--- title: "Habit Studio — Building Designers and Drafters | Houzz" canonical_html_url: https://www.houzz.com/professionals/building-designers-and-drafters/habit-studio-pfvwus-pf~662751308 markdown_url: https://www.houzz.com/md/professionals/pf~662751308.md entity_type: LocalBusiness business_name: "Habit Studio" category: ["Building Designers and Drafters"] image: https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/3cc3b4680fbed2be_1621-w400-h400-b0-p0--.jpg address: "Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 2K5, Canada" latitude: 44.6473 longitude: -63.5844 phone: "(902) 791-0558" website: http://www.habitstudio.ca rating: 5 review_count: 4 best_of_houzz_awards: 1 followers: 49 last_updated: 2026-09-22 --- # Habit Studio Original Houzz profile: [Habit Studio](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/building-designers-and-drafters/habit-studio-pfvwus-pf~662751308) ## Professional summary - **Primary category:** Building Designers and Drafters - **Location:** Halifax, NS - **Serves:** Annapolis Valley, Beaver Bank, Bedford, Cape Breton, Chester, Cole Harbour, Dartmouth, Eastern Passage, Halifax, Lower Sackville, Lunenburg, New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island - **Houzz rating:** 5.0 out of 5 (4 reviews) - **Best of Houzz:** 1 award (2018), for Service. ## About ### Houzz Badges - 1,000 Ideabook Saves Habit Studio is an architectural and residential design firm, specializing in sustainable whole home renovations and custom Passive House designs. We design spaces to delight the senses, with careful attention to quality of light, material textures and meaningful views. We believe that thoughtful choices must guide the ways in which we build and inhabit our homes, embracing substance over size and quality over style. We aim to create homes that embody a sense of timelessness while clearly belonging in the modern world. Habit Studio is committed to sustainable building practices. We feel it is our responsibility to build homes that contributes to the comfort and health of the homeowners, while simultaneously saving clients' money and benefiting the environment. ### Services Provided - 3D Rendering - Building Design - Construction Drawings - Custom Homes - Energy-Efficient Homes - Floor Plans - Green Building - Home Additions - Home Extensions - Home Remodeling - House Plans - New Home Construction - Passive House Design - Residential Design - Site Planning - Sustainable Design - Universal Design ### Areas Served - Annapolis Valley - Beaver Bank - Bedford - Cape Breton - Chester - Cole Harbour - Dartmouth - Eastern Passage - Halifax - Lower Sackville - Lunenburg - New Brunswick - Newfoundland & Labrador - Nova Scotia - Prince Edward Island ### Typical Job Cost $350,000 - 1.5 million ## Business Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Business Name | Habit Studio | | Address | Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 2K5, Canada | | Phone | (902) 791-0558 | | Website | http://www.habitstudio.ca | | Followers on Houzz | 49 | **Social profiles:** - Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/habitstudio/ - LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/company/habitstudio/?originalSubdomain=ca - Blog — https://www.habitstudio.ca/ ## Contact - **Houzz profile:** [Habit Studio](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/building-designers-and-drafters/habit-studio-pfvwus-pf~662751308) - **Website:** http://www.habitstudio.ca - **Phone:** (902) 791-0558 ## Credentials **Certifications & Awards** - Certified Passive House Designer - Lieutenant Governor's Award for Architecture 2013 - **Best of Houzz:** 1 award (2018), for Service. ## Reviews **Overall rating: 5.0 out of 5 — 4 reviews** ### All 4 reviews **★★★★★ — Chris Payne, Sept. 2017** > Lorrie was great to deal with and we are very happy with our new home. She worked through two alternatives, with a wide variety of options, until we agreed upon the right package to give us what we wanted, within the rules set our by HRM. Throughout the process she was patient and offered insights on things that would work well vs those that could cause us issues (either with construction, cost or permits). We were pleased, and a bit surprised, when we applied for our permit there were no additional questions from HRM and our permit was ready and in hand, in less than 7 days. > Thanks again for helping us through the process. > We highly recommend Lorrie for your new build or major renovation project. > Chris & Lori Payne **★★★★★ — suzanne taker, Sept. 2017** > Judy Obersi was a perfect match for us. Her approach to understanding what we wanted in our project was simple yet brilliant. Achieving modern on a budget is a challange. Her creative approach to design and sourcing materials allowed us to find solutions that met both our budget and our vision. Renovating