SENIOR DESIGNER

Leo Chester

Custom Homes & Renovations · Vancouver, BC

29 years designing custom homes and contemporary interiors across Vancouver, West Vancouver, North Vancouver, and Greater Vancouver — including 15 years in independent practice across the UK and Canada.

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Contemporary custom home design concept by Leo Chester, Senior Designer at Kerr Design Build — Port Moody BC

Design Philosophy

Leo’s starting point is always the site — its potential, its character, its relationship to the people who will inhabit it. Before a single line is drawn, the question he asks is: how can this be made better? And just as importantly: what would make someone feel something the moment they arrive?

Leo believes great residential design must deliver on three things simultaneously: it must be structurally sound, it must function beautifully for the people inside, and it must offer something that elevates everyday life — a quality of light, a connection to the outdoors, a detail that makes you pause. That balance is what he works toward on every custom home and renovation in Vancouver.

WORKING WITH LEO

How Leo Works With Vancouver Homeowners

Leo starts by discussing what works and what doesn’t work in the existing space — getting to the heart of the project before setting pen to paper. He walks the property with you to gain first-hand insight, and shares visual references from Pinterest and Houzz early on, to establish a sense of your personal taste without expending time from the design budget.

From there, client priorities are established clearly: what compromises, if any, are acceptable — and what are the must-haves? Leo’s experience across nearly 30 years has shown him that carefully selected finishes and products, detailed correctly, can look superb without excessive budgets. His approach works whether your ambitions are adventurous or purely practical — and everywhere in between.

What he brings to every project is originality, thoughtfulness, and an attention to detail that only comes from decades of designing homes and interiors. His goal is straightforward: to exceed expectations.

— Le o Chester, Senior Designer · Kerr Design Build

“Great design asks one question, over and over: how can this be made better?”

CREDENTIALS & EXPERTISE

Contemporary Home Design in Vancouver — Designed With Purpose

Leo Chester holds a Degree and Masters in Design from the University of Sheffield, UK, and has been a certified designer in both the UK and Canada for nearly three decades. His 29-year career spans contemporary interiors, community masterplanning, boutique hospitality, and large-scale custom homes — including the Alberta Pavilion for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

At Kerr Design Build, Leo focuses exclusively on custom homes and significant home renovations across Greater Vancouver. His design sensibility is unambiguously contemporary — not because it’s fashionable, but because he believes homes should be a product of the age we live in. He’s particularly passionate about how contemporary design can sensitively enhance heritage and character homes, creating buildings that honour their context without imitating it.

His approach avoids design trends entirely. Instead, every decision is driven by the specifics of the site, the client, and the project — seeking out what is unique and what has the potential to be genuinely outstanding.

Loftus Residence waterfront home design concept — three-storey custom home Port Moody BC by Leo Chester, Kerr Design Build

FEATURED WORK

Projects Designed by Leo Chester

The Waterfront Residence open-plan living and dining area with waterfront view — custom home design concept Port Moody BC by Leo Chester, Kerr Design Build

The Waterfront Residence — Burrard Inlet, BC

A new-build three-storey waterfront home currently in design development in Port Moody. Designed for a steep, challenging site overlooking Burrard Inlet, the home is envisioned to celebrate the view with a vaulted main living level, expansive glazing, warm wood details, concrete elements, a glass elevator, and a full-height courtyard bringing natural light into the lower levels.

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Open-plan kitchen renovation with stone island and sculptural staircase — The Point Grey Home, character home renovation West Point Grey Vancouver BC, Kerr Design Build

The Point Grey Home, West Point Grey, Vancouver, BC

A full home renovation in one of Vancouver’s most sought-after neighbourhoods, nestled in West Point Grey near Kitsilano. Designed to feel genuinely contemporary — walnut millwork, a waterfall stone island, bespoke integrated cabinetry, and carefully layered lighting throughout. A complete interior transformation across every room and living space, where nothing was left unconsidered.