West 21st Vancouver, BC home, Canadian 1970s residential property, British Columbia real estate

West 21st Residence in Vancouver

post updated December 27, 2025

Architects: project22design

Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Photos: Jesse Laver

December 22, 2022

West 21st, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

The West 21st is a renovation job of a circa-1970s house included redesigning the kitchen with the client’s favourite colour: yellow. This playful palette was balanced with muted greys and natural-ash veneer cabinets that have the look of unfinished plywood (another client request). Custom cutout handles add to the relaxed aesthetic, as do the fun forms of the light fixture over the island.

The oversize island is designed for conversational seating, and the cooktop (with a downdraft vent) was relocated by a wall beneath the existing angled ceiling (for functionality, the sloped ceiling above the cooktop was clad in engineered quartz, a solid surface that’s easy to clean and durable).

The concrete-look Caesarstone countertops temper the yellow, and the large-scale porcelain floor tiles also mimic matte concrete.

The thoughtful interplay of finishes continues in the upstairs powder room, where a graphic pattern of Mutina tiles runs the length of the wall in the lively yellow that’s a touchstone throughout but doesn’t overwhelm the character home. Downstairs, the daughters’ bathroom has the same palette with more playful tiles by Mutina and natural-ash millwork (including a niche for toothbrushes), complemented by a semi-recessed sink, pill-shaped mirror and more soft greys and a misty blue.