a 70's mobile wouldn't be a design job every architect would love. But we think Judy had as much fun as we did, creating our beautiful contemporary beach house. Our home fits us and the rustic and raw surroundings of Nova Scotia's Eastern Shore. **Comment from Habit Studio:** > It was a fantastic collaboration. The beautiful surroundings and interesting structure made it so much easier to come up with a 'story' for the design. Thank you Suzanne! **★★★★★ — Siobhan Kennedy-Cameron, Sept. 2017** > “Judy created two very lovely and very different spaces in the two homes we have owned. The first was an attic renovation in 2002. She gave us a minimal aesthetic in a period home. We loved it. It was relatively early in her career and there were some interesting challenges and structural issues that she made us feel confident that she could handle. She had a good relationship with the contractor and the job was finished before our first baby came! > > The second was a kitchen renovation 7 years later. We didn’t ask anyone else and knew that Judy had the right aesthetic for what we wanted. It was a different house ... now filled with children and we needed different things from this project. We now have an attractive and very functional space that makes us feel like we can still live in style!” > \- Siobhan Kennedy-Cameron **★★★★★ — Jane Sutton, July 2017** > Judy designed our new kitchen renovation. It made our kitchen more beautiful and much more functional! It is now a pleasure for our family and friends to spend time together in our gorgeous new kitchen. Judy is extremely knowledgeable about environmentally friendly design, construction methods, and products. She is an expert at knowing how to quickly find the exact product or building material that is perfect for your project. The quality of her design work is excellent. She is very professional, but it also very easy to talk with her about your design ideas. Judy is very good at listening to what your needs are in terms of function and esthetics. ## Selected projects - [Chester Cottage](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/chester-cottage-pj-vj~5880862) - Location: Chester, NS - Photos: 15 - Description: Two boxes sit on a secluded peninsula, which projects into a sheltered Atlantic Ocean cove. The 600 square foot west box, clad in black metal and vertical spruce siding, contains the main living area of the cottage. Upon approaching from the north, views directly through the west box reveal the ocean beyond. Oriented south-east with double height windows on 3 sides, this space is washed in sunlight throughout the day and enjoys panoramic ocean and forest views. The cedar shingled east box contai… - [Bell Lane](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/bell-lane-pj-vj~6481227) - Location: Wolfville, NS - Photos: 15 - [Rooflight House](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/rooflight-house-pj-vj~6480708) - Location: Halifax, NS - Photos: 14 - [Staycation House](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/staycation-house-pj-vj~6480736) - Location: Head of Chezzetcook, NS - Photos: 18 - [Pryor](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/pryor-pj-vj~6480686) - Location: Halifax, NS - Photos: 11 - [Sandy Cove](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/sandy-cove-pj-vj~1468033) - Location: Digby, NS - Photos: 11 - Description: This large two-storey timber frame house reflects the form and layout of a traditional Nova Scotia barn. Our client, who was inhabiting only the second floor, wanted to transform the main level from a garage and utility room into valuable living space. In doing so, we wanted to maintain a clear spatial order and a strong central axis throughout. The main level was converted into a welcoming entryway, a generous hallway, a master bedroom and spacious closet, a bathroom and utility room. Our inten… - [Walnut](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/walnut-pj-vj~2702453) - Location: Halifax, NS - Photos: 13 - Description: This 1920s craftsman house was transformed with a whole home renovation and two-storey addition. Our design priorities were to create interior flow and connectivity of spaces, while maximizing daylight exposure to offset the grey days of winter. For this family of five who enjoy cooking and gathering around meals, the heart of the home is the new kitchen and dining room. A wide bifold door in the dining room connects to a generous deck and extends the interior to the beautiful gardens beyond. Th… - [Anchored](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/anchored-pj-vj~1508036) - Location: Halifax, NS - Photos: 12 - Description: This beautiful semi-detached Victorian home was in need of a renovation to accommodate a family of five. A modern two-storey addition was designed to clearly distinguish between old and