Description of Historic Place

The Cunliffe Residence is a one and one-half storey, wood-frame, Edwardian-era house located mid-block on a residential street comprised of other single-family dwellings of mixed age and style. The house is notable for its distinctively patterned balustrades.

Heritage Value

The Cunliffe Residence is valued as an example of residential architecture built as a result of North Vancouver's early twentieth century residential development boom. After regular ferry service was established in 1903 and the city was incorporated in 1907, North Vancouver experienced a period of unprecedented growth and prosperity. This construction boom accelerated until a general financial depression in 1913 halted this ambitious suburban development. In 1912, at the peak of the development boom, Peter Cunliffe (1867-1944), who was a local painter and later furniture dealer, built the house for himself and his wife, Margaret Ellen Cunliffe (1870-1958) and they resided here for the remainder of their lives.

A significant example of Edwardian-era design, the Cunliffe Residence represents a transitional design that incorporates features, such as the front gabled roof, with elements of the newly popular Craftsman style, such as the tapered verandah supports. The saddlebag wall dormers and intricately patterned balustrades add to the striking character of the house, which was likely taken from a contemporary pattern book. At the time, a profusion of homes were built from pattern books and standardized designs as a way to expedite the construction process and offer competitive costs for working class owners.

Source: City of North Vancouver Planning Department

Character-Defining Elements

Key elements that define the heritage character of Cunliffe Residence include its:
- setback from street in line with neighbouring residences
- residential form, scale and massing, as expressed by its rectangular plan, one and one-half storey plus basement height, and front gabled roof with saddlebag wall dormers
- wood-frame construction, with cedar shingle cladding, wooden drop siding at the foundation, lattice under the front verandah, and closed eaves with wooden tongue-and-groove soffits
- Craftsman-influenced details, such as its tapered verandah columns
- additional exterior details such as: flared front gable peak; inset open, full-width open verandah with intricate, patterned balustrade; central, upper storey balcony with intricate balustrade; angled and square-sided, first-storey bay windows; original wooden front door with four vertical glazed openings; and internal red-brick chimney
- fenestration, including: wooden sash casement windows with transoms; upper floor casement assemblies; and stained glass transom and fixed panels on first storey