City Homes
Designer Ami McKay Brings Light, Colour And Curves To An Early-1970s Vancouver Home
Published on April 7, 2026
What happens when a family who loves colour meets a house that doesn’t have any? In this “Vancouver Special” — a boxy house style built for efficiency rather than beauty — designer Ami McKay flipped the floor plan and leaned in to bold hues to create a home that now feels joyful, grounded and personal.
The transformation began the moment homeowner Julie Wilson shared her wish list. “She told me she’d always dreamed of a yellow kitchen and a pink bathroom,” says Ami. “I got so excited — I knew right away these clients were unafraid of colour, creativity and a bit of playful magic.”
The renovation took eight months and involved significant structural work, including rebuilding the lower-level foundation. Staying within budget was a challenge (“We did go over by about 25 per cent,” admits Julie), but the impact has been profound. “Having a home designed exactly to your life is an immense privilege,” she says. “Being surrounded by beauty and calm every day has made a real difference in how we feel.”
That sense of calm is the result of careful, deliberate choices. By working with the home’s original footprint rather than against it, Ami showed how even one of Vancouver’s most maligned house styles can be elevated with thoughtful design. In the end, this Vancouver Special doesn’t deny what it is — it simply shows what it can become.
Keep reading for a tour of the home!
The 2,200-square-foot, three-bedroom house belongs to Julie, her husband, Brock Hayes, and their two young sons. Built in 1970, it still had many charming period details. Some bedrooms and bathrooms, a cosy lounge and the laundry room were moved to the ground level while, upstairs, walls were removed and ceilings vaulted to follow the roofline, creating an airy kitchen, dining and living area.
Designer Ami McKay.
“We knew we needed to reorient the space.” Ami’s connection to the couple came about organically: she first met Brock through his window company, West Coast Windows, a company Ami had worked with for her own home. That professional relationship turned into a creative collaboration when Brock mentioned he’d just purchased a Vancouver Special in need of TLC. Ami and her design-build team dived in, reimagining the house from the inside out while keeping the existing structure intact.
A new front door and planters full of greenery beckon you inside.
“It really felt like a family home, with thoughtful millwork and clever storage,” says Julie. But as their family grew, the layout no longer worked. All the living and sleeping spaces were on the upper floor, while the lower level was underused. “We were tripping over each other,” she says.
The once-cramped foyer was opened up and elevated with pale wood stairs.
“Natural light is central to my design philosophy,” says Ami. “Once a home is lit from multiple directions, it completely changes how the space feels — and it becomes a joy to layer in colour and texture.” A new skylight greets you in the kitchen while enlarged windows at the front and back allow daylight to flow freely throughout the upper floor.
A terrazzo-look porcelain tile floor sets a playful tone while an integrated bench brings the colour.
Off-white walls bring brightness to the living room while low-profile furniture keeps sight lines clear. The fireplace surround has modern style.
The design draws on modern Scandinavian restraint combined with warmth, whimsy and handcrafted details. Curves play a starring role, softening the home’s rectangular footprint. A rounded chimney breast and sculptural fireplace anchor the living room, and arched millwork, curved shelving and custom rounded wood pulls repeat the motif. “The curves are one of our favourite things about the design,” says Julie. “They draw your eye to these colourful moments.”
The new floor plan places the kitchen, living and dining rooms on the upper level. A curved green feature wall defines the kitchen and dining zones and, in the living room, open shelving with rounded edges is perfect for displaying books and objets.
Layered arches create a visual, unifying rhythm throughout the open-plan space. Circular wood pulls add warmth to the clean-lined cabinets.
Homeowners Brock Hayes and Julie Wilson.
Colour is used confidently and with intention. The kitchen’s butter yellow lower cabinets bring warmth, balanced by ash flooring and white oak accents.
The kitchen’s skylight floods the space with natural light.
Pale yellow cabinets are paired with white tile and streamlined appliances for a fresh, modern look.
The extra-long island combines prep space, seating and storage.
Graphic art and an angular pendant feel right at home in the kitchen.
Nearby, a generous banquette in the dining area is set off by a rounded green feature wall that cleverly houses a pantry on the kitchen side. An arched opening is a clever way to bring curves — and storage — into the kitchen.
The dining area’s built-in banquette maximizes seating and comfort, proving that family-friendly solutions can still feel sculptural and refined.
A fun colour scheme and mix of tile treatments bring energy to the powder room.
Clean-lined furniture and a restrained palette contribute to the calm feeling in the principal bedroom.
Colour blocking in terracotta-pink wraps the walls and ceiling in the principal ensuite, resulting in a subtle banded effect that feels both warm and contemporary.
The kids’ bathroom features graphic flooring, a moody navy on the ceiling and walls, and crisp white shower tile.
Downstairs, a peach-hued laundry room illustrates that even the most utilitarian spaces can feel inviting with colour.
Janis Nicolay
House & Home
Ami McKay, Pure Design Inc.