Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/226563
MODERN CULTURE (Left) Homeowners Kevin and Joan transformed a traditional Taiwanese family home into a contemporary space by opening up walls, highlighting architectural details and purchasing contemporary furniture and accessories such as the Nelson Saucer light. (Chairs and light from informinteriors. com; dining table from moeshome.ca) GOOD AS NEW (Right) The couple cut costs by keeping the orginal cabinetry boxes and replacing birchwood front panels with white, flatfront cabinetry. An expensivelooking floating shelf is actually a sanded piece of plywood. The home was then punctuated with ultra-modern lighting from a Nelson saucer pendant over the dining table to an arc floor lamp in the living room. And while there were plenty of decorative features worth saving, other things needed to go, from old green carpeting to an oversized black leather sofa with a waterfall back and red piping. Kevin's mom kept to her word and gave the couple creative licence when it came to design, but that doesn't mean she didn't have opinions. "It was tough because there was a lot of new, expensive furniture that she couldn't understand why we were getting rid of," says Kevin. "It wasn't our style." When it came to building, Kevin allayed his mom's fears by having a feng shui master review all construction and design plans. "I brought in the feng shui master as an independent third party, as a person with authority," says Kevin. Like many young couples, Kevin and Joan had to modify their plans to the fit their budget. As a result, they ended up focusing their attention on the room where they spend the most time: the kitchen. 54 p52-57_Chen_Home.indd 54 | november 201 3 bcliving.ca 13-10-25 4:20 PM