EARTH, WIND & FIRE

The elements of luxury and comfort

WORDS LISA MANFIELD

PHOTOGRAPHY JULIAN PIMLEY, TRENTON LEPP, BOULEVARD ANDREW FYFE, ICON MARKETING INC

Elements takes its name from the water, fire, earth and air features integrated throughout the home— starting in the front yard, where a water fountain sets the tone for tranquility.

They say you should go big or go home, and according to husband-and-wife team Cameron and Amanda Jones of the T. Jones Group, that was the intention with their latest showstopper—the award-winning Elements Estate located in Vancouver’s Shaughnessy neighbourhood and completed earlier this year.

Currently listed at a cool $28 million, the seven-bedroom, nine-bathroom estate oozes luxurious comfort, with splashes of glamour and coordinated artistic flair that elevate every unique enclave throughout the nearly 10,800-square-foot home.

Flourishes such as oversized fireplaces, designer paint and gold-flecked fixtures add luxury to core spaces, while recreational amenities, including an indoor swimming pool, hot tub and infrared sauna, keep residents and guests well entertained.

This home is, in fact, an entertainer’s delight, with indoor and outdoor kitchen and gathering spaces custom-crafted for bringing foodies and friends into the fold. The large, lavish kitchen reflects every memorable moment in its tinted-mirror ceilings. Servers’ quarters off the main kitchen offer a private space for party prep. Out back, in the pristinely sculpted yard, an outdoor heated deck area features a fully equipped kitchen ringed with a restaurant-inspired fire wall, gas torches and colour-changing light and water features. A one-bedroom laneway guest house ensures ample space for accommodations or remote office work.

Every detail in the house has been carefully considered and coordinated—from the hand-painted marble-like Venetian plaster walls and ceilings to the solid oak hardwood floors and ornamentations, the inset carvings and matching patterns, and the lighting, carpeting and adornments that literally sparkle.

“We came across this property and really wanted to go all out,” Cameron says. “We wanted to do something special.”

Levelling up the playing field

While the T. Jones Group has developed over 200 luxury homes in Vancouver’s West Side, Elements Estate is an exquisite showcase of next-level modern opulence. To achieve a balance of high-end appeal and everyday functionality, the Joneses partnered with Geele Soroka of Sublime Interior Design to develop concepts and select materials. “Everyone brought ideas to the table,” Cameron says. The result? Each of the three levels in the house exudes a unique energy.

The opportunity to custom-build without a client enabled members of the design team to display their own stylistic leanings and creative eye for detail—something that is seen in everything from their choice of paint and fixtures to the artwork and furnishings adorning every room.

“We’ve studied what our clientele wants and we know what people like,” Cameron says.

Crestron smart home technology brings modernity to traditional elements, like the Lutron lighting system that learns daily routines, as well as speakers, water features and high-end security that are easy to manage both from home or away.

Niches, nooks and hidden passages add a touch of mystery, while making this home even more seamlessly functional,

adding up to a property that truly stands out. And it’s already garnered the awards to prove it—from HAVAN’s Best Feature Award (for a built-in ice chest in the basement bar) and its Best Space Award (for the basement) to countless other nominations.

Enter the opulent oasis

Elements takes its name from the water, fire, earth and air features integrated throughout the home—starting in the front yard, where a water fountain sets the tone for tranquility.

The arched walnut doorway gives way to a majestic entry hall anchored by a custom curved glass staircase with walnut banisters. Marble floors are illuminated by a sparkling crystal chandelier.

To the left, a stately sitting room with a warm-walnut mantle welcomes guests. To the right, an elegant dining room shines with white marble floors (accented with black Calacatta) and dual crystal chandeliers.

Just past the staircase is the heart of the home; a great room offers both comfy respite and grandiose flair with marble walls and floor, and chandeliers in triplicate. While a TV and

wet bar keep residents comfortably anchored, the neighbouring kitchen ensures sustenance is never far away.

Airy and bright in white and gold and glass and mirrors, the kitchen is a mecca for cuisiniers with its double fridges and dishwashers, triple sinks and an oversized range. And when help is on order, a hid- den door to servers’ quarters makes satisfying guests seamless and stealthy.

This is clearly no everyday mess hall, with luxury touches like the French-style hood fan, built-in wine cooler, auto-lit pantry and an Urban Cultivator so fresh-grown herbs are always on hand.

Windows that allow for food to be passed outside and auto-sliding glass deck doors lead to the ulti- mate in heated patio seating and eating: a sizeable glassed-in deck with built-in Alfresco kitchen includ- ing barbecue, pizza oven, fridge, bar, waterproof TV and speakers, retractable roof awning and sur- rounding fire and water features that bring an exotic resort feeling to the backyard.

Get down and rest up

The resort ambience is echoed downstairs, where indoor recreation and fitness facilities are surrounded by an outdoor rock wall and cascading waterfall. But in stark contrast to the bright whites upstairs, this level is darker and decidedly more snug, with textured black plaster walls and walnut ceiling inlays adding an evening vibe to the backlit bar.

Deep teal banquet seating is flanked by twin fireplaces embedded in black marble walls. Across the room, bar seats with a front-row view of the pool in the adjoining room enable merrymakers to watch over their charges at play, while the retractable glass doors at the end of the rec room open onto the waterfall, which lights up at night and adds soothing ambient sound.

An adjoining wine room holds upwards of 500 bottles, while a soundproof media room down the hall features an 8K projector TV with theatre seating and Dolby’s Atmos surround-sound system. A gym with rubber floors made from recycled Nike shoes offers additional opportunities for fitness, while a guest bedroom provides ample space for a private retreat.

Four bedrooms upstairs round out the luxury accommodations with the ultimate pièce de résistance in the master bedroom: fully outfitted his-and-hers bathrooms and walk-in closets. The men’s closet features a steam unit for clothes while the women’s offers pullout storage for extra space. And in the bathroom, there’s a digital shower, aromatherapy tub, dome ceiling and private deck.

Here all the elements come together in a tour de force, breathing life and vitality into every moment, day and night.

More information is at: elementsestate.ca