Nautical Study

There’s a distinct yacht-club vibe that’s thoughtfully executed in this home office in Vancouver, from the rope motif on the gables of the millwork to the leather-with-tack touch panels on the upper shelving. Designed by Kelly Deck Design, the room features rich detailing such as woven navy wallpaper on the ceiling—reminiscent of gentleman’s suiting—and Armac Martin pulls on the cabinetry that look as though they’d be right at home in a captain’s stateroom. The homeowner is an avid reader, so there’s plenty of shelving for books, along with a cozy and custom chenille-covered sofa integrated into the millwork. The custom desk is positioned to take in the view out to the ocean, while café curtains allow for privacy, too—perfect for those work-from-home days when you need to batten down the hatches… or maybe escape into a good book on the sofa instead.

The homeowners have deep roots in Vancouver, so the team at Kelly Deck Design had vintage maps of the city framed for the office. Photo by Ema Peter

Rock and Roll

The previous owner of this home in West Vancouver used this space as a workshop, with an awkwardly low entrance tucked under the stair. To convert it into a home office, the design team at Falken Reynolds reconfigured the staircase, shifting the entrance to the office from the bottom landing. The result was an increase in usable space in a room that was already an appealing spot to work thanks to its view looking out to the pool. (Positioning the desk toward the window also means the homeowner is facing natural light while on Zoom calls.)

The home is built into the hillside, so the exposed rock that seems to beautifully creep into the room is both a prominent element on the lower level and a jumping off point for material selection. While the rock is cool in tone, the team opted for a warmer light stained oak for the hardwood and wall, as well as the desk and shelving. An orange Little Tulip C chair from Artifort makes for a pretty sweet seat, and wall cladding throughout ties it all together while helping the space feel larger (and it neatly hides a structural column on the left, too). It’s now a details-oriented office designed to make it easier to tackle the most epic of Zoom-call days.

The Madison Avenue side table is designed by Yabu Pushelberg for Man of Parts, and the large painting on the wall is by Vancouver artist Tiko Kerr. Photo by Ema Peter

Vintage Vibes

This home office in Calgary from designer Suzanne Tetrault of Studio Felix offers a gorgeous retreat for the homeowner. While the rest of the home is minimalist in its design—white oak, cream, black accents—this colour-drenched room just off the main entrance is all mid-century, from the custom shade of green on the walls to the Eames lounge chair and Carson six-light chandelier from Visual Comfort. Custom glass-and-metal entry doors were made locally by Mara Ornamental Blacksmith (which also crafted pieces throughout the home, including a shower enclosure and arched pantry door), and brass hardware throughout keeps the space warm and welcoming. It’s a masculine space that, with colour framing the room all the way up and over the ceiling, isn’t afraid to have a little fun.

The velvet drapery from Global Shades was custom made to perfectly match the walls. The desk is from Rove Concepts. Photo by KM Photography Interiors

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Anicka Quin

Anicka Quin

Anicka Quin is the editor-in-chief of Western Living magazine and the VP of Content for Canada Wide Media. If you've got a home design you'd like to share with Western Living, drop her a line at [email protected]