Bringing Cottage Living into an Urban Home
Inspired by the homeowners’ ideal of a west coast timber aesthetic, this whole-home renovation project included a 2nd-storey addition at the front and dual 2-storey additions at the rear of the home. The interior saw floorplan adjustments to accommodate a larger kitchen, combined laundry & mud room, upper level library, primary suite, and aesthetic updates throughout.
The renovation challenge
Achieving a good flow throughout was an overall priority for planning. Several key areas of the home were under functioning:
Laundry/Mud Room: Narrow space; lack of sensible organization for daily outerwear and storage; nowhere for hang-to-dry clothing.
Family Room & Kitchen: Awkward sitting room layout with undesirable sightlines to the powder room; kitchen lacked counterspace, pantry storage, and uninhibited views to the backyard & pool. How could all of these spaces work together for everyday but also for entertaining?
Home Office: Needed a permanent solution to eliminate the temporary work-from-home setup in one of the kids' bedrooms.
Front Entry & Rear Deck: A congested entry way and a side-facing single door to the rear deck inhibited ease of flow in and out of the home. The front porch was missing space to enjoy coffee and a chat with their dear neighbours. The backyard deck was due for replacement while accommodating their desire for additional covered space to lounge and entertain as well as a dedicated area for the grill & smoker.
the family
Having purchased their house for its location, these community-centric 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.
The Pioneer Design-Build Solution
Reconfiguration of 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 room, powder room & adjacent corridor into one multi-functioning room with two entry points allowed for a well-defined laundry, mud room, and Lady Desk zones; a favourite transformation for the Lady of the house.
Adding just six extra feet to both sides of the original bay-shaped dinette area created space to re-design the back of the 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 – clients affectionately coined it “The Mantry” – for a 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 a vaulted ceiling and open sightlines to the yard and pool.
Thanks to the additional square footage, the upper level was re-organized and now boasts a new guest room/home office, relocated primary suite, and the bonus library that has become a favorite hang-out space for the kids.
Now this family can rediscover their home all over again and create new memories to last a lifetime!
