When her husband was transferred to Vancouver in 2009, Montrealer Ann Gallery followed with their two young sons in tow. But it would be take another year before they found a place to live. “We wanted a character home – that is, a home to which little had been done. And in downtown Vancouver, that was hard to find,” says the owner of PR firm High View Communications. The family’s search ended with Jupp House, a historic West Vancouver property built in 1926 for E.J. Jupp, the district’s land surveyor, who had his pick of lots. Nestled on a half-acre of land with a high stone wall around lush gardens, the Colonial-revival-style home has views north to Cypress Mountain, west to the Pacific Ocean and south to Stanley Park. The living room came with an original wood-burning fireplace, a rarity in Vancouver. “We have it lit almost every time we are in the room,” says Gallery. “It makes the living room warm and cozy.”
The sofas
“These were custom-made by Omega Design in Vancouver. I pulled the colour from the painting. They are super deep and so very comfortable. The fabric has chenille in it, which makes it really soft.”
The trays
“The three resin trays are by Vancouver design maven Martha Sturdy, who happens to be one of my clients. I represent her new fine-art sculpture line. But she didn’t give them to me; I went out and bought them because I wanted to have something by her. I really love her work. The trays are stacked, and I can unstack them for cocktail parties, spreading them around.”
The cushions
“I had these made. The wool plaid fabric is by Ralph Lauren and it’s cozy on winter nights. The little one is made of red corduroy.”
The lamp
“This is by Mottega, a lamp maker known for its bright colours. You choose the base and then the lampshade, designing them yourself. I was scared of the red at first. It’s such a strong colour. But now I love the pop it brings to the room.”
The prints
“This pair of prints are from Guelph, Ont. printmaker Tammy Ratcliff. They are of petals and are quite intricate but also very delicate. She doesn’t really sell pairs. You have to go through her prints and find two that speak to you.”
The painting
“This is by Quebec artist Sylvain Louis– Seize, which I found here in Vancouver at the Winsor Gallery. The scene reminds me of my parents’ farm in the Eastern Townships. I like the wheaty colours and the rich blue sky. I allowed the painting to dictate the other colours in the room.”
The fireplace
“We refaced the fireplace and while pulling away the old blue tile we found a heap of Christmas cards from the 1920s as well as an invitation from the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia to a tea party in 1928. They had likely once been on display and had fallen. The design we chose for the new, honed-granite mantel was intended to flow with the built-ins, which were part of the home’s original design.”
The candle holders
“The metal-birch vases (to the left of the painting) and the candle holders are made by Michael Aram, a decorative artist from the U.S. I love the texture, height and dark colour of them. They are made of oxidized aluminum.” The chairs “These are antique bergère chairs from my Brockville, Ont. grandmother. I had them recovered to pull out the blue in the painting. I painted them black to make them look contemporary. The fabric is velvet, which is nice to the touch.”
The chairs
“These are antique bergère chairs from my Brockville, Ont. grandmother. I had them recovered to pull out the blue in the painting. I painted them black to make them look contemporary. The fabric is velvet, which is nice to the touch.”