BLENDING FOR BEAUTY

BY ROCHELLE JAMES

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JORDANN BROWN

Welcome to Ottawa’s Island Park neighborhood, where a beautifully renovated Tudor-style home awaits. The renovation, led by designer Jane Keyserlingk, of Keyserlingk Design, and brought to life by Crossford Construction, aimed to meet the needs of homeowners Shauna Castle and Brad Jeffers and their growing family while maintaining the home’s original charm. The result is a functional yet visually striking space that radiates elegance and sophistication, nestled in a picturesque setting.

The project was extensive, with a major first-floor addition off the back of the existing home to include a family room, powder room, and mudroom. The challenge was incorporating all these rooms while maintaining enough of the backyard for the children to play. Jane explains, “It is always important to come together with a design that stays true to the original style and bones of the home while adding a more current and elevated look. There is nothing worse than seeing an addition to a home that is not in keeping with its original aesthetic.”

Jane’s team found inspiration in classic European homes with integrated sunrooms and additions. They opted to fully clad the addition in a dark grey-green stucco to match the shade of the batten details on the home. Full-height dark bronze windows were chosen to create a more dramatic look, and the fireplace was matched to the stone from the front of the house to create a beautiful feature wall that acted as the focal point of the addition.

The couple’s wish list included a family room with a double-sided fireplace to the backyard, a small powder room with punch, and a back entrance with plenty of functional storage that was also pretty to look at. Shauna shared many magazine clippings and inspirational photos to help bring their vision together, with a goal to honour the home’s character yet make it livable and interesting for their young family.

The resulting design is a beautiful blend of Scandinavian minimalism with classic vintage touches to create a bright, airy feel and calming atmosphere. Warm wood elements were incorporated to mirror the existing arched doorways seen throughout the house, and full-height wainscoting was added for architectural interest. French doors and a beautiful faux limestone-washed fireplace mantel with simple lines were chosen to complement the adjacent living room mantel, which is more traditional and ornate.

Shauna explains, “We love Jane’s design style, which combines both classic and contemporary elements. We were inspired by her attention to detail and use of natural materials.”

When it came to furnishings in the living room, the team mixed darker woods with lighter furniture and paint to create contrast and make certain pieces stand out. They opted for linen-like fabrics with high stain and abrasion resistance and added in darker elements such as an iron coffee table with a deep charcoal stone top, a black mid-century mirror, and an ebony-stained side table. The lighter white oak shelving provided a more subtle contrast to the creamy walls and soft furnishings. They also brought in a carpet with subtle blues and greens, adding to the tranquil colour scheme. Keyserlingk Design’s approach to layering and texture, as well as their thoughtful consideration of each client, ensured that the design reflected their personalities.

Shauna and Brad are thrilled with the result of their renovation project. “We love our new space,” says Shauna. “It’s so functional but also reflects our style and feels like us. We couldn’t be happier with how everything turned out.”

The team at Crossford Construction is also pleased with how the project turned out. “We were proud to have been part of this project and to have worked with such a talented and dedicated design team,” says Lindsay Nicol, President and Founder of Crossford Construction.

Ultimately, the result is more than just a pretty façade; it’s a valuable investment to enjoy for years to come. The attention to detail in both the exterior and interior design is a testament to the power of collaboration and the importance of staying true to a home’s original character and charm. The family’s renovated home seamlessly blends classic and contemporary design elements and perfectly reflects the personalities and needs of its owners. It is a showcase of how thoughtful design can elevate and transform a home while remaining functional and welcoming.