COMPACT QUARTERS
Architect redesigns small-scale Vanier home for her family of four
When Erin Duncan purchased a small bungalow in Vanier, she moved in with her dog and was enjoying the single life. She never imagined at the time that within a few years it would grow into a home for a family of four.
“We’ve learned to adapt and to embrace the tiny house movement,” Duncan, an Ottawa architect, says with a laugh. “Having a smaller footprint is better for the environment. As our children get older, we’ll have to be more creative with space and storage.”
Duncan says living in an 800-square-foot home comes in handy in her line of work. A graduate of Carleton University ’s architecture program, the 40-year-old works at Jane Thompson Architect, a small firm established in 1991 on MacKay Street.
“I often sit down with clients whose dream project doesn’t line up with their budget. I know how to offer solutions to save on space so they can achieve their goal,” says Duncan, whose work includes a mix of commercial and residential projects that run the gamut from affordable housing and seniors residences to small renos, additions in Rockcliffe and a fitness centre.
When Duncan first went househunting in 2010, she drew a small circle from her New Edinburgh office and started looking for a home within walking distance and within her budget. She loved the bungalow ’s footprint and could visualize small tweaks she would eventually do.
“The home had one previous owner for about 40 years and it was in good shape. I did, however, paint everything white as the main floor was pink and floral.”
It wasn’t too long that Duncan met her sweetheart and now-husband Luc Turgeon. The two were content to travel and put talk of renovating on the back burner — that is until a violent hailstorm tore several sizable holes through their “baby blue” vinyl siding in 2012.
“We took the hailstorm as an opportunity to increase the efficiency of the house and to add our own style. It was fun to sketch something with me as the client. We’ve done three renos since the storm.”
The couple hired contractor Adam Gooderham, who updated the home’s insulation, changed all the windows and replaced the vinyl siding with cedar boards, which Turgeon stained black by hand.
While on maternity leave with her daughter Rosa, Duncan sketched designs for a basement reno to add another bedroom after turning a spare room upstairs into a nursery.
“Our basement was painted orange and had orange shag carpeting. Our friends thought it was really retro, but it was cool for about five minutes because it was too dark. Now the space is much more modern with better insulation, a new bathroom, an office for Luc and a guest room for visitors.”
In 2016, shortly after the birth of their son Arlo, Turgeon took a sabbatical from his teaching position at the University of Ottawa and the family followed him to Edinburgh, Scotland, for two months. During that time, the couple began their third reno, which focused on the kitchen and bathroom on the main floor. Parquet flooring was lifted and replaced with birch flooring, an Ikea kitchen was installed with a white backsplash and extra-deep counters were added along with open shelving, additional storage space and new Kitchen Aid appliances. Funky light fixtures were put up inside and outside the home, while the main-floor bathroom was given a major facelift with a new walk-in shower with a glass door and wall-hung vanity and medicine cabinet. With very little closet space in the bedrooms, Duncan bought two Pax customizable wardrobes from Ikea.
Bright artwork purchased from Vanier Moderns, a mid-century modern furniture store, and from art students at University of Ottawa can be found throughout the home.
“I wanted a clean, white feel inside throughout the whole house contrasted with black siding and black windows. We use every inch of our home. It’s tiny, but it doesn’t feel like it is.”
Even if Duncan outgrows this home, she says her family will likely stay in the Vanier area. While acknowledging the area’s gritty reputation and the controversy surrounding the 350-bed Salvation Army facility slated to be built nearby, she has no plans to move because of it.
“I love Vanier’s central location and its affordability — although this is starting to change. We have wonderful neighbours and I love being close to the shops and restaurants in New Edinburgh. Our children are being brought up in a bilingual household and attend French daycare.”
For now, Duncan is content to work on her front and backyard gardens and to make small style changes as her children get older.
“It definitely makes me smile when people stop to look at the house as they are passing by. It’s fun when they ask who my architect is.”