Background

The clients for this project were Vancouverites returning ‘home’ from living in the UK for a number of years. They purchased a 4-level heritage home (aka character house) in Vancouver’s bustling, in-demand Kitsilano neighborhood. The home, originally built around 1910, had been converted into multiple separate apartments, but the new clients had multi-conversion on the mind to turn it back into a single-family dwelling, and Madeleine Design Group (MDG) was hired to make it happen.

Challenges

The challenges for this project were not so much numerous as they were time-consuming. Planning for the project began in January 2019; the clients finally moved in during the fall of 2022. The pandemic brought about supply chain issues and labor shortages, but a major portion of time was spent just waiting for permit approval.

Permitting for a project of this scale in Vancouver can be a lengthy approval process, to begin with; adding the challenges of changing the property from a multi-conversion dwelling back to a single-family residence proved costly in time. In the end, permission was granted, and the structural challenge began: a lot of steel and extra footings in the basement had to be introduced to accommodate the new open floor plan.

Overview

The basement suite remained its own separate dwelling. The clients currently use it for family and long-term visitors. The rest of the 3,600 sq ft house was converted into a single-family home. The 3 levels of the primary residence were reconfigured into a modern living layout: kitchen, formal dining room, powder room, and lounge are all located on the ‘public’ first floor.

The second ‘private’ floor holds a bedroom with a full bathroom, home office, laundry room, and small family room. The top floor is reserved for the entire primary suite with a bedroom, walk-in closet, luxury bathroom, and 3 small balconies. All furniture, excluding an antique dining set the clients had purchased and lived with abroad, and a couple of antique accent pieces, was provided by MDG as part of the full turn-key service.

Design Theory

The design theory from the home was simple-but-oh-so-meticulous: marry the old heritage charm and select antique furnishings with a new modern layout and art deco décor.

Helping succeed in the process was the general contractor Quinton Construction, John Quinton, who spent 10 years sitting on the Vancouver Heritage Foundation board. His vast knowledge of period-specific materials and designs helped make sure the home could be as true to the original first build as possible. With his help, the redesign was meticulously planned with exceptional care for those period-specific details, specifically on the exterior, while infusing 21st century style.

List of details and highlights from the restoration and infused modern décor

The original solid oak floors were uncovered during the demolition process. The antique hardwood was carefully restored and thoughtfully incorporated into the new, open floorplan. Of interesting note: through its design patterns, the floor revealed the original house layout. These patterns were accentuated with restored and reconfigured original borders for the modern updated floorplan.
The floorplan is open and modern, but the rooms are still very defined into themselves, much more than the original closed room concept would have been.
The new lounge is located where the original kitchen was set; because of that, the flooring is a little bit different. MDG worked this unique feature this into the design of the room.
The kitchen is open and much larger than it was in the original home. It is also covered with marble countertops and filled with modern chef’s appliances (including the MDG hallmark: a galley sink).
MDG professionally framed and incorporated a lot of the family’s personal artwork and photos into the home’s interior design.
The powder room features an antique table (to hold the vessel sink) and old photograph prints above the toilet – both add a splash of old to the new décor.
The dining table is an antique and has traveled with the couple from house to house; but in this restored heritage/modern design, it feels more at home than ever.
The dining room also features accordion-style folding doors that open to the porch, bringing a very modern indoor-outdoor feel to the traditional dining room.
Throughout the home, the crown molding, wall paneling, and baseboards are a modernized nod to period specific detailing; in a few specific places, the traditional molding runs into contemporary flat molding to help separate the traditional from the modern.
The additions of modern lighting and carefully selected wallpaper provide an art deco vibe to play off the old heritage feel.
The windows are large and plentiful to keep the interior spaces bright and filled with natural light. Roman shades are used to create a bit of layering and add some softness.
Between the aforementioned selections, the original floors, and the numerous uses of brass to accentuate the chosen colors, the home has a perfect rustic-meets-art-deco-meets-historic-home feel.
With John Quinton’s help and expertise, the exterior was completely refurbished to be very period-specific. Some of the highlights include the correct stone that would have been used at the time, real wood shingles, and precise architectural details.

Personnel & Materials

Madeleine Design Group provided all interior designs and furnishings
General Contractor: Quinton Construction
Furnishings supplied: CF Interiors

Notable Materials used:

Floors: Original restored solid oak
Custom Front and Patio Doors: Westeck Windows
Countertops: Natural Stone, 2cm Marble Slab, Sahara Noir
Kitchen Island: Natural Stone, 2cm Marble Slab, Bianco Lasa Extra
2nd floor bathroom: Vicostone, 2cm Quartz Composite Slab, Nero Marquina
Backsplash: 2×8 Glazed Ceramic Tile in a double herringbone pattern
Lighting: fixtures by Visual Comfort, Matteo Lighting, Eurofase, Hudson Valley, Hinkley, and Kuzco
Recessed Lighting: Liteline
Hardware: Top Knobs
Appliances: Gaggenau, Wolf, Fulgor, Asko, and LG
Paints: Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace, Hale Navy, and Whitestone
Fireplace surround: Natural Stone, 2cm Marble Slab, Sahara Noir
Primary Ensuite accessories: Kartners
Primary Ensuite Shower fixtures:Brizo
Primary Ensuite Freestanding Tub: Victoria + Albert, Barcelona