DISTINCTIVE DESIGNS 2021 EDITION 96
STAR of the sea A special home for art lovers
Smaller windows and more walls aren’t usual requests from a customer for Oke Woodsmith. However, homeowners Carla and Brian asked for space to display their art collection. Their sea-themed paintings also set the colour palette of blues with orange accents. The complementary hues reflect the couple’s interests. Brian is a sailor and Carla loves a warm, welcoming entertaining space. Their 2,500-square-foot home in Sarnia was given a major facelift to bring the mid-1950s building into the 21st century. Today, it includes two bedrooms, two and a half baths, den, a flex space loft, kitchen and great room. “It’s a small footprint that lives big,” says Randy Oke. It had been a rental property and was in rough shape. “Carla had a pretty good idea of what she wanted. She was a big part of it,” says Steve Poortinga. “The original design was flipped. We put in for the permit and had to alter the plans. The flow turned out even better and the curb appeal improved.” The need to change the design came after the couple had traveled to Florida for the winter. So, Randy and Steve came up with a solution, then contacted them. “We know how to go with a curve ball thrown at us,” says Randy. To address the permit requirements and Brian’s large dining table, Steve flipped the layout, adding an extension to the back and a garage at the front.
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