MOVING OUR HOME
Rightsizing instead of downsizing: Oke Woodsmith was able to accommodate the open concept design the homeowners had in mind.
FROM RENOVATIONS TO CUSTOM HOME Oke Woodsmith fulfilled their needs
Fran and Tony Relouw believe working with Oke Woodsmith is like working with a friend – an expert and talented friend. And they should know. Tony worked with the Oke brothers’ father on projects a long time ago. The Relouw’s previous house was “torn apart and rebuilt” by Oke Woodsmith and they saw the brothers and their crew “from 8 in the morning until 5 every night” so they came to know them well. No wonder they turned to their friends to build a new home in Newport Landing, Grand Bend. Fran and Tony purchased a double lot on a cul de sac. The house is situated on one lot and the other is preserved as a spacious yard. Their previous country home was on about 20 acres and Tony likes the ability now to look out and see neighbours across the lawn.
zines and books and found a house we liked the looks of,” says Tony. “We could sit across the desk from Steve and he made certain suggestions – move this wall here, move that wall – and instantly he had the floor plan as we were talking. You want to move one wall and it changes everything. That’s how the house ended up larger than planned.”
“The intent was to downsize, but it didn’t really happen,” he says. Based on a photo of a house they liked in Florida, Fran and Tony sat down with Oke Woodsmith designer Steve Poortinga. “We looked at maga-
The knowledgeable staff at Oke Woodsmith was another factor in the Relouw’s choice of builder. “They do everything themselves. They have all the equipment. They don’t have to wait for subtrades to come in,” says Tony. RIGHT The guest bath displays a sophisticated palette.
