douglas

Victoria's Premier House Tour In Support Of The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria

Sep 12, 2010

Experience six fabulous Victoria homes and gardens.

This year all of the seven houses are located in the Saanich Peninsula. The House Tour allows guests to walk through these amazing homes and gardens and explore some of the best architecture, building concepts and interior design styles in Western Canada. Enhancing this once in a lifetime opportunity to visit some of the finest homes in Greater Victoria is the chance to watch some of the region’s exciting visual artists working on site at each house. Each house is also decorated by local floral designers from the Victoria Flower Arrangers’ Guild who have matched their flair with the style of the homes.

This unforgettable one-day tour offers an opportunity to glimpse at an inspiring array of architecture and design including:

• A modern home set high on a bluff overlooking the Satellite channel, inspired by the magnificent natural beauty of the site. The dramatic copper clad building is solid and private as approached, however once inside, floor to ceiling glass opens to the view as the land falls away to the sea. 
• A precipitous, spectacular property with a wonderfully renovated 900 sq. ft. 1960s bungalow.  Following renovation this 3400 sq. ft. contemporary home uses innovative materials and techniques to complement its steep West Coast terrain.
• A contemporary West Coast craftsman style house overlooking Satellite Channel and Salt Spring Island was designed between 1995 and 2000 by the owners with an eye to suiting the landscape, bringing the outside world inside visually, and making it as bright as possible, even on the darkest days.
• A retirement home designed to incorporate the owner’s furniture and art collected over many years.  The “bridge” to the front door is a spectacular welcome to a home that is exquisitely crafted with an eye to showcasing the owner’s collections.
• A modern home designed to take advantage of the site showing off the douglas fir woodwork and to bring the outdoors and the light inside as much as possible.  The home is very contemporary, with simple interiors and with each room connected to the outdoor space.
• A modern “farmhouse” designed by the owner as an accessible home, with wide doorways and halls and spacious rooms.  True to the farm heritage, the kitchen/great room is its centre, with views of the fields beyond through expansive windows.
• A renovated 1960s home overlooking Elk Lake and the ocean that serves as a showpiece for the owner’s incredible art collection.  Designed to give a sense of space and light, the house was constructed to take advantage of the spectacular views.  

House Tour Chair, Joan Huzar:  “This year, the 56th Annual Art Gallery House Tour brings you ‘a day on the peninsula’, an opportunity to explore a section of Greater Victoria that may not be familiar to everyone.  Wonderful views of ocean and countryside await you on the 2010 Tour, along with truly remarkable homes.”