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Houzz Tour: Everything Art Is Illuminated in Canada
Artist Richard Roblin has designed an airy, modern home and studio that's brimming with paintings and contemporary furnishings
Houzz Contributor. After graduating from UC Berkeley, I found myself utterly unprepared for the real world and at a loss as to what I should do next. Luckily, one day I stumbled through the doors of Architectural Digest and was taken under the wing of legendary editor Paige Rense. She had the vision to look past my uninspiring sociology degree and my general lack of experience—an unlikely journalism career was born. After AD, with my magazine karma still intact, I was hired by yet another publishing legend, the food critic and writer Ruth Reichl. I currently ply my trade as a freelance writer and editor and live in stylish Mid-Century-Modern comfort with my dog, Mike.
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Cowichan Valley is located in a bucolic corner of Vancouver Island and is known for its food, wine and Mediterranean-like climate — it's reputed to have more sunny days than anywhere else in Canada.
So it's easy to see why painter and architectural designer Richard Roblin would design and build a home here for himself and his wife, Eve. "In planning this house, I was aware of the potential to experience this wonderful climate to the utmost by providing access to the outdoors from every major area of the house," he says.
It was also important to have display space for art. "The functionality of each space was given careful consideration in not only how it worked, but how its aesthetic enhanced the living experience," says Roblin. "After all, what can be more wonderful than living in a beautiful space that works?" And this house really works.
So it's easy to see why painter and architectural designer Richard Roblin would design and build a home here for himself and his wife, Eve. "In planning this house, I was aware of the potential to experience this wonderful climate to the utmost by providing access to the outdoors from every major area of the house," he says.
It was also important to have display space for art. "The functionality of each space was given careful consideration in not only how it worked, but how its aesthetic enhanced the living experience," says Roblin. "After all, what can be more wonderful than living in a beautiful space that works?" And this house really works.
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Artist Richard Roblin stands next to his painting "Awakening." Behind him is the entrance to his studio. "The glass and wood sliding door provides an Asian simplicity to this alcove," he says.
"The door is reflected in the white lacquered wall, which expands the space visually." For continuity, the same finish was used on the home's kitchen cabinets and entrance closets.
Click photo to view larger images in a slide show
"The door is reflected in the white lacquered wall, which expands the space visually." For continuity, the same finish was used on the home's kitchen cabinets and entrance closets.
Click photo to view larger images in a slide show
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In the living room, "a dynamic play of light, color, form and texture combine to create a clear aesthetic vision," says Roblin. "The furnishings and accessories reflect my lifelong passion for art, design and architecture." French doors beyond the dining room open onto a terrace and an herb garden. The painting is "Muse" from Roblin's "Monogram" series.
The area rugs are part of Roblin's "Artwalk" rug series, and this particular design was inspired by a painting from his "Fallingwater" series.
Living room: Bensen sleeper sofa: Inform Interiors; antique glass lamp: Handel; marble side tables: custom design by Roblin.
Dining room: upholstered table: ItalInteriors; birch and stainless steel chairs: Nienkamper; antique vase: Steuben; iridescent orange deco bowl: Royal Doulton; suspended rice paper Floatation lamp: Ingo Maurer
The area rugs are part of Roblin's "Artwalk" rug series, and this particular design was inspired by a painting from his "Fallingwater" series.
Living room: Bensen sleeper sofa: Inform Interiors; antique glass lamp: Handel; marble side tables: custom design by Roblin.
Dining room: upholstered table: ItalInteriors; birch and stainless steel chairs: Nienkamper; antique vase: Steuben; iridescent orange deco bowl: Royal Doulton; suspended rice paper Floatation lamp: Ingo Maurer
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The living room has a skylit, vaulted ceiling. It's framed at a 7-foot level by a partial drop ceiling of fir that houses a halogen lighting system. "This architectural design feature lends warmth and intimacy from the main entrance area bridging the dining room, around to the living room, to the fireplace wall, and then beyond to the lower ceiling section over the kitchen," says Roblin.
Birch bench: Alvar Aalto
Birch bench: Alvar Aalto
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The home's entry faces due east, which Roblin says "provides a welcoming atmosphere." The painting "Heart to Heart" from his "Icon" series hangs above a bamboo bench. The antique basket is from Indonesia. The floors throughout the house are French maple, and the door is fir.
