A Historical Home Reimagined with Modern and Vintage Elements

We're here today at this 1937 home in central Oshawa. My clients moved from Colbourg, Ontario to Oshawa to be close to their grandchildren. When they purchased this home they really loved the charm it had. It had a lot of original features still intact, but we came to discover that the majority of the plaster throughout the home had a bit of asbestos. It was unfortunate that we had to remove a lot of that charm. We tried our best to try to incorporate it where we could and that also gave us time to look at the floor plan and think about how could we change this. In the end we created a new story for this house as well as our homeowners. One of the things that they did want was a little bit more entertaining space since the kitchen was quite small. So what we did was remove the wall between the sunroom located the back of the house and opened up to the dining room and the kitchen. From the dining room it's now a great view of the backyard and open to the kitchen area. We have this large table that can fit six or open up to fit ten. We reupholstered the client's original dining room chairs in a fabulous striped fabric. The chandelier is also a vintage find. What I love about the chandelier and the sconces over top of the island, there is a great contrast between old and new. When we were designing the kitchen we wanted to keep somewhat of the similar footprint that was there before. So the sink is in the same location. We added a fabulous apron sink and a living finish faucet. For the cabinets themselves we still wanted to have a similar look to what was in there before. So we chose a simple shaker. The hardware some of it is original to what was in the home before and we found additional pieces to help finish off the rest of the cabinets. And one of my favorite features in here is the rounded crown. I don't know why I just love it. The chandelier above the sink we originally found and it was going to appear in her closet. But when we were figuring out what kind of lighting we're going to have above the sink we thought okay this is perfect. So it actually moved its way downstairs and we had to find something else upstairs. The sunroom is very multifunctional. So on one side we have this cabinetry where they can store glasses and allow for entertaining. We decided to use vintage glass as a backslash as well as behind the cabinetry which helped to bring the reflection of the outside in and to make the space feel brighter. We also used the same hardware that we used in the kitchen. On the other side we have television sitting area, conversational area with a tv that actually comes out of the cabinet. Another thing we did in this area is we kept the furniture pieces just a little bit more modern to again play with that contrast of old and new. The two large doors in the sunroom also helped to bring the outside in. We also continued with the furniture selection outside to tie in with what was happening in the center. In this particular application they've chosen our Valor H5 which is a zero clearance fireplace. So designed for renovation or new construction applications. Really efficient heating like all of our Valor fireplaces do. Beautiful realistic flame and log sets using our V-Class burner technology. Radiant heat is a very comfortable type of heat as opposed to like a forced air heat. Similar to standing outside in the sun you feel that instant warmth. All of our fireplaces are very customizable. For instance this one has three different log sets. It's got a birch log set, a traditional log set which is what the customer's chosen here, as well as a driftwood log set which is also very popular. There's six different interior options to choose from and then also different front options. You can customize it really to whatever suits your room decor. None of our Valor products require any power to operate. Our products don't use fans so you don't have the noise associated with it. They're a very reliable source of backup heat. If there's power failure for instance your heat pump won't work. They use a battery operated remote control system so they would heat and operate just as they normally would. If you're interested in looking at our products you can visit our website valorfireplaces.com and we have a dealer locator there which will direct you to the closest dealer to you. In the front room the original ceiling had curves to it that were done in the plaster but having to remove the plaster we lost our curved ceilings. So in order to achieve a similar look we used two different types of molding to get that curved effect back. We also decided to do a dark ceiling in there just to add a little bit of drama. Once we finished the place though the client decided it needed something more. So we started off with wallpaper that was behind the fireplace. Once that got installed it was like hey we need to just take it the next step further and do the whole room. And we've incorporated a chartreuse green in the curtains with a lovely trim that created a contrast against the dark walls. So it really gives you that drama as you walk into the space. We really wanted it to be a cozy lounge feeling. So we used the cognac leather chairs as well as velvet on the sofa. The sofa is curved and it has an Art Deco Matisse of shells on it to really give a nod to the heritage of the home. The bookshelves on the fireplace are original to the space. We gave it a new fresh coat of paint. We updated the mantle and put a beautiful marble stone surrounding it. When you approach this house we decided to change the exterior as well. And with that we gave it a whole new look by painting it white. We added new black shingles, black windows and we also added a checkered floor as you come in under the vestibule. And then when you walked into the home we wanted something that was just as spectacular. So we found this great stone tile that we carried throughout the foyer as well as on the landing of the stairs. When you originally walked into the home there was a small powder room that was located in an original closet. And while it was really cute and we wanted to keep it with the extent of the renovations that we had to do we actually had to return it back to a closet otherwise it wouldn't pass inspection. One of the things we did to accommodate a bathroom on the main floor is that we took a bit of the square footage from the living room created a new powder room as well as extra storage in the front room that is hidden behind a mirror. One of the things I love about this house is a little bit of whimsical like the monkeys on the wallpaper in the powder room. Just off the kitchen like one of these houses there is a side entrance and we decided to do a fun mosaic with the year that the house was built. With the removal of the plaster we also had to remove a lot of the original mouldings that my clients really loved. So we brought where we could that back in but we also decided to carry it up the stairwell. So as you reach the top of the stairs we have a landing spot where we purchased a beautiful French commode that acts as a table for folding towels, laundry. We also decided to add a second laundry area upstairs with a stackable washer and dryer hidden behind a closed door. In the primary bedroom we also wanted it to feel dramatic like the rest of the home. So we chose this beautiful coleslants wallpaper custom-made headboard in a beautiful lush velvet, nice crisp white linens. We added a more modern bench at the end of the bed and modern lighting in there again playing on that contrast. We added a built-in closet which helps keep my client very organized with all his clothing and accessories. We also updated her closet with brand new cabinetry in there for her collection of shoes and purses. The bathroom upstairs like most two-story homes in this area is rather small and compact. In order to increase storage we added a hotel shelf above the toilet for towels. We also made use of a vanity mirror. It's a medicine cabinet so they have storage in there as well. The guest room really has a boutique hotel feel to it. We decided to remove the door to the closet and in there she has towels for guests. The bed is really cozy with beautiful linens on it. We chose a really beautiful wallpaper in that room to provide a little bit of drama. So the overall feeling of that room is cozy and chic. We chose the smallest of the three bedrooms upstairs to turn into an office space for my clients. We had wall-to-wall built-ins put up for all his books. There's a small desk in there for him to work as well as a pull-out sofa for when the Guerin kids come to visit. When my clients originally purchased this home they weren't 100% sure if they were going to stay in this location but once we completed this project they have no plans to move anytime soon. Whenever I come to visit my clients I have butterflies. I think what we've achieved in this space is something really special and I think anyone that walks in here feels it too.