When families thrive, they move to a bigger space. That’s exactly what our clients did when their existing home became small for their growing clan.
Talking to the clients we realized they wanted a grand house with lots of room to entertain and separate living space for their teenaged kids.
And they wanted to do in style: French Country style home, to be exact, with striking masonry giving it the look of a mansion.
And it’s not just the outside of the house that looks grand. The inside also exudes magnificence. There’s a master suite on the main floor, with his and hers walk-in closets, and a huge ensuite bathroom. This gives the couple privacy from the rest of the house, while the kids have their own sanctuary on the second floor.
A two-storey great room that has large glass windows and a huge stone fireplace allows for cozy entertainment during winter. And that’s not all. There’s a separate, large dining room that connects with the kitchen via a butler’s pantry, a transitional space between a kitchen and eating area, adding a little mystery and intrigue to the house layout.
Like a lot of land in rural Ontario, the biggest challenge here was the agricultural zoning behind the property that dictates strict building conditions, such as stringent setbacks.
The second challenge was that the owners wanted a hidden garage.
But zoning is never a concern for clients we work with, because we take care of it all. For their second ask, we designed a porte-cochère, which is an archway leading into the rear courtyard. It’s a functional feature to have in a house, especially when bringing in the groceries on a stormy, rainy day. Hidden garages also allows for future expansion with room for a loft guest suite above it.