second floors. The Pure bench by Riva 1920 is cedar with a vulcano finish and was sourced from Inform Interiors. »

“Modern luxury sits in the refined details, such as lighting integration, concealed door hinges, and full-height doors.”

—Juli Hodgson, designer

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Hodgson designed the austere French oak cabinet doors used throughout the upper level’s built-ins. The prep kitchen’s trio of custom blackened-steel shelves showcase the homeowner’s collection of pastel crockery. The same nearly weightless steel is deployed as a desk surface nearby. In the entryway, the juxtaposition of a dramatically scaled Glas Italia mirror and console against the oak floorboards and the original farmhouse window epitomizes Hodgson’s synergistic design approach. h

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