The opportunity for an outdoor living room was created when we completely replaced the north facade with glazing. A large floor to ceiling triple slider allows the inside to extend seamlessly to the outside and embrace the panoramic views to the north shore.
We removed interior walls and used new millwork to divide the space giving the clients more useable storage space. The dining room has a new modern bookcase that integrates the original window creating a bench.
The dining room, situated between the living room and kitchen / deck area is a transition point, a hybrid of new and old elements. Pendant light in the foreground is by Lambert et Fils, from LightForm. Dining Table from Rove Concepts. Chairs are vintage danish.
We added wallpaper by Timorous Beasties which really helps to show off the original stained glass window while giving the space a modern flair.
The north facade has been completely replaced with glazing. Structurally, we added in a steel frame integrated into curtain wall facade and added new fir collar ties to allow the space to fully open up. The master ensuite is to the left and hidden by a millwork storage wall.
The master ensuite is open to the bedroom, partially hidden by a millwork storage wall. A free standing tub sits on a marble floor with serene views to the outside.
The lower floor foundation was dropped to increase head height in the family room, allowing us to pour a new polished concrete floor and introduce a pivot door to the back garden and patio deck.
A clever use of Ikea storage to create a storage wall at the bottom of the basement stair. The doors on the left hide access to a cold storage cellar.
The north facade was completely replaced with glazing, allowing the house to really open up to the rear garden and the view to Vancouver and the north shore.
Vintage in the front, modern in the back, this turn-of-the-century character home in the Point Grey neighbourhood of Vancouver represents a resolution of dual architectural identities while remaining cohesive in its design. The character of the original house is now juxtaposed with the new modern layer, making room for quirky spaces and unexpected moments while embracing a modern way of living. The open plan and cross-functionality of the modern space contrast with the formality of the original character giving the family the opportunity to have the best of both worlds —a cozy character home and a modern, light-filled space.
Poorly executed renovations over the years, a constricted floor-plan, and disregarded views of the north shore precipitated a full rethink of the design. Our main priorities were to give the house new life by stripping it back to its original and then weaving in a modern house and completely opening up the north facade to the panoramic expanse of the north shore mountains, Burrard Inlet, and downtown Vancouver.
The design approach was to not recreate the past but to not destroy it either. The redesign was about making spaces work harder, not just making things bigger. Perched on a sloping lot, the early 20th-century facade is hidden from the street by a dense tangle of trees. The front of the house remained intact, its traditional arts and crafts bones and period-specific details preserved. Walking from the front of the house to the back moves you through the eras with the rear of the house entirely modern.
The dining room, situated between the living room and the kitchen /deck area, is a transition point—a hybrid of new and old elements. The original window and casing were retained and now framed by a modern bookshelf.
The upstairs master bedroom, was rethought as a single space under a vaulted roof with a hidden steel structure that supported the full expanse of glass to the entire north facade. Downstairs, the slab was dropped to create higher ceilings for the family room while a large pivot door was placed in the middle of the glass facade to support a direct connection to the outdoor garden.