Custom Everything at a Newfoundland Transitional Home
Ocean views from every room dictated the design of this Newfoundland, Canada, residence. Woodworker Jeff Parsons and his wife, Ellie Brennan, hunted for two years to find the ideal plot of land within driving distance of Newfoundland’s capital. The beautiful location has a more isolated texture, but the comforts of city living are only a short drive away.
The couple designed their new house to embrace stunning waterfront views, add a large back deck and have the area to get a basement carpentry shop. Parsons customized every inch, in the kitchen cabinets to the bedroom furniture, developing a layout that maximizes the beautiful sights and preserves privacy.
at a Glance
Who lives here: Jeff Parsons, Ellie Brennan and their teenagers, Timothy and Samantha
Location: Portugal Cove-St. Phillips, Newfoundland
Size: 2,400 square feet; 3 bedrooms, 3 1/2 bathrooms, basement carpentry workshop
Becki Peckham
The entrance opens into an open kitchen Parsons built. White walls and lotion cabinetry contrast a stained solid birch island top and granite counters, while the backsplash includes lotion ceramic mosaic tiles plus a band of contrasting red-brown glass tiles. Double wall ovens create mealtime easier; Parsons likes to cook and daughter Samantha likes to bake.
Wall paint: Wedding White, Glidden
Becki Peckham
Windows surround the joint dining area. A chocolate wall shade visually separates the space from the adjoining kitchen. While the house does not have a formal dining room yet, Parsons plans to rip out the present pantry and laundry room and build a committed dining space.
Becki Peckham
A custom built-in circular banquette, which seats up to 10, provides a unique approach to seating inside this square-shaped alcove. The mirror on the wall supporting reflects views of the bay.
Mirror: Bombay, dining table: Hayward Interiors
Becki Peckham
Brennan inherited this ship captain’s seat from her father, who in 1965 acquired it as a present from the captain . The classic stained glass at the window had been a part of a cabinet door.
Becki Peckham
This built-in desk and shelving between the living and kitchen area stores cookbooks and reveals a few of Brennan’s teapots. Additionally, it gives a convenient place for doing homework.
Becki Peckham
A floor-to-ceiling cultured stone fireplace adds texture to the living room, complementing the heavy brown hardwood flooring. A natural solid wood mantel finishes the look. “We enjoy the warmth of conventional finishings but also appreciate the minimalist aspect of modern design,” says Parsons.
Vases: Winners, clock: Bombay
Becki Peckham
The couple loves to unwind and spend time on their covered rear deck. Outdoor infrared heaters surround the space to warm up those cold Newfoundland summertime. Glass-paneled railings maintain the crystal clear perspective and shelter the space from the components. Parsons painted a part of the deck to look like a rug he saw in a magazine.
Furniture: Canadian Tire
Becki Peckham
The two-year search for this particular bit of land was well worthwhile. This deck perspective of this valley with Conception Bay and Bell Island in the background is magnificent.
Becki Peckham
The entryway has a very long custom-built bench. Stained glass sidelights custom designed using a product named Side Glass Overlay fit the glass at the entry door.
The office’s location, right off the front porch, makes it easy for customers to visit without having to walk throughout the entire home.
Becki Peckham
The house’s open notion has the main living area in the middle, sandwiched by the bedrooms and bathrooms on either side.
In Timothy’s bedroom, a custom headboard and built in closets keep things tidy. Simple, minimalist bedding was chosen to give this room an adult feel. Both teenagers have their own personal bathroom.
Becki Peckham
A daring black and white background adds style to this very small half bathroom, which has no windows and small space to decorate. Parsons chose an undersize modern sink and vanity that sit tight to the wall to save space.
Background, vanity: Home Depot
Becki Peckham
The gray master bedroom veers in the off-white hues in the rest of the house. Parsons made a built in headboard that fits perfectly between the wall and the window. Each end table has its own light.
The couple enjoys exactly the exact same amazing ocean view here as from the deck, due to floor-to-ceiling windows.
Becki Peckham
The master bathroom has a tub and a large vanity. A panoramic window above the tub lets in natural light without sacrificing privacy.
Becki Peckham
These stairs lead down in the house’s main-level bedrooms to Parson’s basement workshop place. The stairwell’s high ceiling makes the wall a ideal place to showcase this old church window framework, which originated out of a church on Exploits Island, Notre Dame Bay.
Becki Peckham
Corner windows extend all of the way up the stairway, allowing in natural light and views of character.
Becki Peckham
Parsons designed his basement workshop with a view of Conception Bay. The attached garage makes loading and unloading tools and projects easy. Additionally, it functions as a temporary storage area for big jobs, keeping the main work place free of clutter.
Becki Peckham
Parsons equipped his workshop with all the tools and machines necessary for furniture building. A committed central vacuum system using in-floor ducting routed to the huge power tools and a massive air filtration system keep dust out of the main house. In-floor heating warms the cold concrete on chilly winter days.
Becki Peckham
A huge front veranda, dark brown wood clapboard and cedar shake siding, and big eave overhangs increase the charm of this Craftsman-style home. The colour of the front door with stained glass windows plays off the cedar shakes.
Becki Peckham
Jeff Parsons and Ellie Brennan enjoy a cup of tea on their favorite part of the house, the rear deck.
Even though they have been at the house for two years, there are still jobs to be finished and things to be changed — such as landscaping and constructing a massive basement home theater. Brennan says,”I don’t think we will ever be carried out. Once we complete a job, they always can find a new one”
