April 2024 - David Small Designs

Greatness Takes Time

April 17, 2024/in Thought Leadership /by candybox

Reflecting on a career shaped by purpose, guided by family legacy and fueled by an unwavering work ethic. Designing custom homes is not just a job; it’s a calling. ⁠
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For the first few years, we were a cover band, emulating the great styles of the past. Now, we’re writing our own music. Creating unique custom designs that honour the past, but inspire the future. ⁠
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Dive into insights from over 30 years in the industry—where mentorship meets craftsmanship.⁠ Greatness takes time.⁠

Natural Modern

Over 15 years ago we coined this term to describe a design style that combines the warmth of traditional design with a clean, modern aesthetic. This architectural style was our first venture into “writing our own music”. We used to meet with clients daily who loved modern design but couldn’t envision how a modern home could be warm, inviting and family-friendly. This was the motivation to create the Natural Modern design aesthetic – a style inspired by Prairie Style architecture, but enhanced by modern materials, indoor-outdoor connection, and a keen understanding of how the modern family flows and functions through their space. ⁠

Natural Modern a modern design style that can covert traditionalists. We hear this all this time – “I don’t like modern homes, but I love this house!” It’s not uncommon for us to have clients from years past who previously leaned traditional, come back to us with the desire for their next home to be modern. ⁠
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We’ve had the pleasure of designing three custom homes for Damian Stevenson of Reign Custom Builders and his wife Ky (@homebuildhers). The first two were traditional homes, but for their third home (the one in the images below and featured here), they were inspired by David’s House and our natural modern aesthetic. ⁠

The Wow Factor

April 17, 2024/in Thought Leadership /by candybox

Have you ever driven by a house and had to slam on the brakes? There’s something about the house that you love, something that feels right. ⁠
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Is it the roofline? ⁠
The colour and material selection? ⁠
The window layout and design? ⁠
The front entry? ⁠
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The answer is yes. It’s all of the above. ⁠
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To create the wow factor it means 1000 decisions were done right. It takes a keen eye and a respectful approach to put all the puzzle pieces together. Proportion, scale, colour, and materials—the poetry of a beautiful home.⁠

This natural modern home (image below) is a standout. ⁠It represents 1000 design decisions done right. The roofline, the window placement, the integrated landscape features. It has stature without overpowering the property. It has presence without competing with the neighbourhood. Your eye is not darting to all the unique elements, but rather its at peace with the complete composition. ⁠

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What makes this home truly special is that it represents the vision and inspiration of the family who enjoys the space everyday. Canadian singer Matt Dusk approached us several years back to design a home for his family. His goal was to embody the feel of a luxury hotel, while drawing inspiration from architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s iconic prairie-style architecture. ⁠It was an honour to be selected to bring this vision to life and to create this timeless, and unique, custom family home.⁠

Click here for interior and exterior photos of The Dusk Home.

Natural modern house with wood siding and flat roof.

The Economic Power of Architecture

April 17, 2024/in Thought Leadership /by candybox

Discovering the economic power of custom home design – where the end result is greater than the sum of its parts. ⁠
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We don’t believe in the forever home.⁠
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We believe in crafting a home that’s just right for you now, adapting to life’s changes. ⁠
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With this approach, each design not only fits your life perfectly but holds economic power – living, loving, selling and repeating.⁠

The concept for David’s House (image below) began in 2009: a family home that blends the comfort and warmth of traditional design with modern detailing and open concept living. ⁠
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In the 2000s, we noticed that homeowners were at either end of the architectural spectrum – they either leaned towards classical/traditional architecture (French Country, Georgian, Arts & Crafts), or opted for a cold, stark, boxy version of modern. We saw a way to merge the comforts of the classics, with the clean lines and indoor-outdoor connection of contemporary living. David used his personal residence to experiment with this natural modern approach.⁠

Natural modern home with wood soffit, natural stone and black trim.

