Customized Luxury

Rayn Properties was started by Rov Dosanjh in 2007. The Victoria-based firm specializes in high-end residential projects, and Dosanjh, together with his in-house staff, works closely with his customers to create exceptional, luxurious custom homes. In 2008, 2009, and 2010, Dosanjh’s team was presented with the CARE Award for its dedication to its clients. “I just love seeing a family living in their custom home, and knowing it’s their perfect place,” says Dosanjh of his achievements.

The firm’s three employees work on an average of six projects per year, and they have placed a great importance on sustainability since the company’s inception. Rayn Properties uses natural products and makes an effort to choose no- to low-VOC products, as well as local materials. The firm also integrates green options like tankless hot-water heaters into its designs whenever possible.

“163 Levista is one of my favourite projects,” says Dosanjh of the home he designed for Raj and Karen Mahal. “Up until this project, I’d been mainly involved with West Coast character homes, which I describe as a modern version of the Arts & Crafts style of homes from the 1940s and 1950s. 163 Levista was my first contemporary style of home with a flat-roof design.”

Outside of the flat roof, 163 Levista also features contemporary-style elements such as large, expansive windows; clean, crisp lines; and cool colours. “The owners had seen a home like this built elsewhere in Victoria and loved the original design,” Dosanjh says. “I took the design and modified the interior to make it more usable and comfortable.”

Dosanjh’s modifications led to some high-concept design features as well. “My favourite interior-design feature is the curved maple panels suspended from the matching curved wall,” he says. “This area is the centre of the house and can be seen upon entry.”

Dosanjh created the opposition wall using two concave curves and a convex one, which both flow through the hallway.

The client also specified to Dosanjh that they were hoping to have a home with some “bling,” as they put it. To meet this demand, Dosanjh added other special features, including an oversized quartz island and a stainless-steel backsplash in the kitchen, and other luxurious choices throughout the home. For the master bedroom, Dosanjh designed nine vertical leather wall panels to help create the client’s desired effect, but quickly realized leather would put them over budget.

A vinyl product that had a great look and sheen was used instead, and was a fraction of the cost. Dosanjh even designed hand-painted wood panels to place along the sides of the upholstered vinyl panels for an extra sumptuous touch.

Just outside of Victoria lies Rayn Properties’ Aspen Road project. The six-acre oceanfront property has views of both the water and the mountains, and was designed with all of its rooms spread along the length of the building to offer optimum sight lines. “Upon entry, your eyes are instantly taken to the large windows offering the views to the ocean,” says Dosanjh, who also used 12-foot-high ceilings to maximize the impact. The home will include such luxury features as a large deck, an inground pool, and a hot tub.

“The most special thing about this house is how it takes advantage of the ocean and mountains,” Dosanjh says. “The house was designed with 80 feet of frontage in order to place each room with ocean views.” Getting these amazing views was not always an easy task, requiring the assistance of geotechnical and structural engineers who worked in conjunction with Dosanjh. Rock blasters and heavy-machine operators were also necessary when it came to placing the home at the perfect spot.