Southlands is one of my favourite parts of town. Its large, rural lots provide ample room for sprawling compounds and luxuries like stables, indoor pools, and tennis courts. New client Whitney Lewis presented me with this nicely restored heritage house the other day. Not to keep, just to shoot. Updates to this house were masterfully done, and understated enough to let the beauty of its 100 years shine through. The dark woods and wall coverings, combined with daylight and different types of indoor lighting proved to be tricky to shoot and to process. Fortunately the sky had a friendly haze on it to make my life a little easier.
Archive for the ‘West Side’ Category
Southlands Estate
June 25, 2013Kits Point
June 17, 2013I have shot homes in almost every neighbourhood in the Lower Mainland over the years, but this Bed and Breakfast was my first shoot in Kits Point. Properties here just don’t go on the market very often. When you are a short walk from Granville Island, downtown, the Seawall, and Kits Beach, there’s no reason to leave — ever. And when they do go up for sale, they don’t last long. Jacob Krause and Jacky Levi found a buyer for this beautifully restored cottage within a couple of days.
Brand new in Kerrisdale
June 14, 2013New clients Sue Johnson and Sarah Thompson have just listed this custom Kerrisdale beauty. This is one of the nicest staging jobs I have seen in a while. By Revamp I think.
Estate Sale
May 13, 2013This impressive Southlands estate didn’t last long on the market. Over 31,000 square feet in the middle of horse country. Teak hardwood floors span the huge open plan interior, and of course, the tennis court and indoor pool. Realtor Patrick Weeks sold it a couple of days after I sent him the photos. Coincidence?
Evoke-Designed Point Grey Masterpiece
April 28, 2013I have photographed a lot of private homes in the past few years, but I must admit I was pretty impressed by this west side work of art. It is designed by Evoke, and features a Swiss pearl exterior, open plan main floor, and huge sliding doors that open to a flush concrete pad in the back yard. Lorne Goldman can fill you in on all the details.
Niebuhr Construction Photo Shoot
April 11, 2013Jim Niebuhr from Niebuhr Homes booked me for a one-day shoot recently, at several of the beautiful homes he has built in the past few years. Here are some highlights:
Montgomery Townhomes
February 18, 2013I shot this display suite the other day at Montgomery Townhomes, a collection of luxury residences in the Oakridge area of Vancouver.
Arbutus view property
February 7, 2013A truly unique home in one of the most desirable neighbourhoods in Vancouver. This beautiful house designed by Stuart Howard Architects sits at the top of Mackenzie Heights with an unobstructed view of the city. The ribbed ceiling on the main floor eliminates the need for walls and columns so the view can be enjoyed from anywhere. The entire house can be run from your iPad. It’s always a pleasure to shoot homes of this calibre. See Jay McInnes for the full listing details.
The Sage
November 25, 2012The lobbies of most residential buildings are forgettably drab — you walk through them on your way to the elevator and nothing registers. Not so with the entry to Kenstone’s Sage in the Wesbrook Place community of UBC. The lobby reflects the forest surrounding the building, with huge planks of rough cedar that look like they were painted on the walls with a palette knife. Designer Merike Lainevool of Kodu Design filled the main floor lounge with comfortable sofas and low-slung tables that invite you to sit down and enjoy the reflecting pools that grace the building’s front.
Odenza Homes photoshoot
November 17, 2012When you are shooting for a busy, successful custom home builder like Odenza, you don’t have the luxury of waiting for the perfect time to get your shots. There’s usually only one day between the time the home is completed, and it is turned over to the owner, as was the case with this west side beauty. On this day, the afternoon sun was low in the sky and blazing in the windows, which had no shades or blinds, since the house was still undergoing a few last-minute touchups. The hardwood floors magnified the sunlight and sent it flying around the bare walls and ceilings. We had to shove construction materials out of sight, sweep the sawdust off the floors, and dodge the plumbers, electricians and house inspectors who were finishing up their work. We tried to keep out of everyone’s way as we worked our way through each room. At the end of the day we had 30 images of this beautiful house for Odenza to add to their portfolio.