CASE STUDY
Lake House

The Client

Our client needed a home that reflected their own style, yet still made room for children. They purchased the home in a great location; however, at almost 20 years old, it needed structural and aesthetic renovations. As budget and time permits, they intend to update the entire home through stages.

/ BEFORE

Our Role

At N+H, we provided guidance on where to start, design inspiration for ongoing renovations, and a realistic budget for the extensive renovation. When choosing a unifying design throughout, we took into consideration the natural environment.

Design Solutions

The client wanted somewhere they could feel relaxed at the start and end of the day, so we started with the master bedroom and bathroom. The bathroom was unused and dark, with wall-to-wall carpeting, dated fixtures and a small shower.

We added another window to the master ensuite to take in the serene lake view. The existing shower was accessed from a water closet (wc), which made it dark, cramped and tiny, so we re-worked the space to create a glass-enclosed shower. To let in more light, we removed the wc doors and installed a wall-mounted toilet to open up the space.

The home was built with many levels and angles, creating functionless space. While reducing the stairs and levels was out of scope, we minimized them by installing the same flooring throughout and painted the walls the same colour for continuity and flow.

Project Highlights

The white oak flooring throughout was not in the initial plan, but now updates the entire second floor. Completing all flooring at the same time creates efficiencies and ensures the graining and colour match throughout.

White oak is a great choice for bathroom design. It’s a closed-grain wood and naturally water and decay-resistant as the pores are sealed with tyloses (used in shipbuilding and wine barrels). It’s also very dense, making it a durable choice for families with kids and pets.