Don’t expect maple leaf motifs or other Canadiana symbols — although there’s plenty of Oilers memorabilia in the son’s bedroom. What designer Kim Phillips Langer of Dwell Theory has done with this home is much more thoughtful and elevated — it’s a philosophy that prizes handmade and locally sourced pieces to tell the story of the family and the home.
“I prefer to choose pieces that endure,” says Phillips Langer. “I dislike following trends and think they’re relatively useless in design.”
Although the home is an infill, you may easily forget the minute you’ve stepped inside that it hasn’t been here for 100 years. The history of the neighbourhood is alive here — important for the homeowner, who grew up nearby and walked past the original home on this lot on her walk to school. Back then, the home was occupied by legendary WWII pilot and Alberta’s first female flight instructor, Vera Dowling. A photo of Dowling hangs near the home’s fireplace, a tribute to the property’s history.
The electric fireplace is surrounded by a handcrafted wood arch, made by a local woodworker, and warm, sand-coloured tiles, bookended by built-in shelves that add to the feeling that you’re standing in a home that has already been loved by generations. The warm wood tones add to the historic, cozy feeling.
Step into the office and you’ll find more custom woodworking — a bespoke oak desk designed by Phillips Langer, and more of the rich seafoam colour that runs through the home, in the form of built-in cabinets.
The crown jewel, however, is the recently completed ensuite bathroom. The beautiful saturated greens and moody marble make this bathroom a true retreat.
Altogether, the home feels totally authentic, lived in and original. Threading together family touches, nods to the neighbourhood’s history and handcrafted items from local artisans makes this family home warm and inviting.
“Dwell Theory’s tagline is ‘designing homes with soul’ and I think we’ve done that here,” says Phillips Langer.
Ballet Edmonton’s Home Tour takes place on September 13 & 14, 2025. This annual fundraiser allows patrons to see inside a curated selection of beautiful private homes while supporting the arts in Edmonton.
This article appears in the September 2025 issue of Edify
This content was produced in partnership with the advertiser by Odvod Publishing for commercial purposes.
