Moralia | A Home in the Hills | Dufferin County, ON

When a retired couple from Toronto decided to trade city life for a peaceful rural town in Dufferin County, they envisioned a contemporary, organic home design. Their custom home, which is situated on the highest point of the property and overlooks a nine-hole golf course, was designed to maximize southern views of the golf course and capture natural light. 

They entrusted Saccoccio Weppler Architects, a family-owned firm founded in 1956, to bring their vision to life. Defining the color palette was key to achieving the couple’s desired design, and surfaces for millwork and cabinetry played a significant role in establishing a consistent look. 

When considering a cabinet shop to partner with for the home’s millwork package, Dana Saccoccio crossed paths with Vincent Erck, owner of Moralia, by chance. “My daughter, who is also an architect, found Moralia in a magazine,” said Saccoccio. “We were so impressed by Vincent’s work. He has great style and shares our detail-oriented design approach. We knew he’d be a good fit for this project.” 

Saccoccio and Erck collaborated to curate a modern yet organic feel, which they accomplished through pairing contemporary solid-colored surfaces with natural wood-inspired surfaces. Saccoccio explained, “We wanted a consistent mix of colors and textures throughout the home, using about 60% solid colors and 40% wood to create a cohesive feel.” 

To achieve this balanced mix, Erck had specific surfaces in mind from REHAU RAUVISIO House lines. Considering that the homeowners entertain often, he knew these surfaces would bridge aesthetics and functionality.

“REHAU is our top choice for everything we do,” he shared. “We use RAUVISIO lines because of the quality, durability and selection of colors and textures. The finishes are also consistent— there are no mismatches.”

Saccoccio and Erck curated a RAUVISIO House color palette featuring muted shades of taupe, gray and white. These colors appear in various finishes, including RAUVISIO crystal acrylic surface, RAUVISIO noir monotonic matte surface and RAUVISIO shade super-matte PET surface. To bring in an organic feel, Erck paired these shades with wood-inspired RAUVISIO terra soft, textured HPL surface. 

“Considerable thought and intention went into the chosen surface combinations,” said Saccoccio. “There is an interplay between several textures that Moralia and REHAU’s surfaces helped us achieve.” 

Throughout the home, Häfele lighting and a mix of Blum and Salice hardware complement the purposeful surface combinations.

As visitors enter the home, they are greeted by RAUVISIO noir Taupe Farewell as the surface used for the entry closets. Inspired by film noir, this self-healing surface lays a base for timeless elegance. Erck said, “We use a lot of RAUVISIO noir for its durability, low light reflectivity, super-matte look and repairable features— it’s an amazing surface all around.”

In the kitchen, RAUVISIO terra Harvest Walnut was used for wall cladding and cabinet doors. This rich brown offers a warm yet sophisticated feel, contrasting the sleek Gaggenau appliances and minimalist RAUVISIO noir shades used for other millwork elements within the space. 

“We like RAUVISIO terra for its texture, 3D lamination and the way it feels and functions,” explained Erck. “It’s super durable in high-traffic environments like the kitchen. Its fingerprint resistance and soft touch feel are great features as well, which are also features we like about RAUVISIO noir.”

RAUVISIO noir Maltese Mist was chosen for the main island, lending a bright feel to the kitchen with its crisp white hue. The second island adds another layer of color with the neutral, elegant RAUVISIO noir Trench Coat. This shade was also used for the taller cabinets branching off from the second island, offering ample storage. 

In the living room, RAUVISIO crystal Fumo was chosen for the floor-to-ceiling storage units and television console, contributing to the home’s sleek and modern side.

“RAUVISIO noir used in the kitchen adjacent to RAUVISIO crystal in the living room gave a sense of complementary consistency to the cabinetry,” Saccoccio said. 

According to Erck, this dark gray shade was the dominant surface throughout the home. “We love RAUVISIO crystal because it’s much more durable than using back-painted glass,” he said. “It’s also aesthetically beautiful.”

The spa room also incorporates RAUVISIO crystal Bianco within the hanging unit and floating shelves, adding an elegant and minimal spa-like feel to the space.

RAUVISIO crystal Fumo was used in the primary bedroom for wall cladding and a floating console. For a woodsy element, RAUVISIO terra Harvest Walnut was used for a desk above the console and for free standing closets. 

In the laundry room, RAUVISIO crystal Fumo harmonizes with sleek floating shelves featuring RAUVISIO noir Gaslit Alley and a minimalist lighting fixture featuring RAUVISIO crystal Bianco. 

Saccoccio appreciated the versatility of RAUVISIO House lines, noting the successful combination of glass, matte and wooden textures. “We quickly learned how to position the surfaces for the desired look,” she said. “We didn’t find this versatility in surfaces from other companies. RAUVISIO noir and crystal have a smoother finish, while RAUVISIO terra offers a contemporary wood look and fine texture without looking overly rustic.” 

The variety of finishes, sizes and thicknesses enabled Saccoccio and Erck to create unexpected, eye-catching millwork designs for vertical and horizontal applications, aligning with their artistic approach. “I see a kitchen as a work of art,” Erck said. “I aim to move away from traditional perceptions of what a kitchen should be and find innovative ways to portray it. In this project, the cabinet doors extend from floor-to-ceiling and feature a concealed toe kick, creating a seamless wall of panels.” 

The artistic approach to the project meant that every detail mattered, including the edgeband used to complete the millwork designs. With room divides created through free standing closets in certain areas of the home, having perfect edgeband was key. Saccoccio said, “It was important for the cabinets to have a seamless finish on all sides.”

With a comprehensive manufacturing facility, Erck was able to provide seamless edgebanding by using REHAU LaserEdge. This zero-joint edgeband features a pre-applied, co-extruded polymer functional layer that replaces traditional glue. The result is a superior joint between the edgeband and the board for elevated millwork designs. 

Having perfectly matched zero-joint edgeband enhanced the sleek appeal of the home’s design. “REHAU edgeband offered a very smooth and seamless feel,” shared Saccoccio. 

Reflecting on the project, Saccoccio said, “The homeowners are very proud of their home. They trusted us to create a unique house for a new stage in their lives. This trust transferred to the people we brought to the project, including Moralia and REHAU. A successful project comes from building a design team with dedicated people and trusted products. Our team’s creative application of the array of quality REHAU surfaces led to a very satisfying and successful outcome.”