Key objectives in this renovation and addition included expanding the ground-floor living space and opening it up to the garden, and enlarging and reconfiguring the master bedroom suite. Prior to the redesign, a brick fireplace extending up to the ceiling filled one corner of the garden-facing wall; the frames around french doors and a bay window further impeded views to the garden. We removed the existing back wall, extended the house into the garden, and glazed most of the new rear wall. To increase the sense of openness and lightness, the new fireplace stops short of the ceiling and ‘floats’ on a recessed plinth, which provides additional seating. Tucked in behind the fireplace is a closet with deep storage space above it. The closet volume bumps out onto the new deck. In the living room, millwork transforms awkward recesses between vertical ducts into storage and display space.

Second and third floor renovations included bathrooms, master bedroom, and new upper-level decks. A closet wall continues into the second-storey master bedroom. The third storey contains bedrooms and a renovated bathroom for the family’s young sons.