There comes a time in a family鈥檚 life when the realization their home is too small hits them, and 海角社区官网couple, Kate and her husband, Nick, were planning to add space for their growing family, when it hit. 鈥淥ur youngest daughter was sleeping in a crib in our closet,”聽says Kate.
“That鈥檚 when we knew it was time to expand.鈥
The family owns a brick Victorian home which a large maple tree overlooks. They loved the home, but it was too dark and too small. 鈥淲e wanted to preserve as much of the original character of the house as possible, add more space, make it feel more open,”聽explains聽Kate. “Jacob helped us to realize our goals through a thoughtful, collaborative design process.鈥
Jacob JeBailey is principal at Toronto鈥檚 Reign Architects.
鈥淭he design concept for House Caroline emerged from the clients鈥 desire to create a home that reflects their daily rhythms while paying homage to a stately maple tree on the property,鈥 says JeBailey.
That meant opening up the ground floor to optimize light and create a flexible living space, connecting the home with the backyard. Large windows on the second floor enable the children to gaze at the maple from their bedrooms while the couple has the third floor to themselves, with a bedroom, outdoor terrace and a walk-in closet for their shirts and dresses 鈥 not kids.
There鈥檚 a large playroom in the basement for the kids.
Timber-framed beams and an expansive skylight above the stairwell flood the home with natural light. Says JeBailey: 鈥淭he infusion of daylight, not only enriches the esthetic appeal, but also contributes to a sense of openness that permeates the entire home.鈥
Kate says the first floor is probably the family鈥檚 favourite place. 鈥淲e spend so much of our time here as a family. (It’s) nice to be able to be in the kitchen and also interact with everyone in the living room.鈥
House Caroline, measuring 2,200 square feet, combines the home鈥檚 Victorian heritage at the front, while its rear features two distinct “volumes”: a charcoal-expressed ground and second-floor volume, and a cantilevered third-floor A-framed one.
The home is 12 feet 7 inches at its widest. This posed a challenge as did the task of retaining the home’s original Victorian character. This includes the front brick fa莽ade, stained glass windows and interior mouldings.
It all worked. 鈥淥ur home before the renovation was partitioned and very dimly lit,” says Kate. ”(Now that) Jacob and his team (have) reworked our living space with optimized natural lighting conditions, we find our home transformation feeling much warmer, inviting, and uplifting.鈥
Now there’s a room for everyone.
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