The home is located just outside of Nelson, British Columbia, on the shores of Kootenay Lake. “My client purchased the property in 2020 and was immediately drawn to its charm and setting,” says Randall Boisvert of Covet Interiors. “The grounds are particularly special, with established English gardens and a beautiful east-facing view up the lake that brings in soft morning light.”
While the house itself had great bones and inherent character, it had been decorated quite eccentrically over the years. “My client’s goal was to scale things back and create a more cohesive, thoughtful interior that truly honors the architecture and spirit of the home,” she tells us.
The client, a retired dentist who lives in Nelson full time, had a primary goal for both the overall interior design and the kitchen renovation: to ensure that every decision felt intentional and original to the home, rather than something that had been layered on over time. “He wanted the spaces to read as though they had always been this way, with nothing feeling like an afterthought,” Randall shares. “He was keen on incorporating an ILVE range as a focal point in the kitchen, preserving the existing wood-burning fireplace, and creating spaces that support both casual, everyday dining and more relaxed entertaining.”
Covet Interiors was brought on soon after the home’s purchase in 2020 and approached the renovations in phases. “Over the years, we updated furnishings throughout, completed a light refresh of the kitchen, and worked through new paint, bathroom finishes, and the primary bedroom, slowly refining each space while maintaining a cohesive vision,” the designer shares. “In 2024, we reconnected and the conversation naturally turned to the kitchen, which ultimately led to its full renovation.”
Randall was challenged with working within the existing footprint while minimizing the overall impact of the renovation on the home. The team was intentional about keeping demolition to a minimum and ensuring that key elements—like the plaster walls, tiled floors, wood burning fireplace, backsplash tile, and fir trim—continued to complement the new design. The ILVE range acts as a focal point, but in a way that still feels timeless and grounded. “I also love the breakfast nook we created within the existing bay windows—it’s a quiet, intimate spot that looks out onto the garden and really captures the spirit of the property,” Randall shares. “The breakfast nook table and chairs are by Four Hands, sourced through CF Interiors, and I had custom seat cushions made locally, with the toss cushions sourced from Tonic Living.”
A custom-painted island features tone-on-tone painted cabinet knobs, finished in Farrow & Ball’s London Stone. The walnut millwork is paired with unlaquered brass pulls and knobs sourced from Rejuvenation, with the intent that they will age with the home. A panel-ready Fisher & Paykel refrigerator and freezer were sourced through Midland Appliance, and the countertops are a White Pearl quartzite from Kootenay Granite. All of the millwork throughout was built by Forest Designs.
“When the client first saw the finished space, he was genuinely pleased with how cohesive everything felt and how naturally the kitchen sat within the home,” Randall shares. “The reaction that stood out most was his sense of relief that it didn’t feel ‘new’ in a jarring way, but instead felt like a thoughtful continuation of the house’s original character, just refined and elevated for how he lives now.”
See more in the slideshow.
