Our clients, a family of four, with two young sons, have outgrown their small bungalow and are in desperate need of more space. Our goal was to design a home for them that would give them some much needed space and provide the parents with some quiet areas to work and relax. In addition to this, it was a priority to use Passive House principles and create an environment that was not only comfortable and healthy, but also runs efficiently.

We designed a top-up addition for our clients, which allowed them to keep their existing windows that were close to the property line, while completely reconfiguring the entire layout. Rather than underpinning, we lifted the first floor up by 2 feet to create a bright, full-height basement. The ground floor was opened up to create an open plan with a welcoming entry, dining and reading space at the front, central kitchen with a large island and walk-in pantry and living at the rear which opens on to their yard. The second storey has four bedrooms including a primary suite with a walk-in closet and ensuite. The basement is set up for hanging out and enjoying their hobbies and keeping the noise and the toys contained. A large and bright playroom, which doubles as a guest room is in the front of the house, while a generous laundry room and washroom are centrally located with a movie room at the rear. For this project, we selected a material palette that was modern, warm, functional and timeless