OCM House Creates Contrasts and Comfort

The OCM House designed by Studio Jackson is a study in contrast. The 97 square metre home sits on a 500 square metre lot and is tucked away from the street amidst the trees. The exterior of the house is clad in black cement board with wood battens that create rectangular shapes to provide depth to the home.

Those same shapes also help to define the placement of the home’s windows. Coming around to the back of the home, you find a covered porch that is made of warm wood, which is the first contrast you run into with the home. The warm wood comes even more alive thanks to the dark cement board.

Through a set of sliding glass doors, you then come in contact with another contrast. Rather than the deeper, richer colour of the stained wood used on the porch, the interior is done in nearly white plywood. The lighter colour helps to brighten the home while still providing a connection to the wooded lot outside. Polished concrete floors accentuate the lighter plywood, and can be found throughout the home. Black lighting elements, including track lighting, stand out starkly against the white plywood.

Stepping further into the home, the contrasting black returns in the black subway tiles used in the kitchen. The tiles are done vertically, creating a greater sense of height in the room. Down a hallway you’ll find the bedrooms—there are three—and the bathroom. The bathroom again uses black as a contrasting colour with its wood counters and other wood elements.

The OCM House also proves what can be done on a tight budget. It was built for a client that wanted “a comfortable home for a young family, with pleasing lines and modest materials on a tight budget.” Studio Jackson accomplished creating a comfortable and stylish home while not breaking the bank.