The award winning house project, the Armada.

About Studio

KB Design is a full-service custom home design studio specializing in the design of homes that are energy efficient, light-filled, well integrated into their surroundings, and tend towards the use of natural materials.

With over 25 years in business, Keith Baker, as owner and principal designer, heads up a team that has designed hundreds of homes on Vancouver Island, across Canada and the United States. Inspired by contemporary West Coast architecture, KB Design brings a fresh and positive approach to its design projects.

By considering our clients’ needs and coming to fully understand the purposes and reasons that they are wishing to design and build a new home for themselves, we help our clients throughout the process. We are well-connected with local builders, engineers, and interior and landscape designers and realize that building your new home is a team effort.

With a focus on sustainability, KB Design offers its clients a fresh approach to green design. Through our vision to unify environmental efficiency with creative aesthetics, a KB-designed home can offer the latest in green technology, while addressing and meeting the client’s needs, through innovative and sustainable design practices such as:

  • Use of natural, renewable, and recyclable materials
  • Alternative materials and construction assemblies
  • Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs) and Structurally Insulated Panels (SIPs)
  • Passive and active solar design
  • ‘BuiltGreen’ systems and technologies
  • Biophilic design
  • Super-insulated alternative design
  • Universal accessible design
  • Pre-fab design
Armada living room.
A custom American cherry millwork and Douglas fir overhead beams create an inviting atmosphere, enhanced by a see-through fireplace in the living room.
Armada's dining area and kitchen.
Together with the open main living area includes dining and kitchen to the left.
Armada's kitchen.
The kitchen’s made up of wood materials and marble stone atop the kitchen island.
Armada's shiny wood stairs.
The stairs are made up of engineered high-quality wood.
Armada's spectacular furniture details.
The Armada’s spectacular furnishings are carpentry style with contemporary high ceilings.
Armada's master bedroom.
The master bedroom’s minimalist furnishings include a low-slung curved cherry and black leather headboard.
Armada's master's bathroom.
In the ensuite, bath light pours through three skylights, illuminating the Japanese soaker tub and twin vanities.
Armada's bathroom.
A shower room with black ceramic tiles.
Armada's changing room.
An ultra-convenient feature is the laundry room – accessible from both the walk-in dressing room closet and the hall.
Outdoor dining area.
An outdoor dining set for a sitting area with spectacular scenery in the surroundings.
Armada's outdoor guess area.
A relaxing gray outdoor seating furniture for leisure time.
Armada's outdoor coffee area.
The Armada’s concrete finish patio walls with a coffee table.
Armada's 2nd floor terrace.
A glass balcony with relaxing lounge chairs.
Armada's outdoor view.
The Armada house modern contemporary exterior design.

Set among Garry Oaks on a rocky slope, Armada is a perfect convergence of concrete, glass, steel, and wood. In 2008 it garnered 10 Gold awards including Project of the Year and Best Custom Home in Canada. Its entry atrium’s grand but welcoming stairs and five-foot wide Douglas fir door establish a sense of volume and scale that defines the residence.

Exposed glulam fir beams and plenty of windows compliment the open plan kitchen, living, and dining space. This facilitates a delicate balance between spaciousness for entertaining and intimacy for daily living.

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