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A cantilevered black lacquered platform extends across one wall of the living room in front of the fireplace. "It functions as a display wall for art when the fireplace is not in use, as well as a space for a collection of glass and ceramics," says Roblin.
He adds, "Strategically placed lighting is one of the primary concerns of house design where the objective is to feature art. We placed windows and glass doors throughout to take advantage of the beautiful natural light."
The black lacquered and leather Transat lounge chair is by legendary furniture designer and architect Eileen Gray and was designed for her summer house in St. Tropez. It sits in front of Roblin's "Muse Study."
He adds, "Strategically placed lighting is one of the primary concerns of house design where the objective is to feature art. We placed windows and glass doors throughout to take advantage of the beautiful natural light."
The black lacquered and leather Transat lounge chair is by legendary furniture designer and architect Eileen Gray and was designed for her summer house in St. Tropez. It sits in front of Roblin's "Muse Study."
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| The fir-framed windows in the kitchen face the garden. "The luminosity of the space is enhanced by white lacquered cabinetwork, stainless steel appliances and cooking island top, a green-glass-tiled backsplash and bamboo Arborite countertop," says Roblin. He also designed the custom tongue-in-groove ceiling. Refrigerator, wall oven, cooktop: Jenn-Air; suspension lighting over island: Artemide Kalifa |
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The master bedroom features Roblin's "Icon OM" and has a seating area with a window to lush garden views.
Bensen Frame Hi bed: Inform Interiors; black lacquer and leather armchair: Josef Hoffmann, circa 1910; Tolomeo floor lamp and ceiling fan light fixture: Artemide
Bensen Frame Hi bed: Inform Interiors; black lacquer and leather armchair: Josef Hoffmann, circa 1910; Tolomeo floor lamp and ceiling fan light fixture: Artemide
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The master bathroom extends the quiet Asian theme with porcelain tiles, white lacquered cabinets and turquoise glass tile. The painting is Roblin's "Spa" from his "Wallseries."
Sink and soaking tub: Duravit; mirror and glass-enclosed shower: Victoria Glass; vanity lighting: Artemide
Sink and soaking tub: Duravit; mirror and glass-enclosed shower: Victoria Glass; vanity lighting: Artemide
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| The antique Chinese water fountain is a family heirloom. A sliding shoji screen opens onto a Japanese garden. |
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| Roblin's studio is truly a multifunctional space. "The mezzanine is the creative hub," says Roblin, "since many of my original sketches for major artworks are done either in notebooks or on my Mac in this area. A wall of bookshelves provides easy access to my reference books and CD files on architecture and art." He explains that the lower area also has many purposes. "I often use it as a study, a meeting place to show paintings to clients, or as a place to contemplate a recently finished work. If I have a particularly large painting project, the rug is rolled up and the area is prepared for creative work." All of the artwork is by Roblin: "Choreography" (above chairs) and "Fountainhead" (at top of stairs) are from his "Spanda" series. Flanking the room, left to right, are "Barragan" and "The Conversation" from his "Wallseries." Stainless steel table: designed by Roblin; bentwood lounge chairs: Alvar Aalto; rug: Triede Design; couch/bed: Club Monaco |
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| The studio's 14-foot square windows face north, providing Roblin with ideal lighting. He designed the pivot door, which leads to a paved courtyard with multilevel decks and a bamboo grove, for easy ventilation. Roblin often paints in the courtyard, but he works primarily on the studio's concrete floor since he uses palette knives of various dimensions and needs a solid backing. Roblin's painting "Barragan" is named after the well-known Mexican architect Luis Barragan. "I was invited to his home and studio in 1984 when I was in Mexico for a Zen retreat," he says. "Meeting Barragan, together with the meditation practice, had a profound affect on my painting practice and my design sensibility. The "Wallseries" paintings are a direct result of this very moving encounter." At the far end of the room, an original ink drawing by Hans Hofmann hangs above the desk. "Hofmann's art has always moved me emotionally. His intense application of color with brush and palette knife encouraged me and expanded my vision as a young artist," says Roblin. Glass-top desk: Ikea; desk chairs: Philippe Starck More of Roblin's work here More modern homes |
Ideabook updated on July 8, 2012.
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