Custom Waterfront House Featured in Boulevard Magazine
Thank you Boulevard Magazine for the in-depth article covering Villamar’s extensive renovation of this gorgeous waterfront home in Cordova Bay. The article is available for reading online at Boulevard Magazine.
Some highlights from the article.
Stepping into this home, my eyes were immediately drawn to the view beyond the welcoming great room, the stunning windows and the expansive deck. It’s no wonder the owner fell in love with this property when he first saw it in 2016.
As Dan Schuetze, CEO, and Mike Edwardson, General Manager, of Villamar Construction introduced themselves, I had a vague sense of smiling and shaking their hands. But my entire focus was on the visual smorgasbord before me.
The cream-coloured curved walls, the curved staircase, the antique chandelier, the warm wood, the hand-carved marble fireplace and the windows all reminded me of a bygone era. And yet, here they sat in all their splendour in a brand new build.
Dan added, “We designed it so that as you walk farther into the house, the spaces get higher and larger. The original house had eight-foot ceilings, and that height was kept in the foyer and dining area. In the newer area, we created the hallways with nine-foot ceilings and the kitchen is 10 feet high. The great room has a 12-foot ceiling — 11-foot if you include the depth of the coffer.”
“The biggest challenge was that the original house was built at a height that is currently not allowed,” explained Mike. “We had to get a height variance. Then we took the original house down to the studs and concrete, and built up and out from there. We had RJC [structural engineers] assist us with the original design. The addition is 4,000 square feet and built like a tank. It was designed and built in such a way that the addition will hold up the existing house in case of an earthquake.”
All three floors feature engineered, long grain, custom white oak, except for the master bedroom, which is carpeted. Eight-inch-high baseboards run throughout the house, giving it an elegant European feel.
Great care was taken in selecting antiques for this home. For example, the main floor guest bathroom has a six-foot-long, hand-carved oak vanity with a marble top and copper fixtures. The tiling on the bathroom floor is a custom-made marble design. Then there are the chandeliers.
“There are nine chandeliers,” said Mike, “all from different places. Some were salvaged out of an old Victorian home and some came from the owners’ old home. We had to recondition them all and retrofit them to meet current code standards.”
The woodwork on the wall also turned out to be a tactile treat as I made my way out of the great room. Then it was up the curved staircase to the upper floor landing. This, Mike and Dan proudly proclaimed, is the best view in the house.
“We love this view,” said Dan. “You look down onto the great room and out over the decks to the Pacific Ocean and the San Juan Islands. We came up here quite a bit during the build.”
Later, as I drive away, I can’t help but marvel at the level of trust between the homeowners and builder. What must it be like to have your dream home built while you are thousands of miles away? Dan, Mike and his team managed to do just that, and they did it spectacularly.
Please visit Boulevard Magazine to read the complete article.