The architecture of David’s House is rooted in Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie Style architecture; a design style celebrated for its integration with the natural environment. Low-sloping roof pitches mixed with flat roof areas, angled walls and exaggerated eave overhangs are defining characteristics of Prairie style architecture. They reinforce the extreme horizontality of the home which helps to ground the home to the property. Natural materials – stone, wood, glass – mass the exterior and further connect the home to the natural environment.

With 3,800 square feet of above grade living space, David’s House was one of the smaller homes in the neighbourhood. It sold in 2016 and broke real estate records for sale price. ⁠The profitability was in getting all the pieces just right. The end result was much greater than the sum of the parts. ⁠
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Click here for exterior and interior photos of David’s House.

Land & Buildings Must Be Intimately Connected

April 17, 2024/in Thought Leadership /by candybox

A home should be connected to the land. ⁠
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Picture this: when you water the ground, it should seem like the home sprouted out.⁠
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Connecting people to the earth is at the core of our design philosophy. By seamlessly blending materials, inside and out, and embracing the land with integrated features, we create homes that feel rooted, timeless, and offer comfort beyond trends.⁠

When you connect a home to the land, you connect it to the neighbourhood, and that’s how you make a home feel like it has always belonged.

This transitional home (image below) is nestled in the heavily-wooded Lorne Park Estates. A neighbourhood originally intended to be cottage country, the area remains a secluded natural oasis. So it was only appropriate that this home design pay respect to its property’s roots.⁠

The design borrows heavily from the craftsman style through its large decorated gables, and rich blend of natural materials in a palette that borrows from its surroundings, seamlessly integrating the home within the trees. A timber-framed front porch and copper-roofed corner are standout features, but the home really embraces its cottage country surroundings as you approach the rear. Anchored by a three-storey stone chimney, the home’s side elevation resembles a classic Muskoka retreat, featuring large glass gables and board and batten siding.⁠

⁠ Mississauga with wood soffit, black frame windows and wood siding. ⁠
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Click here to see more photos of Cottage in the City.

Holistic Design

April 17, 2024/in Thought Leadership /by candybox

Design is about bringing order to chaos – a complex dance of conflicting factors at the beginning of every project. ⁠
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From views to zoning, client dreams to budget constraints, it’s a delicate balance we skillfully manage. ⁠
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Holistic design, to us, means understanding and prioritizing every element before putting pencil to paper. It’s not a cut-and-paste exercise; it’s a journey through chaos to create a powerful, custom solution.⁠

Design is about understanding all the factors of a project—views, neighbouring buildings, topography, trees, zoning by-laws, client wishes—and skillfully prioritizing them.⁠

On a heavily wooded corner lot in an established Mississauga neighbourhood sits this classic home (image below). Prioritizing the preservation of a significant stand of mature trees was key to the execution of this transitional design. But more importantly, strategically placing this home on a corner lot was crucial to the success of the design. The standout feature of this home is the one-storey, copper roofed projection at the corner of the property. It adds interest, creates dynamics, and has made this home an inspiration for many of our clients.

Traditional home design with natural stone, dark brown trim and large windows.
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The copper not only adds aesthetic intrigue to the home, bringing out the charcoal colour of the stone, but plays a functional role as well. It is a highly durable material with an incredible lifespan. As the home ages, the leaded copper will change colour, developing a beautiful silvergray patina that will deepen over time.⁠ It is a timeless design that will mature and grow more beautiful with the property.⁠
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Click here to see more photos of Copper Corner.

Covered entry with floor to ceiling window and stone siding.

Seamless Integration

April 17, 2024/in Thought Leadership /by candybox

Good design ensures flow and functionality; great design is about creating a feeling. ⁠
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We craft homes for your unique journey. Starting from the street, envisioning the pathway to your intimate spaces, and transitioning to your outdoor living space.⁠
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Home design is not confined to walls; it extends to the property boundaries, seamlessly blending indoor and outdoor spaces.⁠

We believe in designing homes for the human experience. ⁠

The Last House is David’s personal residence (image below). David and his family wanted to experience the beauty and serenity of their heavily-wooded, 1.4 acre property from each corner of their living space. They wanted a barrier-free environment; figuratively in terms of the intensity of the indoor-outdoor connection, and literally in terms of aging in place and accessible design. They wanted a midcentury modern design that was custom, contemporary and respectful of the mature landscape.⁠
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Contemporary home with flat roof, wood garage door and metal siding. ⁠⁠

Modern home with solar panels, clean lines and stone siding.

