The Still Life House
The Still Life House is a 2400 square foot private residence situated by the beachside neighbourhood, Kits Point in Vancouver British Columbia.
The project was an authentic collaboration between the homeowners, David Bergman and Daniel Ching, principal of Untitled design agency.
Bergman is the creative director of an international fashion label, and has worked in the creative direction of several luxury brands. Naturally, Bergman has sound knowledge in various realms of design, including architecture and interior design. Bergman and his wife, Linda Bergman, who is an executive at another international fashion label, relocated from Sweden to Canada with their two young daughters.
A character home reimagined — was the design intent of this renovation project. As this house had traditional architectural forms, we wanted to reinterpret how a “modern” renovation can suit a character home. In fact, during the early stages of the project, the homeowners were after an unapologetically modern interior, which proved to be challenging. The dialogue between the intrinsic architecture of the home and a true-to-form modern interior was disjointed. As the interiors were developed, a softer interior language came to light. While a strong language of clean lines was maintained, the material palette was steeped in old-world traditions — which became a key design element.
The color and material palette was a practice of restraint; unifying materials were carried through the house. Traditional materials such as the limestone counters and fireplace hearth, the fir wood floors, and oak millwork — all stayed true to form. Materials were purposefully unadorned and allowed to patina over time. It was a contemplated effort to forego typical modern-engineered materials, to balance the bones of a character home, and the minimalism of the modern design.
Conducive to an old-world material palette, several pieces of vintage furniture collected by Bergman are found throughout the house. Collectible pieces include items by Nakashima, Hans Wegner, Charlotte Perriand, Poul Kjaerholm, Jorgen Kastholm, Preben Fabricius, Norman Cherner, Jasper Morrison, Serge Mouille, and Isamu Noguchi.
Newer classics such as the Minotaure Armchair by Pierre Augustin Rose, and the Extrasoft sofa by Piero Lissoni were added to the homeowner’s collection.
Bespoke furniture was designed specifically for this project’s environment; which is an important element for interiors by Untitled design agency. The dining table, desks, beds, and night tables were developed specifically for this project. This project-specific furniture design philosophy was adopted from design masters whose pieces are found throughout this project. Untitled design agency’s furniture line often introduces furniture designs from interior projects into the product lineup.
Bergman’s art collection seen throughout the house includes pieces by Inez and Vinoodh, Roberta Bailey, Larry Clark, Alasdair McClellan, Wolfgang Tillmans, Elisabeth Peyton. Eddie Wrey, Robert Rauschenberg, Casper Sejersen, and Sterling Ruby.
