Inside a Calgary Home Renovation That Traded Black-and-White for Warm, Earthy Modern

Mera Studio Architects knows that a client’s first brief rarely tells the whole story. In the case of Madison House, the homeowners came in asking for something modern: a crisp black-and-white design for their newly purchased 3,500-square-foot split-level home in Calgary’s Elboya neighbourhood.

The home already had clean modern bones, with floor-to-ceiling windows, glass railings, a flat roof and a central two-storey fireplace anchoring the main living spaces. But despite a recent renovation in 2017, the house still didn’t feel quite right for the growing young family, who wanted something more grounded and timeless, with enough flexibility for quiet daily routines and gatherings with friends.

“When someone says modern, it could mean very clean modern; it could mean many different things,” says Meghan Bannon, principal architect at Mera Studio Architects. As part of the studio’s discovery process, the designers walked the homeowners through a “this or that” exercise, reviewing images and materials side by side to understand where their tastes landed within that spectrum. Instead of the stark, high-contrast look they first described, the homeowners gravitated toward warm neutrals and a more relaxed take on modern design.

Working alongside the clients and contractor Rawlyk Developments, Bannon’s team steered the year-long renovation toward a more tonal direction through material choices, custom millwork and targeted layout changes. Rather than relying on high-contrast colours or major structural interventions, the design team created depth with warm oak, veined marble, matte plaster, brushed brass and tactile textures. The central fireplace, for example, was rewrapped in marble at the base and cream fluted wood panels above to give it a gentler look and better balance the space.

“It was much heavier and much more present,” says Bannon. “We pared that back a little bit to make it not seem so much the focal point.” The same fluted detail repeats on the dining room wall, while arched openings and curved millwork add movement and visual flow elsewhere in the home.

But reworking the flow also meant contending with the home’s existing structure and quirks. “The original layout was a very unique style home,” says Bannon, who describes the split-level plan as a series of “three lanes,” with the main floor organized into long, linear zones. “Previously, it had a kitchen sink overlooking the raised living room. The sink was on the backside of the sofa.”

Undeterred, the designers rearranged the kitchen, closing off an existing window to incorporate additional cabinetry and an impressive 14-foot island with a two-tiered detail. Bannon explains the upper tier functions as a cooking preparation space, while the island’s length gives it an almost dining-table-like feel. The island’s rounded legs tie into the ribbed tile backsplash and curved plaster range hood on the back wall.

“That was probably the most challenging portion in rearranging the floorplan itself,” Bannon says of the kitchen redesign, “because of the level changes and how narrow the space was.” Not wanting to close off the tight space further, the Mera team installed custom open shelving to define the kitchen and living area, creating a sense of connection between rooms while providing storage and display space.

Tucked between the kitchen and lounge, the same push and pull between structure and softness appears in a custom arched niche, designed in collaboration with Liber Design. The built-in millwork works on both sides, with open shelving and a small bar facing one direction and pantry storage behind it. “The home was so boxy and linear in all its elements, and you have that existing fireplace that’s so linear over two storeys,” she explains. “Adding those softer edges really made the space feel a little bit more organic and approachable.”

Upstairs in the primary bedroom, the layout was reconfigured so that the dressing area became part of the arrival into the suite, rather than a pass-through space. Situated beneath existing skylights, the dressing area has a more substantial feel, with wood millwork and flooring, along with a green marble-topped central drawer unit. “It feels like you’re entering this luxurious, but very calming, quiet space,” she says. “It’s quite different from the actual primary bedroom.”

Through another arched opening, heavier wood tones give way to whites and creams in the main bedroom area, where a fireplace, sitting zone and natural light create a calmer private retreat.

The details are subtle, but they show how far the project has come from the black-and-white scheme the homeowners first imagined. For Bannon, that change reflects the strength of the collaboration with clients who were open to exploring a more nuanced version of modern design. “They were wonderful clients and so open to design,” she adds. “They were very design-forward, so they loved having these conversations.”

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