A driveway was carved out of the heavily-wooded landscape on the far right side of the property. As you approach the home, the end of the garage is the first structural detail you see. Slowly, the home reveals itself. The interesting mix of materials and varying roof designs come into focus. The prominent glass bridge is clearly defined. The bold front door pops. The incredible backdrop of mature, lush trees is fully appreciated. Then you realize, you can see the pool from the driveway. The indoor-outdoor connection is all-consuming.⁠
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Click here to see more photos and videos of The Lase House

The Secret Sauce

April 17, 2024/in Thought Leadership /by candybox

If you’re a designer, or an aspiring one, this video gives you unique insight into our design process…or as we like to call it, our secret sauce.⁠
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Computerized drawings are great, but the two best tools for the act of creation are your pencil and your mind!⁠
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When you put these two together you have an endless flow. You are consistently moving forward instead of making U-turn after U-turn. You never let one decision hijack the overall design.⁠
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Something not working with the upstairs? Go back to the ground floor.⁠
Something not flowing with the backyard? Go back to the ground floor.⁠
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This is our design cycle, an ever-evolving journey ensuring every detail is in harmony.⁠

Each design process starts with a site visit. Understanding the nuance of the property – views, topography, vegetation, sun orientation, neighbouring buildings. Next is property research – zoning bylaws, conservation authority restrictions. And then, most importantly, a detailed wish list meeting to understand the vision, lifestyle, and design style of the people who will get to enjoy the space every day.

We then put pencil to paper. A collaborative session of discussion and sketching allows the complexity of each design to be understood and ensures the optimal design solution is determined. Within two weeks from the wish list meeting, our team presents the initial design concept. A hand sketched vision for the ground floor, second floor, site plan and front elevation. This approach allows our designers to get their ideas on paper creatively and efficiently, fostering an intimate connection between mind and pencil.

Next…we develop the 3D model.

Modern family room with brick fireplace, stone wall and wood ceiling.

Inclusive Design

April 16, 2024/in Thought Leadership /by candybox

Imagine a scenario where all the pieces of your dream home are scattered on your lawn—endless possibilities, but only one perfect arrangement for you. A great designer can filter through the options and determine the optimal solution. ⁠
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Architecture sets the tone, providing a powerful platform for greatness in your life. It’s not only an investment into four walls, it’s an investment in a beautiful, safe space for life’s unfolding journey.⁠

When you have a blank canvas, how do you decide on your design inspiration? How do you filter through all the possibilities and determine your style? ⁠
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Our advice is to focus on a feeling, not necessarily a style. How do you want your space to feel? Show us pictures of things you love– a door, a window, a material, a roofline. Don’t look for one home as your main inspiration, your dream home doesn’t exist yet. Identify features you’re drawn to and let us put the puzzle pieces together. ⁠
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When David was designing his personal home, The Last House, he had endless possibilities at his fingertips. He ignored trends. He focused on the feeling of connectedness to the outdoors; to feel the power of the environment in each design decision. The result: a midcentury modern bungalow; a glass “bridge” that captures uninterrupted views of the property, with the skeletal steel structure fully on display; natural materials – inside and out; the primary suite designed to be a nest floating in the backyard.⁠

Nostalgia was also an important part of the design. The bright orangey-red front door can be seen from many angles within the home; it adds contrast and character and calls out the bold front door choices that David and his wife remember from the mid-century modern homes of their childhood.⁠
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A custom home should be a reflection of you and your family– your values, your lifestyle, your design style. A beautifully design home empowers the people who get to enjoy the space each day.

Mississauga bungalow with metal roof, concrete walkway and wood soffit. ⁠

Design Matters