City Homes
November 29, 2021
Step Inside Kimberly and David Jones’ Magical Christmas Home In North Vancouver
Kimberly and David have a lot to celebrate. Onetime high school sweethearts in North Vancouver, the couple set out on a years-long journey that took them to Denver, where David first played in the NHL for the Colorado Avalanche, Calgary and, finally, Minnesota. Along the way, they married, had three kids (Ronan, 9, Greta, 6, and Hugh, 4) and owned seven houses. When David recently retired, they were overjoyed to return to their roots in North Vancouver to build and design their forever home with the help of Kelly Deck, and settle down for the long term.
After finding a lot in Edgemont Village, the couple embarked on the design-build project, which took just under two years to complete. Andy Friesen of Su Casa led the architectural design and Kelly took on the interior design. For her part, Kimberly finally had the opportunity to dive into the look and feel of their home — she personally curated and selected the furniture and decorating elements. “When you move around a lot, you have all these beautiful memories in different places,” she says. “But when we moved here, that’s when I delved into decorating — because I got to stay.”
The home also needed to set the stage for the holidays, where they’d create new traditions and welcome extended family.“I dreamed of building a few things in this house for the holiday experience,” says Kimberly. For starters, there’s the massive hearth in the great room. “We lived in Denver for six years, and we’d often head to the mountains and sit around ski lodges with huge fireplaces,” she says. The family now spends Christmas Eve singing together around the substantial fireplace, and the kids love to put on shows. “It’s a really special gathering place.”
Scroll down to tour this merry and bright family home!
The exterior living room has cosy throws and a vintage fondue set that are ideal for West Coast winter evenings.
Throughout the house, vignettes evoke memories of Christmases past. “Twas the Night Before Christmas, The Nutcracker and my childhood family traditions were the beginning of my love for the holidays,” says Kimberly. “Then, through David’s hockey career, having a family and collaborating on this home, our love for the holidays is continuing here. It’s really a full-circle moment.”
The homeowners’ lantern collection decorates the entrance.
The front entry’s tumbled stone floor is classic but durable, perfect for kids and pets. Another key architectural feature built with Christmas in mind was the main stairway and landing. Kimberly says ’Twas the Night Before Christmas left a lasting impression on her as a child. “The moment those kids come down those stairs and into the living room — that was so magical to me,” she says.
The holiday theme is carried into the kitchen with greenery and candelabras that flank the range. Kelly chose two colors for the traditional frame cabinets: Benjamin Moore’s Halo and Sherwin-Williams’ Mindful Gray.
Holiday traditions were a huge part of Kimberly’s childhood. “Growing up, my family home was all about Christmas: cedar boughs on the stairs, so much cooking in the kitchen, my mom and dad baking cookies and delivering them to family and friends,” she says.
Holiday Style Steal: Display vintage serveware and crystal coupes to bring sparkle to drink stations.
Floating shelves are hardwired with vintage-look miniature freestanding lamps.
“Beautiful cakes and tarts add to the Christmas experience,” says Kimberly. “Placing gorgeous food around the house is a great way to add holiday style.”
The children’s playroom has a whimsical tree decorated with string beans, little mice and candy canes.
Holiday Style Steal: Decorating with vintage wooden advent calendars and nesting dolls brings a festive vibe to rooms.
Kimberly and David with their kids, Hugh (left), Greta and Ronan, getting cosy by the fire.
“I realize now how many of my family traditions played into the design of this home,” says Kimberly. For Christmas, Kimberly and Kelly teamed up on the decorating front to bring the Jones traditions to life. Dressed for the holidays, the house is overflowing with fresh greenery and charming vignettes, with vintage pieces and accents around every corner. The great room seems custom made for a holiday tree and the dining room is perfect for a Christmas feast. Festive inspiration came from many places: a nutcracker, a tree decorated with a pearl garland, an old world Christmas picture and even an image of a 19th-century dress that Kelly happened upon. The palette is in shades of cinnamon, brown, burgundy, olive and antique gold. “Color is so important,” says Kelly.
Designer Kelly Deck sets the table in the light-filled dining room. “We chose to use rich, muted tones throughout,” she says. In keeping with the nostalgic vibe, Kimberly sourced antique velvet ribbon and accents on Etsy in the U.K.
Holiday Style Steal: Set a mini gingerbread house at each place setting for a charming surprise as guests sit down to dinner.
The family visited Oh Christmas Tree Farm to cut down a massive 15-foot- tall noble fir for the great room.
Kelly aimed to create a timeless, inviting house that was both relaxed and elegant. Every hinge, moulding, fixture, cabinet and finish was considered with that context in mind — think unlacquered brass, French doors and vintage fixtures. “Wooden French doors take up the same area as retractable doors, but there’s a wonderful romance to them when they open onto a patio,” says Kelly. The home was designed to be sophisticated but also livable. For instance, wire-brushed oak flooring with a matte finish was a resilient choice that could handle a scratch or two.
Ema Peter
House & Home November 2021
Interior Design: Kelly Deck, Architectural Design: Su Casa