We love a good makeover as much as the next person, but it can be so inspiring to see what a design team does when they have total freedom. Case in point? This Calgary new build. A partnership between Alloy Homes and interior design firm Alykhan Velji Design, the property has classic midcentury design elements alongside warm and inviting details. It’s architecturally interesting and design forward, and anything but cliche.
We recently spoke with Aly Velji, Principal of Alykhan Velji Designs, to learn more.
Tell us about this home. Where is it located, and did the neighborhood influence the design at all?
This home is situated on a quiet cul-de-sac that is near a gorgeous park in the St Andrews Heights neighborhood in Calgary, AB. It has a stunning view of downtown Calgary which was a huge draw for the clients and was the drive for how the architects situated the house on the lot. The house was a custom new build and we partnered with Alloy Homes on the project. They did the design/build, and we were engaged to work on the interior design. The mature neighborhood is filled with larger lots and this was no exception, the home was designed to be a modern new build with all the warmth and character to ensure it was timeless. Senior designer, Katie Mooney was the lead on this project.
When coming up with a design plan, where did you start?
I think the jumping off point was the client’s love for midcentury modern furniture and style. We wanted to ensure the interior selections were in keeping with this aesthetic but also had a bit of a modern edge. A new take on midcentury design. The home was also designed in such a way that it has a lot of incredible architectural features to showcase the bones of the home and we wanted to ensure that whatever we chose for the finishes, really helped to amplify these details. This home was a study in restraint.
The living room has a great fireplace. Can you tell us a bit about the choices here?
The asymmetrical fireplace was designed in a way to allow for some negative space. We chose to have the fireplace clad in a black steel; this will patina and age beautifully over time. It also helps to add a bit of a modern edge to the space and helps to break up all the monochromatic wood tones. The fireplace design also features a reveal detail that is repeated in other areas of the home – from the flush baseboards to the staircase handrail. We love creating details like this that are cohesive throughout the spaces. The wall of windows is also quite spectacular as it takes advantage of so much natural light that comes into the space.
How long did the project take? What did the client say when they saw the finished space?
The build started in the summer of 2019 but was preceded by months and months of planning and designing. The project was completed in October of 2020. The clients were thrilled with the finished home and how the “feeling” they described to us when we started working with them was so perfectly translated into the design. This is always our goal as designers, and we were so happy with the finished results. This house really was a labor of love by all as we worked with some amazing trades and of course Alloy Homes.
See more in the slideshow.