A Year in a Flash
Sometimes we catch it out of the corner of our eye: a flash of light, a glow in the distance, a spark we feel compelled to follow. It stirs something deep in us, so we turn ourselves towards it. We want to see where it’s coming from, where it might lead, what promise it holds.
We started this year by following flashes of light — four themed quarters that brought our clients and our firm the promise of something more, like a constellation of new perspectives to wonder about and consider. Now we’re pulling those themes back together to look as where we’ve been… and what we’re carrying forward into a new year.
SPRING Nurture
Putting our hands into the soil of the day. Pulling up weeds and outliers. Dropping in seedlings, nourishment, courage. These moments of nurture lead us to future harvest — whether it’s in our relationships, our home, the community we’re built into. Our efforts are not in vain, even if it takes months or years to see the first bloom rise from that tended earth.
Meadowlark Park not only sounds like morning dew, but its sage kitchen was a fresh and bold start to 2022. From inception to completion, this home sprouted a playful tone for the months ahead.
SUMMER Flourish
It’s that exclamation point at the end — that hats-off cheering when the work is finished — when we get to revel in the beauty of all that’s grown and flourished around us. It is so good to mark these moments, even if it’s as simple as rolling down the windows, jamming around a campfire or biking with friends for a taste of wild abandon.
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What better time to dream and plan your outdoor oasis in the garden, by the pool, or in the seclusion of a chic dining area. Whether situated by a crackling fire pit, on a balcony overlooking the mountains, or beneath a draped pergola, your outdoor seating and dining spaces are the perfect spots for intimate alfresco gatherings with friends and family. Known in the building community as leaders in outdoor spacial planning, find inspiration for your outdoor fireplaces and lounge areas on the blog.
FALL Fortitude
We build strength in layers; fortitude is not spontaneous, sudden feat. Rather it’s a brick-by-brick, step-by-step kind of journey. And what requires strength may surprise us. Waiting takes strength. Walking away takes strength. Even joy takes strength. But as we build resilience, old leaves fall, the surplus drops. And suddenly, we embrace the next step forward more freely.
And sometimes in our business, that same resilience and fortitude can be rewarded beyond the thrill of pleasing our clients. Sometimes it comes in the form of industry recognition. We’re very proud to share that a McDowell-designed modern brownstone in Marda Loop swept this year’s award season. Recipient, builder and client, Dream Ridge Homes won Best Multi-Family Unit Over $500,000 at the BILD Alberta Awards and Best Attached Low-Rise Home 1,500 Square Feet & Over at the Canadian Home Builder’s Association’s National Awards For Housing Excellence.
We’ll share more of this project next month, but in the mean time, here’s a sampling of this stunner — boasting national notoriety. Oy! Oy!
Photography credit: Moment Collective Photography
WINTER Presence
At some point we realize we cannot be present to everything everywhere all at once. Instead, we draw lines of decision and set a certain course. We choose on thing over another: this commitment, this gift, this family tradition. Even held lightly, this clear-eyed choosing helps us savour, celebrate, and get our arms around what is in front of us.
In this vein of selective focus, our next blog post explores the presence found around a crackling fire. What often starts for us as children, a love for s’mores and storytelling, remains even as we age. With the accessibility and ease of a fire pit or fireplace, the campfire experience can be ours anytime the mood strikes. Gathered around the flames, we can revel in the dance of firelight and the warmth that wards off the night’s chill. Conversation feels that much more special, and the atmosphere is just as comforting and inviting as your living room — with all the goodness of the great outdoors. Stay tuned for more.
Wishing you a season to wonder, nurture and flourish, friends. May your flashes of light be ever bright and wondrous.
— Al McDowell