This article first appeared in the Interiors 2015 issue of Ottawa Magazine.

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By SARAH BROWN

It’s a delicate balance, walking that fine line between modern and inviting. When a professional couple with two children approached architect Jason Flynn to design a house to replace a tear-down in Old Ottawa South, they knew they wanted a crisp and clean look but were also determined that their new house would be welcoming.

After choosing a classic white kitchen, they spent hours poring over wood samples before settling on a rich walnut, with its strong grain. “The room might have been too stark without the walnut,” explains Flynn. “But the wood and the little pop of colour from the pendant lights keep things warm.”

That warmth is echoed in the walnut-clad feature wall that partially separates the dining room from the main hallway. It creates an intimate space within the larger open-concept main floor that, with its 10-foot ceilings, might otherwise seem almost museum-like.

The bathroom replicates the kitchen’s white-and-walnut motif, with Flynn switching it up to use the wood on a vertical grain. Though sleek and sophisticated, this is also a very practical space, designed with easy cleaning in mind and lots of storage space.

The toilet, situated in a recess at one end of the room, is surrounded by panels that open up to reveal ample storage, including a hidden magazine rack. To give the space a very open feel, the shower is divided from the room with just a simple sheet of glass and there are no water-blocking curbs on the floor. Instead, the water runs into a trench drain along the back wall.

Photo: Gordon King

The Team
Architect: Jason Flynn, Flynn Architect
Designer: Jason Flynn
Contractor: Gordon Weima Design Builder

Kitchen
Backsplash: White glass
Cabinetry: Natural walnut and high-gloss white Parapan from LTR Industries.
Cabinetry Hardware: Touch latch
Cooktop: Bosch
Dishwasher: Bosch
Divider wall: Designed by Jason Flynn; built by LTR Industries
Faucet: KWC Livello
Floor: Birch from Bayford Floors
Fridge: Liebherr
Hood: Broan
Island counter: White quartz from Emerald Tile + Marble
Oven: Miele
Pendant lights: Solitaire Modern Pendants by Niche Modern
Sink: Julien
Speed Oven: Miele
Stools: Walnut Cherner bar stools from Greyhorne Interiors
Wine rack: Designed by Jason Flynn; built by LTR Industries