When homeowners Matt and Kim were looking to purchase a house they already had a renovation in mind. Purchasing a great home in an older neighborhood brings a wonderful benefits to both the homeowner and their family and this couple was drawn to the house and the community. In addition to securing a home that was already integrated into an established and well respected neighborhood, they realized that they would have a shorter commute to work and established schools for their children. Their yard would be much larger and more private with gardening as a real possibility. Planning a renovation also created an opportunity for the natural beauty of the existing house to be transformed into the dream home they’ve always wanted. Limited only by imagination and perhaps budget, Matt and Kim realized that they could have all these things and more with a good renovation.
Matt and Kim scouted out more than one house that would fit the criteria they had in mind before they made the offer. Being proactive and conscientious investors they also scouted out a renovation company they wanted to work with. Information from their due diligence guided their decision making and they found just the right house for their family needs. Kim states, “We bought this house knowing that a renovation was required. We had looked at other houses and Aquarian had even given us an estimate for a renovation on another house before we made an offer on our current home.”
With a desire to return their Mid-century home to its former glory and a little bit more, Matt and Kim worked with the design team at Aquarian to draw up the plans for a beautiful newly renovated home. They knew there were some things that needed repair and there were some features that they really wanted to enhance the lifestyle and modern look they desired. “The two rooms we really wanted to fix were the kitchen and the ensuite off the master bedroom. We wanted to keep as much of the character and original features as possible. The house had beautiful beam work that had been painted and we wanted to restore these original features as best we could. Other issues that needed to be addressed which were far less glamorous included one of our basement walls which needed reinforcement and a necessary sump pump. The roof also needed to be rebuilt and insulation had to be added to the entire house.”
With all this awareness Matt and Kim purchased the house and Aquarian got busy making their vision come true. Kim recalls, “The design process was great. The biggest challenge was to imagine how the space would look with walls moved around. The 3D renderings really helped and there were very few challenges with the design. Areas that were surprises included costs hiding in the non-insulated and crumbling walls… And not to mention that crumbling roof.”
Some of the best decisions Kim and Matt recall were best captured in the description of their product selection day which was described as a “crazy day due to our busy schedules… We are busy people so we did it in a day!” Kim describes that,” the flooring was the best decision we made with product selection. We had walnut hardwood floors and they couldn’t stand up to what we seemed to do with floors. Marsha suggested laminate and did a great job of explaining just how much it has changed through the years and although I was skeptical, I was wrong… This flooring is great and we haven’t scratched or dented it yet! She also suggested building a tiled dog shower for our furry family members in our large laundry room. Our laundry room has direct access to the back yard so it made sense to have it there. We also wanted upper cabinets installed along the entire width of the laundry room for extra storage. There was a Dutch double door installed as well so there could be air flow if we wanted the dogs to be contained.”
Kim also loves the tile selection for the bathroom and the hardware selected too. “The original ensuite had a single sink so we decided to add a much needed double sink. The bathroom came together perfectly, each of the pieces, the lights, tile, hardware, and cabinets complement the other elements of the room and we just love it!”
When asked to describe what are the special features in their newly renovated home Kim was quick to explain the solutions to her storage space concerns in the kitchen. “Our old house had a huge walk in pantry and I was very concerned that the renovation would lose that storage space. Aquarian designers helped plan the kitchen with two pull out pantries and utilized a corner space for an appliance garage. I am amazed at how efficient and practical this design solution was. We store tons of things there”. Kim continues, “There are so many things that we love and which work perfectly for our family. The barn door is a perfect example. The original railings were also saved, and sandblasted and then painted a pewter colour to match the rest of the changes. The floor to ceiling windows bring the river valley into create the perfect backdrop for our living room and the whole renovation helped to keep the character of our home. We love it! Many of the features are subtle and they bring a smile to my face every time I enter the room”