new, while simultaneously fitting into the scale of the overall house. On the main level a new mudroom, connected to the newly expanded kitchen, was tucked into the corner of the existing fully re-shingled exterior. The new kitchen layout, with framed views of the backyard, connects seamlessly to the dining room… - [Chester Two](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/chester-two-pj-vj~6020265) - Location: Chester, NS - Photos: 11 - Description: The owners of this charming heritage home requested that the renovation create a comfortable “beach-y” feeling for the interiors. A serene palette of white and wood, using refurbished softwood floors, exposed beams and new shiplap walls, contributes to the relaxed aesthetic. An unused porch was expanded and transformed into a new kitchen and a family room. While generously sized, the existing layout did not lend itself to family gatherings. By reorientating the space, the kitchen, with its vibra… - [Harvard](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/harvard-pj-vj~2893978) - Location: Halifax, NS - Photos: 12 - Description: Playful pops of colour, from our client’s eclectic collection, accent a classic white and wood colour palette in this sunny expansion to a Halifax home. The main portion of the addition forms a bright and functional kitchen that faces south west. An open layout was designed to provide flex space for the family as their needs change over the years. Salvaged doors, antique coat hooks and other reused elements were incorporated into the interior design. While the footprint of the house was enlarged… - [Immobile Home](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/immobile-home-pj-vj~1468007) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 8 - Description: Imagine a standard 1970s-era mobile home parked on Nova Scotia’s Eastern Shore. Our challenges: how to make a site-specific architecture of this pre-fab; how to transform a leak-prone mobile home into a modern all-season dwelling that embraces the landscape? All on a tight budget. The site is approached from a lane that crosses the Trans-Canada hiking trail. The site descends, revealing a panoramic expanse of ocean. The boardwalks and bridges of the coastal hiking trail that hover above the mars… - [Waverley](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/waverley-pj-vj~5544685) - Location: Waverley, NS - Photos: 15 - Description: Stunning views and a private setting provide the backdrop for this relaxing family home. Exposed to weather extremes in all seasons, the south face of the house was in need of substantial repairs. Renovations included replacing the original wood windows throughout the house, new cedar shingles on the lake side and structural upgrades to address curious 1980s framing. Window openings overlooking the lake were resized to limit obstructions to the view. Second floor balconies were removed and repla… - [PEI Passive House](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/pei-passive-house-pj-vj~5880873) - Location: Brookfield, PE - Photos: 8 - Description: Standing in a meadow in rural Prince Edward Island, this home was designed and built to the International Passive House standard. The young family enjoys expansive views and abundant natural light, while paying 85% less to heat their home than if it was built with conventional details. The two-storey, 2500 square foot house maintains a comfortable temperature, in all seasons, with only one small electric heater. Deep insulation, triple glazed windows and excellent airtightness ensure comfort and… - [House in the Woods](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/house-in-the-woods-pj-vj~2893996) - Location: Kentville, NS - Photos: 13 - Description: Nestled at the edge of a clearing on a 7-acre forested property, this new home was designed to be a simple, yet pretty place to enjoy the rural Nova Scotia landscape through the seasons. The house is clad in cedar shingles, which will weather to grey, and a durable metal roof; materials selected for both beauty and longevity. Interior finishes were chosen for comfort and ease of maintenance, with cork plank flooring installed over a concrete slab on grade and walls and wood trim painted a serene… [See all 14 projects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/building-designers-and-drafters/habit-studio-pfvwus-pf~662751308) ## Community Q&A **Q: cabinets** *(in Photo Questions)* What is the height of the cabinets? Thanks A: These are standard sized base cabinet boxes with higher than typical toe kick, 5.5" as I recall. **Q: Tiles** *(in Photo Questions)* Where are these tiles from? A: Hi Melissa, the lovely backsplash tile was sourced from the Cement Tile Shop. https://www.houzz.com/pro/cementtileshop/cement-tile-shop --- *Source: Houzz professional profile. Reflects the profile as of 2026-09-22.*