INSIDE A CONTEMPORARY-LUXE FAMILY HOME THAT BALANCES THE BEST OF GLAM AND LIVED-IN COMFORT
Homeowner Elysha Alladina likens home design to wedding-dress shopping — you go into it thinking you want a certain style, but wind up realizing that something else looks better on you.
Alladina and husband, Bradley MacDonald, worked with Metro Vancouver’s Madeleine Design Group on the interiors of their 5,440-square-foot custom home in Anmore, north of Port Moody.
Going in, Alladina was a huge fan of all things Restoration Hardware, for instance. Creative director Madeleine Sloback and her team found ways to integrate some of Alladina’s Restoration wish list — while gently pushing back on others to preserve the big picture.
Alladina was grateful for the holistic approach. “It was about having the expertise, and having somebody there showing you your options and having your back, because Madeleine would not say yes to everything, but she would bring me options or tell me why,” says Alladina.
Beginning from a blank slate can be overwhelming. Just a few years ago, the couple were out hunting for a property with their builder, Alair Homes. When they finally found the right lot — a piece of former farmland in Anmore — Vancouver design firm Zed Studio came onboard draw up the architectural plans.
In the meantime, the couple approached Alladina’s parents about moving in with them. “They were going to downsize into a condo, and so we kind of pitched them the idea,” she says. “They weren’t sold on it at first.” But they came around, and from there, the structure took shape: a sprawling 4,497 square-foot main house with a 946-square-foot in-law suite.
Board-and-batten cladding, stonework and a black metal roof lend a modern farmhouse vibe to the home’s exterior.
For the interiors, Alladina wanted grey. Slobac focused on creating a warmed-up version of the palette to keep it timeless. Monochromatic, but with some life. “Making grey warm was one of our biggest missions,” says Sloback.
She calls the rest of the home’s esthetic “contemporary luxe”: “It’s got a little bit of glitz, but it’s very understated luxury,” she says. “It’s quite a grand house, but the more casual textures and elements we brought in give it an understated feel.”
On the glitzy side are glass pendant fixtures and a rectangular chandelier from Alladina’s favourite, Restoration Hardware, in the kitchen and dining room. An eight-by-13-foot kitchen island — so large that Alladina has to climb on top of it to clean — provides roomy seating and entertaining space.
With 20-foot ceilings, the home’s expansive great room could easily have felt echo-y and impersonal. But not on Sloback’s watch. “When you walk into the home, it does feel warm and cosy, and that’s achieved through texture and materials, and the ambience created with layering of light, different tonal values and texture,” she says. “But then you also have openness and space for a lot of people.” The couple do a lot of entertaining, she adds, and even hosted their own wedding shortly after the home was completed (which might be why dress shopping was top-of-mind for Alladina).
A two-storey stone-and-steel fireplace anchors the living room, while clever engineering — and hidden steel beams — allows glass doors to roll open from a corner of the living room to an L-shaped patio. Cantilevered stairs wrap around a concrete column, leading to a 22-foot bridge that overlooks the great room, connecting the home’s primary wing with other bedrooms, while keeping the space open.
Though technically challenging, these details were among the most satisfying to bring to life, says Alair Homes Vancouver partner David Babakaiff. “It creates a really airy feeling, with the cantilevered stairs and open area underneath for a garden,” he says. “All of these elements create a really great feeling in the space.”
Upstairs, his-and-hers ensuites reflect the couple’s differing tastes. “Brad wanted this dark, moody bathroom, and I like bright white, so we were like, let’s just do two,” says Alladina. His features a charcoal-and-black palette, and a urinal (yes), while layered white tile, soft blue cabinetry and a built-in vanity deliver on Alladina’s light-and-bright vision. A linear fireplace next to the bathtub feels decadent, paired with a crystal chandelier, sconces and accent lighting.
And there are no design compromises in the in-law suite. Sloback and her team carried the finishes of the main house throughout, customizing for the older couple’s taste with warmer tones, transitional touches and extra durability.
“They’ve got grandkids over there on a regular basis. So, it was also about making sure things are suitable for kids to be around. Like, the rug in the great room there is not a delicate rug. It can withstand some spills,” says Sloback.
Alladina and MacDonald are now fully settled in, as are her parents. “I don’t think they’ve ever been happier. They say it’s best thing they’ve ever done,” says Alladina. “They’re safe, secure — they know they’re taken care of.”
Interior Design: Madeleine Sloback & Carol Chan, Madeleine Design Group
Construction: Alair Homes
Architectural Design: Zed Studio
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2025-05-01T17:44:32Z