This home had been converted into a duplex in the 1960's. At the time my client purchased the home, in the principle living space (2nd & 3rd floor) the 2nd floor was poorly designed. It essentially appeared as if the dining room furniture had been put into a bedroom, while another bedroom had been converted into a poorly designed kitchen. The living room, a well appointed space, required only one structural change - the addition of a gas fireplace.

I was hired to transform this space to a more esthetically appealing main floor living space. This was accomplished by removing a wall between the upper hallway and a bedroom (dining room) as well as the wall adjacent to the kitchen giving direct access to the dining room. These changes also allowed me to capitalize on wasted space in the hallway by incorporating the space into the kitchen by creating a cappuccino styled breakfast bar. A second floor exterior door was added in the kitchen giving additional light and openness to the space, as well as access to an engineered wrought iron balcony. This was added by the client to allow access to a barbecue and an outdoor area from above. Another unique feature in the kitchen was the addition of a 24" x 24" combination washer/dryer unit. Additionally, a key contributing factor to the function of the kitchen was the addition of a 24" width, Liebherr refrigerator.

This was a newly constructed home contracted by my clients. I was hired for this project once it was framed and dry-walled. With my input the stairwell landing now overlooks the great room to create a more open environment. A structural post that was awkwardly placed was removed and the two columns were added in the island for support. At this point, the home owners were in need of creative ways to deal with the finishing details within the home including the selection of base trim, more specifically the design of the staircase. I chose paint colours, tile for backslash and kitchen, window treatments, and the fireplace design.

This was the reconfiguration of an addition that was previously constructed. The client found that certain aspects of the original addition were not functionally conducive to her lifestyle. I was initially hired to assist in the location of the newly added gas fireplace. As a result of that, the fireplace was changed from a corner unit in the great room, to a divisional partition detail between the back door entrance and to the great room and dining room. It also allowed for the visibility of the fireplace from the kitchen, thus allowing this piece to become a primary focus in the living space.

I added french doors and stationary door panels between the dining room and living room which allowed for more natural light to permeate the space. The original design of the renovation specified two independent sky lights in the dining/kitchen area. Instead, I incorporated the sky lights side by side to once again become a focal feature, allowing a chandelier to hang from the central beam structure within the skylight. I designed and had the entertainment unit in the great room custom built. An added feature of the kitchen is the built in washer and dryer unit, located below the counter underneath the china cabinet. Hidden behind the doors above the washer dryer are the laundry supplies for quick convenience.

This was a very dated 1980's home when my clients purchased it. I was retained to consult with them in regards to designing a new kitchen and update the main principal floor area. The foyer was brought to a current look by painting the stair spindles, and re-staining the oak treads to a more current colour. The original living room that was sunken was built up to level with the rest of the main floor and converted to a dining room. The dining room, original kitchen, and the eating area was combined to create a new kitchen. This was achieved through the removal of structural walls that were replaced by steel beams. The wall between the original family room and the kitchen was also removed and decorative columns were used for structural support. The dated fireplace in the great room was given a new face-lift and an added function of containing a surround sound stereo system and a flat screen T.V. A multitude of custom built cabinetry in the dining room and the great room added charm and ambiance to the home.