NEWLY ACCESSIBLE
Home reno serves owners’ needs
When Phyllis So and her family moved into their brand new two-storey home in Kanata’s Bridlewood neighbourhood they fell in love with their home. Now, 35 years later, the homeowners’ needs have changed, Phyllis needs a walker to navigate the family’s home and the traditional layout and walled-off spaces were creating difficulties. And while moving to a new and modern home was an option, the So family chose to remain in the neighbourhood they’d grown to love over the years — they didn’t want to start from scratch with new construction.
“I decided that, instead of moving into a more modern-looking home, this is a nice area and I like the neighbourhood. I don’t want to start new with new neighbours and new trees and everything,” says Phyllis. She adds, “But the only thing about the house is that it was built in the ’80s style with individual rooms and lots of walls. I decided to make it modern so we knocked down walls … I decided to renovate to make a more modern and accessible home. It’s more practical.”
After doing their due diligence, the So family hired Ottawa General Contractors to introduce an open concept style in their traditionally designed home. The room divisions made the main floor feel small and boxed-in and didn’t allow them to fully use their furniture or entertain guests in a functional space. Together, the family and the professional team crafted a design that helped make the space look cohesive and flow naturally.
“They didn’t try to upsell me and focused on my interests and what I was looking for. They gave suggestions but were not pushy,” says Phyllis. “I was then invited to their office to go through their 3D and to meet them. All of the people there were young and so knowledgeable. I trust them.”
To complement the new open concept layout, the So family looked to change their backyard at the same time. Originally, the yard could only be accessed by leaving through the front door and walking around. “I wanted to be able to go out without going around the house,” she says. “So they did a deck — it’s a beautiful deck — and it’s the right size. They did a really, really good job and all the neighbours said they did a really good job.”
The renovation took two and a half months. The contractors were on site from 7 a.m. until 6 or 7 p.m. each work day. The So family found the crew were conscious of the noise that might bother neighbours and were respectful of the cleanliness of their home.
As with most projects, the original plans were slightly altered and, in the end, the space looked even more grand and appealing than anticipated. The colour scheme helped ground the design by having dark floors and light walls alongside lighter cabinetry and countertops, and the furniture was carefully chosen to neutralize the space. The main floor now holds the So family’s favourite space, the kitchen.
“We didn’t even realize how efficient it can be with the kitchen, the counters and the island. It’s awesome! And now, because I’m having operations, I can walk around with a walker and I said to myself, ‘Wow!’ ” says Phyllis. “In the past, it was an old kitchen and I can’t walk around an L-shaped kitchen with a walker. But now I can go around the whole place: it’s really, really great. I love the kitchen!”