HOME RENO A FAMILY AFFAIR
Children, parents roll up their sleeves
There are many reasons homeowners choose to improve their home through renovation projects. It could be to accommodate mobility issues, update floor plans to improve flow or upgrade commonly used spaces such as bathrooms and kitchens. For one family in the Glebe, it was a matter of changing the space to fit their needs.
Their typical three-storey home in the Glebe featured traditionally small rooms, poor layout and awkward room sizes. They had previously invested in an addition to the kitchen, but the end product felt separated from the rest of the home. The dining room extended off the kitchen, giving the family a nearby space to eat and have the kids do homework, but it wasn’t practical or convenient. Off the dining room came the living room. But the space couldn’t accommodate their furniture so they turned the third-floor landing into their functional living room and turned the downstairs space into a formal dining room that was only used for company.
Their design was inspired by their children’s needs and incorporated their needs as a family, but the house lacked the open-concept layout and main-floor family area that they desperately desired. So they decided to hire Amsted Design Build to transform their house into a home. After several feasibility studies, Amsted determined that the homeowners could have everything they desired, and so much more, with a small 10x10 addition to square the back of the home. They took the needs of the entire family into account and incorporated a plethora of elements that came together to make a home that is unmistakably theirs.
Squaring off the back of the home and reallocating space on the main floor gave them a huge open-concept living space. While the kitchen remained in the same place, the new addition allowed for an adjacent family room with custom built-ins designed with the kids’ favourite activities in mind; there are bookshelves to encourage reading, cupboards filled with board games, a computer desk to support homework needs and, to top it all off, a piano in the corner. With a redesigned kitchen, dining room and a family room, the main floor was now perfect for their family-centric activities.
Creating a main-level family room allowed the homeowners to rearrange rooms on the second and third floors. A dedicated laundry room replaced a previous playroom and the third floor became home to the parents’ master bedroom, complete with cosy seating area, built-in closets and ensuite. The children’s rooms were relocated to the second floor, with a shared boys’ room divided by Ikea bookshelves and a private room for their daughter. However, the homeowners did not want to exclude their daughter from the boys so they created adjoining closets, making a secret passageway between the two rooms. The siblings can now open up the space and play together or close it off to create privacy.
For this family, it was important to get the kids involved in the renovation process — from defining the concept to completing the construction. They outfitted their two sons and daughter with their own safety equipment and appropriate-sized tools to help them feel involved in the construction on Day 1. They helped tear the space down and then helped build it back up. The parents recognized that construction is a disruptive part of the process, but they decided to take the opportunity to get the kids engaged and create lasting family memories.
Amsted encourages homeowners to include their children in the renovation process, every step of the way. They can take ownership of their bedrooms by selecting paint colours, decals, decorations and even artwork. Children can also give input on tile designs, colours and artwork for shared spaces such as bathrooms and kitchens.
Whether it’s helping hang hooks, assemble furniture or selecting wall art, families can work together to create a home that is uniquely theirs.