Designer Kelly Deck Creates a Cozy, Light-Filled Whistler Retreat for Après-Ski Living

Hosting an après-ski crowd is what Whistler homes are built for. In this mountain town, airy kitchens, dinner-party-ready dining areas and gorgeous guest bedrooms are the usual suspects. But after renovating this Whistler vacation home for a family of four, Kelly Deck says her favourite element isn’t a classic entertaining space: it’s the den. “It’s nice to have a small space to retreat to that feels like a hug,” notes the Vancouver-based designer. The room comforts you from all sides thanks to a dropped ceiling, warm German white oak millwork and cabinet doors that hide all the pesky A/V equipment.

The den is likely Deck’s favourite part of the home because it perfectly embraces the serene softness that her team sought to achieve throughout the project. “The design was guided by a dialogue between the organic and the rectilinear,” she says. The aim was to balance angular architecture with curves and texture, like the way a blanket of fresh snow gives everything a gentle, dreamy quality. “Nature is never hard lines, it’s always soft,” she explains.

Deck calls the project (which was completed hand-in-hand with contractor MCC Interiors) a “light renovation”—the original home was on the newer side, and the owners were looking to elevate the interior and furnish it beautifully. But light comes into play in the other meaning, too. The staircase, for example, is a sunshine-fuelled showstopper: a vertical metal screen and zero visible fasteners create a floating effect, and cast dramatic shadows that shift and change as the sun moves across the sky.

In some spots, the abundance of natural light proved to be a bit of a challenge. “It can be quite harsh at the wrong time of day,” says Deck, “particularly in the winter if you’ve got a lot of reflection off the snow.” The living room’s 18-foot sheer drapes filter the brightness just enough. The homeowners opted to keep the original stone fireplace, but the design team added a new fireplace surround and hearth made of cold-rolled black steel. The clean lines combined with the stone’s natural texture is one example of the home’s nod to Nordic design: according to Deck, keeping the space spare and choosing well-crafted furniture that has craftsmanship and integrity was key.

The home has two primary bedrooms—one leans lighter and brighter, all ivory and warm neutrals with a delicate touch of lavender on the oversized upholstered headboard, while the other leans darker and more moody, with midnight blue upholstery, grey drapery and a tunnel-like entrance through a dressing closet. Deck says that the two full primary suites were a clever move by architect Howard Airey; guests feel pampered rather than accommodated. “Whether it’s the in-laws or friends, it feels very luxurious and spacious,” she explains.

That spaciousness isn’t just pretty; it’s essential that this home has enough room to be a hub for skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking and other adventures. The combined mudroom and laundry room is extra wide, allowing the entire family to come in from the cold and shed their coats without getting in each other’s way (plus, soggy clothes can go directly in the wash). It has lots of storage for outdoor gear and bench seating with a high-quality white laminate backing. “We were very intentional about that, because it needed to be resilient,” notes Deck. Upstairs, an expansive walk-in closet has enough room for closed storage on both sides, and, down in the kitchen, a 12-foot island provides counter space for mountainous breakfasts and all the après-ski cheer. “These spaces are generous enough to allow for them to be very functional,” the designer says.

By playing with natural light, incorporating gentle curves and using organic materials full of texture and life, the design team brought this Whistler home to its peak for its young family—and ensured that, regardless of the day’s wicked runs and wipeouts, they always have a soft place to settle into.