There’s a certain kind of house that asks to be pushed, a space where its structure is quietly waiting for something more expressive to take hold. In Roncesvalles, one such century home revealed itself not through photos, but in person. “We knew immediately that the listing photos weren’t doing it justice,” says lead designer and partner at Level Studio, Luca Campacci. “The bones were there for something dramatic.”
What followed wasn’t a full-scale reinvention, but something more considered: A series of deliberate moves that embraced contrast, tone and emotional resonance. The turning point came early. “The vision really came to life once we landed on the floor choice,” Campacci notes. A wider plank was chosen with a subtle yellow warmth, which quietly set the tone for everything that followed.
From there, the direction sharpened. The clients gravitated toward darker, moodier spaces, so the design team leaned in. “We suggested starting with a mock-up of an all-black living room and see where it goes,” he says. “The rest is history.”
That living room now anchors the home with a kind of cinematic depth. Walls are rendered in tone-on-tone black, but the effect is anything but heavy. Texture does the work. Soft drapery, supple leather and a neutral armchair temper the palette, while a caramel sofa and a yellow piano bench introduce just enough warmth to keep the space grounded. It’s a lesson that reveals bold doesn’t have to shout to hold attention.
If the living room is where the home takes its risks, the kitchen is where it shows its discipline. Rather than starting from scratch, the team chose to work with what was already there. “The kitchen had genuinely good bones and a layout that already worked well,” Campacci explains. “Tearing it out would have been wasteful and unnecessary.”
Instead, the space was refaced with new countertops, a fresh backsplash and a recalibrated colour story. That decision freed up the budget and the creative energy, allowing the design to focus on moments that would have greater impact elsewhere. “Knowing when not to demolish something is just as important as knowing when to go all in,” he adds.
Here, colour is treated less as decoration and more as structure. The approach is intuitive but precise. Lighter, more open spaces are punctuated with colour, while enclosed rooms are allowed to deepen. “We start with an anchor decision and let the rest follow,” Campacci says.
In the kitchen, that anchor becomes a deep purple applied to the base cabinetry and island, balanced by softly warmed off-white uppers. The real cohesion, however, comes from the stone, a surface with natural movement and subtle purple veining that quietly threads the palette together.
Even the most functional requirements are approached with this same level of care. A custom coffee station (designed for clients with an extensive setup) could have easily disrupted the kitchen’s flow. Instead, it becomes one of the home’s most thoughtful details. Integrated seamlessly into the existing cabinetry profile, it features warm oak floating shelves with built-in lighting. “What could have been an awkward addition ended up being one of the most personal and functional moments in the space,” Campacci says.
Art, too, is treated as part of the narrative. A limited-edition Bruce Boyd piece, Pink Hibiscus, hangs above the fireplace, its tones echoing the kitchen’s palette. It doesn’t read as a finishing touch, but as a continuation, another layer in a home that feels composed rather than decorated.
“When a material reinforces the colour story rather than just sitting alongside it, the whole scheme feels intentional rather than assembled,” he explains. That sense of intention carries throughout the main floor.
Wall panelling runs along the length of the dining room and into the living room, creating continuity, while nodding to the home’s history. It’s a subtle gesture, but one that keeps the space in its architectural roots.
Entryway casings are painted to frame the living room beyond “like a portal,” as Campacci describes it, drawing the eye inward and heightening the sense of transition between spaces.
Throughout, there’s a clear understanding of longevity, not as neutrality, but as confidence. “Bold doesn’t have to mean trendy. Black walls are actually one of the most timeless choices you can make. It’s the how that determines whether it ages well.” The result is a space that reflects its owners.
“We want them to feel like themselves,” Campacci says. “This home has a personality. It’s a little dramatic, a little fearless and deeply considered. More than anything, we know this home feels like it was made for them, because it was.”