Growing up a Prairie girl in Calgary and Regina, Kelly Deck got used to grasslands and big skies.
Now a successful director/owner of Kelly Deck Design in Vancouver, Deck takes those Prairie images and puts them into her full-service interior design that specializes in luxury homes.
Her latest project is in Vernon, at Predator Ridge, where Deck has designed the Ellison, a showhome situated in one of Predator Ridge’s premier neighbourhoods, Longspoon Ridge.
“We have a reputation for looking to the landscape and surrounding areas for the inspiration for the homes we’re creating,” said Deck, a former television show host on HGTV from 2005 to 2008, Wednesday at Predator Ridge.
“The grasslands really inspire me. I love the big, open spaces and the colour and texture in those grasslands are the perfect colour.
“I think the sky up here is magnificent. I have been to Predator Ridge in all seasons, at all times of the day, and there’s something to me about the movement in the sky up here that is just breathtaking.”
Unfortunately, reporters could not get a personal look at the Ellison, because it is not finished, though Deck guarantees it will be ready for the grand opening and public showing on June 16.
Deck, whose firm was responsible for the Vancouver General Hospital Millionaire Lottery homes for four years, described the Ellison as a completely new floor plan for Predator Ridge, and that she worked with one of her favourite architects, Bill Poss, out of Aspen, Colo.
“We collaborated on the floor plan (for the Ellison),” said Deck.
“It has a more open living concept. It opens for outdoor living space and people will find that home’s capacity doubles. There’s a full outdoor dining room, two outdoor living rooms, one on the upper floor, one on the lower floor, and a retractable wall in the living room so come May or early June, the whole house expands.
“It’s really cool. It’s a concept we’re known for.”
Deck said the Ellison has a substantial kitchen with a big island that opens on to the dining and living space.
There’s an office incorporated on to the main floor, and the home comes with lots of storage.
“Kelly brings to the Ellison a different flare and feel for the interior design,” said Jason Koverchuk, a property specialist for Predator Ridge.
“In the past, our homes’ interiors have been a little more traditional, darker flooring, darker woods, darker cabinets.
“Kelly embraces the lighter, cleaner palates, and uses colours the Okanagan is famous for like its grasses and its skies. You’ll see those elements in the cabinets, and in the fabrics and materials.”
The Ellison is a larger home for Longspoon Ridge, which was introduced in 2008. But Koverchuk said Deck’s floor plan will be a hit and expects the home to sell by the end of summer.
“We have some great home sites available for purchase,” he said.
“People may not prefer the location but love the Ellison and want to build it over here, or over there. We’ve had people purchase lots in the last few years and have been waiting for something like this.”
This is the second project Deck has worked on at Predator Ridge.
The first was last year when she was brought in to experiment on whether implementing new ideas would have market appeal.
She made changes in one of Predator’s homes and the residence sold in less than two months.
“The whole idea for us is to generate ideas and conversation,” said Deck.
“It’s to start dialogue about the design and have people go in, get inspired, walk in and go ‘boom,’ this is what I want.”
The grand opening for the Ellison will be June 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
