Whistler in Style

Whistler British Columbia is a hometown for some, a destination town for many, and a constant source of creative energy for all who take part in what the region has to offer. Although the 2010 Olympic Winter Games have now passed, they served to draw the attention of all of Canada, and indeed the world, to Whistler. Recently, V6B’s achievements are also on display in Whistler after winning several national awards and publishing design work for projects in the area.

In 2010 the V6B award winning design team focused its talents on a number of projects in a variety of homes nestled in the spectacular Whistler landscape. Regardless of the size of the project, the V6B Design Team brought its gold medal standards of excellence to each and every one. In small spaces or mountain side mansions, one can expect only the very best from V6B – exceptional design and space planning resulting in a beautifully tasteful end product.

Whistler Mountain Mansion

Once again the V6B Design Group has been recognized for its superior design capabilities as the recipient of two national awards for this elegant, traditional kitchen. With materials sourced from both Canada and the USA, the kitchen of this mountainside mansion in Whistler, BC will be featured in the spring edition of NKBA Profiles magazine: Design Trends for 2010.

This multi-functional space was designed with a dual purpose in mind: as a warm, inviting room for a family of five to interact in, and as a vibrant, dramatic entertainment center capable of accommodating a hundred or more guests for Olympic-sized social gatherings.

In keeping with traditional sensibilities, the finishes in this kitchen are uniformly consistent, from the solid birch “inset style” cabinetry with black hardware accents, to the complimentary granite countertops.

A massive multi-level, multi-directional customized island anchors the open concept space. Surrounding the island are four independent work zones, each with its own unique function and special design elements. Each workstation faces a different aspect of the island, which provides additional storage and counterspace to accommodate the specific function of each zone.

A curved coffee center and refrigerator wall, directly across from the secondary island sink, microwave, and open storage unit makes the preparing of convenience foods and designer coffees easy, efficient, and enjoyable tasks.

A preparation and wash zone keep clean-up activities quite separate from the other kitchen activity centers. Design features include a large, curved sink and a capacious chef’s pantry. Facing this zone, the island offers additional preparation and storage area. As well, a freestanding butcher-block element incorporated by special request of the client helps maintain a smooth workflow.

A forty-eight inch Wolf range and Wolf integrated ventilator, housed in a custom structural hearth area, is the focal point of the dedicated cook zone. All preparation takes place on the facing island, which also houses storage solutions for utensils, pots and pans, and other relevant food preparation equipment.

Tucked in behind the cook wall is an impressive customized wine storage area, which is both decorative and functional. The generous space also allows for additional pantry and cold storage in order to accommodate group entertaining.

Italian Contemporary in Whistler Vacation Home

The high contrasting gray stained European oak cabinetry, glossy white countertops, gray ledgestone backsplash, and stainless steel appliances mirror the magnificent glacier capped mountain ranges that surround this contemporary Whistler, BC vacation home.

The sleek elegant lines of this Italian contemporary design, along with creative storage solutions, have turned a relatively small space into a unique, high functioning, and aesthetically pleasing part of the family home. In addition, the hardwood floor and log post structural details add a warmth to the whole that is reflective of the clients’ personal taste in furnishings.

This kitchen is comprised of a cooking wall with both fridge and stove, a clean-up wall, which houses the sink, and two food preparation stations on either side of the peninsula. These four distinct yet integrated zones of activity allow multiple-person access to the storage and work areas of the kitchen without interference, while maintaining organization and efficiency.

A large pantry area and additional pullout storage in all base cabinets complete this contemporary kitchen design, and present a pleasing counterpoint to the simple charm of the adjacent dining area.

Transitional Mountain Townhome

This tasteful “rustic meets contemporary” design by Earl Lawson and Interior Designer Susan Parker was chosen as Western Canada’s winning entry for the prestigious International Wolf/Sub Zero Kitchen Design contest, which was held in Florida last month. With materials sourced from Canada and the USA, this Whistler, BC Transitional Mountain Townhome has a subtle organic appeal that is beautifully complemented by the sleek, clean lines of the stepped, flat panel cabinetry and state-of-the-art stainless steel appliances.

Using the existing massive log posts as anchors for two thick wood open countertops created two distinct yet casual spaces for dining and entertaining. In effect, this extended the kitchen space, encouraging a comfortable flow of traffic.

The combination of natural wood, stone, stainless steel and earthtone colours was used to create an immediate impression, one both striking and restful. A hint of playfulness can be found in the red glass pebbles incorporated into the backsplash behind the Wolf range, which is the focal point of the kitchen.

An open staircase that extended into the kitchen area presented the V6B team with a unique design opportunity to house an open bar underneath. This worked particularly well given its close proximity to the wine cooler, refrigerator and coffee maker.

The refrigerators, microwave, and a pullout appliance garage were housed in a custom designed “tall wall” perpendicular to the cook wall. To ensure that the forty-eight inch Wolf range remained the focal point of the space, dual dishwashers and the warmer drawer were outfitted with cabinet fronts and incorporated into the island, and sink zone.

Visit the V6B Design Studio

The V6B design team understands the importance of the kitchen as not only a family gathering place, but one that can also easily expand into a space for socializing and entertaining. Regardless of the style, from traditional mountainside mansion to contemporary vacation home, V6B works with its clients to create the space they love to live and work in. With over twenty years of experience in custom design, the level of commitment, enthusiasm and attention to detail that V6B brings to each project guarantees the gold medal standard of excellence that our clients have come to expect. We invite you to visit the V6B Design Studio today and speak with one of our design experts.