R+D House

The house was originally designed to face a lakeside street that was never built, resulting in the back door and rear entryway of the house functioning as the primary entrance and a somewhat back to front circulation. The small entry hall opened on to a compact kitchen separated from the dining area beyond creating a separation of space that was not conducive to family living. The family desired a much more open plan style of living, where both the kids and the adults felt at home.

On the main level the brief was to remodel the kitchen in its existing location and to remove the dividing wall to create a spacious open plan kitchen/dining area with potential to improve connections to the back deck. Upstairs the master bedroom and dressing were too large and poorly laid out, and the family bathroom was not sufficient for a family of four. The master bedroom and dressing were to be reconfigured to allow for the addition of a master bathroom and the family bathroom remodeled as a kids bathroom.

Custom cabinetry, kitchen island, dining table and steel sliders are tied together with the new materials, contrasting and complementing original built in cabinetry and features. The large steel sliders allow the dining room to be separated from the living room and basement when required. A small steel wall cabinet serves as a magnetic notice board in the kitchen and opens up to shelves in the entryway for phones and keys for each member of the household. The existing hearth and surround to the fireplace was removed and replaced with a steel surround and stone hearth picking up on the materials in the kitchen and dining room.

Upstairs the master bedroom and dressing were rearranged to accommodate a new master bathroom with large walk in shower and free-standing bathtub and the family bathroom completely remodeled.

Simple finishes and clean lines were used throughout the house to offset and balance the original decorative elements and character of the house.