Build news spring 17

SPRING 2017 • Volume 6 • Issue 1

Choose Wood!

We have had a number of requests recently regarding wood windows and doors, particularly restoration of existing older units, and new units built in a sympathetic style for older buildings.

Wood has a number of benefits compared to vinyl or metal units, and there are treated wood options that greatly extend the life of wood windows and doors. Wood is naturally insulating, environmentally friendly, and allows for painting to match interior and exterior trims and colours.

We are always happy to talk about the positive attributes and beauty of wood windows and doors. So feel free to contact us to discuss if it is a suitable option for your home. Rory

Bright hardwood floors, gas fireplace and custom cabinetry create an inviting room for the entire family.

Modern Arts & Crafts Arts and Crafts, Tudor Revival Cottage are styles which could describe our client's 1930s home. Together we have designed a multi-year plan to renovate and update the interior and exterior of the house to suit their lifestyle and still maintain its charm.

Beginning with a basement renovation, we added a fireplace and cabinetry to make it more inviting. An unused storage room is now a lovely guest room; and a closet is a roomy bathroom. Maple hardwood floors unify and lighten the space. Dark grey hexagon floor tile in the bathroom coordinates with the fireplace's subway tile surround.

In the mudroom, we matched the oak floors and the closet doors to the existing house. A herringbone tile keeps the entry tidy. Custom cabinetry allows for plenty of storage, while a cozy window bench seat is the sunny spot to sit and read for our client's children.

A white vanity with quartz countertop is a contrast to the grey hexagon ceramic tile.

WE LOVE YOUR HOUSE! A recent trip to California to visit (and adore) Greene & Greene's Gamble House, gave us a new appreciation for the neighbouring quintessential Pasadena Bungalows, with their perfect proportions and their grandness for living small.

Rory McDonnell build4u.ca 519 275 3250 rory@build4u.ca

Custom cabinetry, closet doors and walls painted white, and a sunny window seat, brighten the mudroom.

A True Farm Kitchen Despite magazines boasting of modern farmhouse kitchens in urban condos and suburban new builds, for us, the best place for this type of kitchen is still a country farmhouse. Our clients' 30-plus year-old, working farm kitchen, needed a bright new update to host their involvement in local food and music events.

We aspired to a modern, clean aesthetic with natural stone and wood accents to maintain a country kitchen feel. Custom furniture pieces, such as a denim blue hutch, have an heirloom quality which make the space feel homey and comfortable. Slate look porcelain floor tile creates a neutral backdrop for a walnut island with a showpiece soapstone top. A coordinating walnut hanging wall cabinet completes the timeless look.

Modern appliances and plenty of storage space make the kitchen as efficient as it is beautiful.

Farmhouse inspiration with a unique soapstone counter on a walnut island, and a classic custom-built hutch.

Rebuilt wood windows to match the originals.

Tudor Revival's Revival An historic 1913 Tudor Revival home in Hamilton sustained devastating water damage after a fire. The owners asked us to help them restore this great house with the help of photos, architectural remnants and our client's photographic memories. It is a work in progress but we are pleased with how the details are coming together. Exterior work included new wood windows and doors, stucco work, a slate roof and recreating the moulding details. The exterior is nearing completion but there is still more to come in replicating the interior details, such as plaster, trims and cabinetry, updating the bathrooms, and redesigning the kitchen.

Honed granite tops white custom cabinets and modern appliances; while a walnut wall cabinet is a link to the past.

New rafter tails and fascia ends, copied from the original house, retain the house's Tudor charm.