Having purchased their house for its location, these clients knew they would fully renovate it after living in it for several years with their growing boys. They engaged our services well in advance of the desired construction start date so they would have plenty of time to consider all their options and were fully immersed in our design-build experience.
Achieving a good flow throughout was an overall priority for planning. Several key areas of the home were underfunctioning:
- The Laundry/Mud Room was narrow and required passing through potentially wet floors and outdoor clutter to get to the laundry machines with nowhere for hang-to-dry. The front entry was congested and access to the backyard was through a side-facing single door so overall there was no ease of flow in & out of the home.
- The Family Room area was awkwardly laid out due to a previous reno and had an undesirable direct line-of-sight to the Powder Room while the Kitchen lacked counterspace, pantry storage and views to the yard and pool. How could all of these spaces work together for everyday but also for entertaining?
- They had “made do” with a desk shoved into one of the kid’s bedrooms during COVID and had then transitioned into work-from-home flexibility requiring a permanent solution with a dedicated office area - especially once they decided to begin home schooling their two boys.
- The deck needed replacement, and they hoped to incorporate a larger deck with a covered area to lounge and entertain plus room for their barbecue and smoker. Having a front-facing space to have a coffee and chat with neighbours as they walked past with their dogs was also important for their sense of community.
This was an extensive project that reconfigured the entire main floor and upper primary suite incorporating strategic additions in three locations of the home. A cohesive approach to both interior and exterior finishes have transformed their “brown & beige” home into one with a more sophisticated colour palette.
Combining the old Laundry/Mud, Powder Room & adjacent corridor into one multi-functioning room with two entry points and well-defined Laundry, Mud & Lady Desk zones is a favourite transformation of the Lady of the house.
Adding just six extra feet to either side of the bay-shaped dinette area created the ability to re-design the back of this home with a sizable kitchen that included a large island, secondary sink & bar area; a more usable yet still cozy Family Room and game-changing butler’s pantry coined “The Mantry” by the clients for the dedicated zone for outdoor cooking prep with direct access to the BBQ area of the deck. The 6-panel sliding door system provides a panoramic view of the new covered deck with vaulted ceiling and open sightlines to the yard and pool.
The re-organized upper level with additional square footage now boasts a new guest room/home office, relocated Primary suite and the bonus Library room that is the favourite hang-out space for the kids. The library is centrally oriented to take advantage of the deep bay window capturing significant natural sunlight - features include a deep window seat with storage for lap blankets, a bookcase dedicated to novels and games and a pair of glass pocket doors to allow the light to transfer through to the upper landing and staircase.
The new covered front porch patio not only updated the curb appeal but proclaims this family is ready to welcome you into their home.
