Secret Garden

The (new) heart of the home

A blue house with a red front door, surrounded by green bushes and trees with autumn leaves, on a sunny day.
A blue two-story house with multiple windows, surrounded by autumn trees with orange and green leaves. There are pumpkins on the steps leading to the back door and two large wooden planters with green plants.

Our clients longed for natural sunlight in their home and a seamless connection to their back yard. Our solution was to add a small addition at the rear of the main floor and remove the wall separating the kitchen and dining room, to send daylight deep into the interior of the home. The dated 1950s kitchen, now with direct access to the backyard, was transformed into the central hub of the house. Quaint but poorly functioning cabinets were replaced with custom built modern ones, arranged to facilitate family interactions and convenient cooking. The extra space also allowed for a new mudroom and an enlarged family room.

A blue two-story house with black window frames, surrounded by colorful fall trees with green, orange, and red leaves. A wooden fence runs along the front yard with a small set of stone stairs leading to the house's side.
A blue house with two windows, a black drain pipe, and wooden planters with green plants and foliage, surrounded by fallen autumn leaves and a small red Japanese maple tree.

The youngest child’s love of the classic book ‘The Secret Garden’ inspired the addition of a delightful enclosed yard on the side of the house. The compact space screens the family from view of neighbours and provides space for homegrown veggies and a dwarf Japanese maple. The inside-outside connection was reinforced by a new deck and walkway leading to the new back door.

A modern kitchen with white cabinetry, a large island with drawers, and hanging pendant lights. There is a stainless steel refrigerator, a window, and glass-front upper cabinets. The kitchen has wooden floors and a sliding glass door leading outside.
View of a modern kitchen with white cabinets, a stainless steel refrigerator, light hardwood flooring, a small bar table with a metal chair, and pendant lighting, with a pastel green wall and a doorway visible.
Ceiling with a skylight window and recessed lights over a kitchen or living space with cabinets and a door.

The second floor was reoriented to reclaim space previously lost in maze-like hallways and rooms only accessible by passing through one another. Modifying the layout created opportunities for an extra room and much-needed storage. Two new bathrooms were constructed, and a new laundry room introduced. The master bedroom was converted into a relaxing retreat, with a refreshing and uplifting colour palette selected by the homeowners.

Bathroom with wooden cabinet, a mirror, two red pendant lights, a white toilet, and small potted plants.

Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia
Type: Residential Renovation
Millwork: Islandview Design
Windows and doors: Marvin Integrity
Structural Consultant: Andrea Doncaster Engineering
Photography: Matthew Rodgers

A wooden countertop next to a window with a view of an outdoor patio with chairs and greenery. A white towel with red trim is draped over the countertop, and there is a wall-mounted light fixture on the wall to the right of the window.