The Idea
We would finally like to introduce the world to a project that has been in the works within the Red Frog office since the winter of 2016. As a member of the interior design community for over 10 years now, I have seen how much damage we can create to the environment as humans. The desire for beautiful, awe-inspiring spaces is a consistent request, but with a priority placed on being economical, not sustainable. This being said, I have also seen an alternative path presented. It was with the idea in mind to help make a positive impact; a group of people came together and began with one house!
We started here!
This 1952-built corner lot home in the Highlands neighbourhood was in desperate need of attention. Unfortunately, the existing exterior walls were not salvageable due to some long term insect inhabitants. Located on the boulevard, the view of the Edmonton river valley was too good to pass up!
The Inspiration
While travelling in New Zealand a few months after we acquired the property, we were inspired by this home and the way it pulled together many elements we love. The glass and visibility to the river valley were a priority (and would also become one of the harder compromises - more on that later). The I-beams paired with the warm wood gave me many ideas on pairing natural elements with a modern flair that I hadn’t seen much in Alberta at that point.
The Concept
After many layouts and revamps, our team came to a consensus. Our priorities were to help increase density in a desirable area, to provide the best possible views of the green space across the boulevard, and to build as environmentally conscious as we could while showing that the aesthetic and open concept didn’t need to be sacrificed. The build will include a main house with an attached garage and a separate garden suite as shown in the rendering (Thanks Jade Technologies for turning our design and sketches into this initial rendering).
I am looking forward to taking you all on our journey as we build this beautiful home. From design decisions, to what is net zero, and explaining the construction process along the way – Hopefully we have plenty of good, bad and unexpected to share that can be of value to you. We would love to hear your thoughts and questions along the way, so please reach out!