Tesselation

Bring Back The Flow

This 1940s brick house, inhabited by a lovely young family of four and a canine named Granville, was cramped and disconnected with dated interiors.

A small kitchen, which functioned as a hallway to the backyard and basement, a tiny main floor bedroom with large bathroom, treacherous basement stairs, leaking patio doors, and minimal storage were just some of the challenges to overcome. The house had no flow, and it was time to remove some walls (or, many walls).

A modern kitchen with white cabinets, a stainless steel refrigerator, oven, and a range hood. There are hanging pendant lights above the kitchen island, which has brown barstools. The space has wooden flooring and natural light coming through a window.
Modern kitchen with white cabinets, a kitchen island with two brown chairs, a window with a brick building outside, and decorative items including a plant, pumpkins, and books.
Modern kitchen with white cabinets, a large white countertop, and plenty of natural light from multiple windows. Decor includes books, a pumpkin, and a bowl of apples. There are two globe pendant lights hanging from the ceiling.
Kitchen nook with blue and white patterned tiles, two wooden shelves holding glassware and books, a white countertop with a coffee machine, and decorative items including a wooden bowl and two blue cups.

Opening up the main floor created a more spacious feel, with expansive sightlines and daylight that washes across the entire space. Upon entering the front door, you can see past the curved stair to the dining room beyond. The self-supporting stair to the second floor, with underside exposed, stands as a sculptural element in the space.

The modernized u-shaped kitchen, with deep counters and a row of storage cubbies, is a well-functioning central hub where the homeowners can work while keeping an eye on their busy little ones at play. The family’s generous harvest table and drink station with bold, patterned cement tile provide decorative focal points in the dining room.

A small entryway with hardwood flooring, a wooden door with glass panels, and an upper window showing autumn leaves outside. There is a white coat rack with two hooks, one holding a navy jacket and a navy coat with a colorful pattern, and a small white shelf beneath. A modern ceiling light and a framed switch are also visible.
A white wall with a built-in grid-style storage shelf holding decorative items, against a background of a large window and a small potted plant on a ledge.

The back entry was transformed with oak stairs, a grid of embedded storage cubbies, a hook-lined wall for coats, stowaway shoe storage and a small integrated bench. The patio door was replaced and the once concrete stair to the basement was flipped and is now accessed from the dining room.

The existing main floor bedroom was removed, and the oversized bathroom was converted into to compact powder room, leaving ample space for closet storage near the front entry.

A palette of soft blues and greys throughout, complimented by natural wood accents, create a sense of calm and serenity.

Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia
Type: Residential Renovation
Structural Engineer: Doncaster Engineering
Builder: J&G Construction
Doors: Marvin
Photography: Therese Bombardier

Interior view of a home showing a staircase with wooden steps and black metal railing, a blue storage bench with toys, a small chair, and a room with blue walls and large windows.