My Houzz: European Minimalism in the Canadian Treetops

Hard to imagine that this clean and bright home in the lush treetops of Vancouver was once "badly maintained, dirty and smelly, with dingy carpet," as its owner, architectural designer Anja Henche, describes it. Henche spent a year refreshing the house, first by opening the upper-level floor plan and knocking down a wall, then completely revamping an enclosed kitchen layout to maximize the surrounding views, which include nearby Eagle Harbour. She overcame the home's unpleasant beginnings by adding new whitewashed oak floors, crisp white walls and crystal-clear skylights that create a light-filled fortress in the canopy.

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Anja Henche, son Anton (age 13), daughter Ella (11) and dog Max
Location: West Vancouver
Size: 2,300 square feet; 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms

The upper level is devoted to the dining, kitchen and living areas. Naturally, Henche hangs out here the most. "It feels fantastic to be high up in the trees and very private," she says.

What was once an outdated box of a kitchen is now a bright and modern space open to the dining and living areas. The Sub-Zero fridge had to be craned in, because it did not fit through the staircase. "It took three different crane vehicle attempts until a very short truck could make it up my very steep driveway. Luckily, it worked in the end," Henche says.

She designed the kitchen island with entertaining in mind. The drop-down bar countertop is a 3-foot-thick rift-cut white oak veneer.

Stools: Bombo Stool by Magis, Inform Interiors; painting: Regine Spangenthal


The 19-millimeter-thick Fox Island granite countertops are from Stone Galaxy in North Vancouver. Henche replaced an outdated and murky skylight with a new one to bring in crisp natural light.

Sink, faucet: Cantu; appliances: Wolf, Sub-Zero and Asko


To make up for a lack of kitchen storage, Henche designed a floating console just off the kitchen, with colored panel doors and color-changing LED lights beneath. Antique iron measuring cups from Europe are displayed on top.


A classic pendant light by Achille Castiglioni that Henche picked up in Europe hangs over a rustic secondhand wood table.

Dining table: The Carriage House; pendant: Frisbi for Flos by Castiglioni


Metal hand railings were painted white, while another small, dingy skylight was replaced with a larger custom-size one.

Painting: Regine Spangenthal


Henche designed and upholstered a custom sectional with bright orange Tritex fabric to give the living room a jolt of color. In true European style, she added Gaulhofer Windows from Austria. The Tilt and Turn model shown here in the living area is an inward-swinging window operated with only one handle for an easy-to-use three-position operation: locking, opening and tilting.

The wood artwork above the sofa is from the set of a small Vancouver production and was a gift from Henche's friend.

Sofa: Vance Upholstery; side chair: Chi armchair, 18 Karat; coffee table: Noguchi Table, Living Space


Having the mountains and ocean within walking distance is appealing to Henche. "I was also attracted to the straight lines and boxiness of the space," she says. The telescope affords close-up views of Thunderbird Marina in Eagle Harbour.


The previous homeowners used this space as a dining room, but Henche turned it into a lounge. The fireplace was once a shiny gold. Henche sprayed it with matte black barbecue grill paint to give it a more modern finish.

A woman's bust figure was a gift from one of Henche's clients. She spray painted it silver to complement the Fatboy beanbag chair. The horse statue is from Peking Lounge in Vancouver's Chinatown, while the Wassily side chair was purchased in Basel, Switzerland.

Cowhide rug: Ikea, side tables: Living Space


"The two bathrooms were totally dated — 1970s. Dark blue tiles, old toilets, old tub. The lighting was awful," she says. Glass shower tiles in Henche's favorite shade of green and a sleek white floating vanity gave this one a much-needed update.

Faucet, showerhead: Newform; toilet: Duravit; teal statue: Peking Lounge


By extending the north wall and taking room from the laundry and storage area, Henche made this en suite bathroom larger. It now has a tiled-in shower behind the doorway. The custom mirror is full height from the counter to the ceiling and doubles as a backsplash.

Toilet, sink basin: Duravit; faucet: Newform; artwork: Pjätteryd, Ikea


The landscape artwork in Henche's bedroom is a photo she shot of the Oregon coast that she printed on canvas.

Bedding: Bed Bath & Beyond; bed frame: Nood (now closed); side chair: HomeSense; bedside table, lamps: Ikea


Henche imported all the window coverings found throughout the home from Germany. "These are up-down plissee [pleated] window coverings that are mounted within the actual window frame. The profile is very small," she says.

Desk: Vika Amon, Ikea; chair: purchased in Berlin; window coverings: Plisee-Experte


The entryway decor nods to Henche's extensive travels — she was born in Germany, was raised in Switzerland and studied in France. The hand-knotted Tibetan rug was brought back from a trip exploring Northern India.

Henche replaced all the interior and exterior doors except for the front door, which she painted white on the inside and orange on the outside. She inherited the gold gilded mirror and wooden table from her grandmother. Hanging on the back hallway wall is one of Henche's photos printed on canvas of a train station in Basel, Switzerland, that features a disco ball.

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