Decorating & Design
October 2, 2024
Lyndon Cormack And Tori Quarles’ B.C. Retreat Is Complete With The Addition Of A Vintage Camper
Lyndon Cormack is inclined toward whimsy. When the co-founder and managing director of Herschel Supply Co. and his partner, Tori Quarles, renovated their Woodlands house in North Vancouver, they kept the upside-down canoe in the kitchen rafters with pot lights in the paddles and added hundreds of Bocci pendants throughout the house. At night, the glowing glass balls make it feel like you’re standing underneath a bloom of jellyfish.
When it was time to add a guest retreat and office on the property, Lyndon knew the new spaces would need to live up to the playful spirit of the house. Lyndon’s design style can be described as fun but not flashy — classic with a twist. “My properties are lived-in, shoes-on kind of places,” he says. “I’m not into big, glossy and new. I like patina and things that have a story to tell.”
They wanted a separate guest space for friends, away from the busy mornings with Lyndon’s two daughters at the main house. It also needed to be memorable and worlds away from a hotel experience. A shiny, 31-foot-long, 1953 Spartan Spartanette camper in South Carolina caught Lyndon’s eye on an auction site. He won it, and the camper journeyed west, navigating the hairpin turns on switchback roads that led to the family property.
To reimagine the trailer as guest quarters, plus create a separate 400-square-foot office, Lyndon (pictured) enlisted architect Mark Burkart of Little Giant and Struction Projects as general contractor. Mark had designed the family’s place in Whistler and Lyndon and Mark were friends.
The trailer and office are sited above the main house, nestled amidst the towering cedars and Douglas firs on a steep slope. The effect is both secluded and inviting. “There’s beautiful salal undergrowth that’s ubiquitous on the West Coast,” says Mark. “The structures float above all that on piles and have panoramic views of the ocean.” The trailer is encased in a modern wood carport with an adjacent deck boasting a firepit.
Tori Quarles at the camper. The aluminum exterior contrasts with the warm wood panelling and pink marble and millwork just inside. A custom Corten steel firepit by industrial designer Christopher Spears is a perfect place to gather in the evening.
Inside, the original Spartanette interior has been stripped back and reinsulated. Within the trailer’s 300 square feet, smart design choices make the snug sitting area, kitchenette, powder room and bedroom sing. A mirror in the powder room, for instance, visually widens the space, and the kitchenette is compact and functional.
“We didn’t put in a full-blown kitchen,” says Mark. “This is perfect for breakfast and coffee.” The natural beauty of the surroundings informed the design, which is infused with modern and playful touches. The original wood panelling and retro fridge were retained (they were just too cool to toss), but Mark brought in custom dusty rose marble and bubblegum pink millwork that would thrill Barbie, creating an edgy mix of modern and retro elements.
“We’ve woven the rustic with the refined, and the natural with the contemporary,” says Lyndon. Their guests have no complaints. “They say waking up in the middle of the forest is surreal.”
Glowing Bocci lights illuminate the trailer’s powder room; a bronze-tinted mirror visually extends the space.
A window provides a cross-breeze. “The trailer feels loungey and has a chill vibe,” says Mark.
Removing the trailer’s original shower boosts the interior space even more. Its replacement, a marble-clad enclosure that protrudes out of the camper on the deck, means guests now shower under a canopy of trees.
A series of cedar steps going down the slope connects the trailer to another building, Lyndon’s office. Design cues for this space came from the main house just below, a quirky, artful expression of 1970s Pacific Northwest style with plenty of wood elements. “Materially, we connected the two so it became a piece of the main house up on the hillside,” says Lyndon.
Here, Lyndon has everything he could possibly need: a panoramic view of the ocean, an oak-clad library, and a 1970s-style den with a wood-burning fireplace.
The overgrouted stone wall and vintage butterscotch-hued Maralunga lounge chairs add to the cozy appeal. Suspended in the corner are more of Lyndon’s beloved Bocci lights — he’s a friend of designer Omer Arbel. Filled with personal artifacts, this private sanctuary is both a tranquil escape and a place for creativity. “Though it’s only a couple of minutes from the main house, I feel like I’m in my own world,” he says.
On exceptionally early days, if he’s taking business calls from Europe or Asia in the office before heading out to work, Lyndon ends the “early shift” with a favorite diversion. “I get straight into the ocean, whether it’s boating, swimming or wake surfing,” he says. “One of the special features here is our amazing dock on the glacial fjord, Indian Arm.” Now that’s a marvellous West Coast upgrade to the beginning of the workday.
Ema Peter
House & Home
Mark Burkart