After: A new “drop zone” that ties in the island cabinetry color now offers organized, accessible storage designed around the family’s routines. This upgrade makes full use of the space while adding interest and enhancing the overall beauty of the kitchen.

This beautiful North Vancouver home belongs to a nature-loving and health-conscious couple, Emma and Vince (names changed), their two young children, and their dog, Jasper. When they contacted us about renovating and furnishing their kitchen and family room, we walked in and saw a world of potential waiting to be uncovered. Before: Larkhall Crescent Home: Like many original North Vancouver homes, the interior was definitely dated. We encountered late ‘80s finishes in powder pink and teal green, old carpet, and a kitchen that wasn’t maximized to suit this family’s modern-day lifestyle. However, the size of the rooms offered us a ton of space with which to get creative. Knowing our clients’ love of cooking, need for work spaces (Emma and Vince both work remotely), and growing family, we developed a design concept that would increase usable space, optimize storage, and create intimacy in this large area. As for the style, we were inspired by their European roots, inventing a new and modern take on “Belgian Farmhouse” style. Now, the home is truly one-of-a-kind. After: Warm & Cozy Family Room: Fresh, bright, and comfortable, this living area has been transformed! We started with the fireplace as a focal point, selecting aged brick tiles for added texture and a crisp wood mantle. The taupe-coloured sectional infuses the room with visual warmth and serves the added purpose of separating the family room from the kitchen. Emma and Vince were also keen on using non-toxic materials in their home, and we were happy to oblige. To meet their needs, we sourced natural wood elements and sought out Canadian-made products - that adhere to high health standards - whenever possible. Look closer at the elements of this space, and you will find this stunning, honeycomb-patterned rug in earthy gold, beige, and charcoal tones. It’s plush to the touch and full of visual texture that brings this room’s colour palette together. We sourced these two-tone chairs with caning, petrified wood side table, black sconces, and botanical prints in greyscale from local artist, Heather Johnston. We topped off the space with this dark wood and rattan console that offers storage facing the kitchen and presents an opportunity to display cherished items. The result is a cozy lounging space brimming with comfort and functionality. It’s perfect for enjoying quality family time, or Emma can simply slide the coffee table away to make room for her morning yoga practice. Now, let’s turn around and give some attention to the kitchen. Do you remember what the original kitchen looked like? If not, scroll back up, because the transformation is shocking… Moody & Welcoming Kitchen for Healthy Living: This kitchen looks very different from how it started, right? Though we didn’t touch any walls, the kitchen has almost doubled in usable space! We created a long, extended island with storage, an outlet for small appliances, and seating for comfortable prep, after-school snacking, or mingling among friends. On the other side of the island, the family has even more storage and an integrated dishwasher within easy reach of the sink, perfect for quick clean-up. From this angle, you can also see the expansive custom Shaker cabinetry in white and the integrated double ovens. These facilitate their cooking experience and gave us the opportunity to add an additional surprise… A coffee garage station and more hidden storage! Keeping these items located along the perimeter allows them to be accessed by the family or their guests without someone getting under the cook’s feet. These are the little details that make everyday life easier and more enjoyable. Moving deeper into the kitchen, the seamless induction cooktop topped with a freestanding concealed hood fan commands attention in a soft yet prominent way. The natural wood accent mirrors the fireplace mantle, and the choice of off-black wood-grain cabinets not only continues our black-and-white colour palette but adds a sense of depth and contrast. The corner sink is located to the right and perfectly positioned with a view of their thriving backyard. To invite more of this family’s character into the space, we mixed metals for interest — matte black, dark pewter, and warm brass — and created open shelves in white oak for their plants and decor. You can also glimpse the tumbled edge of the backsplash tile, which echoes the rustic brick of the fireplace. It adds that farmhouse charm while still feeling timeless and sophisticated. Last but not least, we designed this dining banquette in the bay window (with integrated bench storage, of course), where the family can share a meal together, the kids can do homework, or Emma and Vince can work and enjoy a change of scenery from their offices. Like the other spaces in the home, it was designed to be beautiful, multi-functional, and long-lasting. Praise from Our Clients: It is clear that we love this home, but what did our clients have to say? “Lori is a visionary and masters execution to the finest detail all at the same time. When she first met us to know more about who we are and how we live, she could right away envision how we could use the space in our kitchen and living room…The results exceeded our expectations. Lori and her team were also a delight to work with — coordination with all the trades, fast problem-solving, regular updates, professional and friendly attitude of her entire team — made it the dream team. Thank you SHD for making our space so beautiful!” In turn, we are so grateful for this family’s trust, their open communication, and for being wonderful people with whom to work. (So, thank you!)

This is a view out of the kitchen and through the breakfast area to the snow filled back yard. The bay windows not only offer a nice view , but allow a pleasant light to stream into the room. This had previously been a series of storage rooms with no access to the backyard. This renovation changed the whole orientation and feel of the house.

An Architectural and Interior Design Masterpiece! This luxurious waterfront estate resides on 4 acres of a private peninsula, surrounded by 3 sides of an expanse of water with unparalleled, panoramic views. 1500 ft of private white sand beach, private pier and 2 boat slips on Ono Harbor. Spacious, exquisite formal living room, dining room, large study/office with mahogany, built in bookshelves. Family Room with additional breakfast area. Guest Rooms share an additional Family Room. Unsurpassed Master Suite with water views of Bellville Bay and Bay St. John featuring a marble tub, custom tile outdoor shower, and dressing area. Expansive outdoor living areas showcasing a saltwater pool with swim up bar and fire pit. The magnificent kitchen offers access to a butler pantry, balcony and an outdoor kitchen with sitting area. This home features Brazilian Wood Floors and French Limestone Tiles throughout. Custom Copper handrails leads you to the crow's nest that offers 360degree views. Photos: Shawn Seals, Fovea 360 LLC

The new open space allows flexibilty and mobility. Safety bars, textured marble floor, hand-held shower supply and handsome teak shower bench create spa-like bathroom that is both modern and beautiful. Ceramic tile walls, glass accent, Calacatta marble mosaic tile, and playful painted cabana stripes offer durability and a crisp, clean color palate. — at Bay Harbour.

The kitchen features a kitchen island with a breakfast bar made with Caesarstone Quartz countertops, shaker-style cabinets with half moon hardware, a Bosch dishwasher, Summit refrigerator and wine cooler. The kitchen ceiling features original molding with a hanging pendant light. The kitchen offers access to a balcony.

An expansive shower with a curbless transition with grab bars add a safety net and are placed purposefully around the room. Photos by Spacecrafting Photography

Completely remodeled 3BD/2BA Ranch-style home. The open floor plan offers a seamless flow from room to room. The living and dining room are open to the chef's kitchen with Energy Star appliances, quartz counters and a breakfast nook, ideal for entertaining. The spacious master has direct access to the backyard, a spacious closet and direct access to a spa-like bath.

Brand new boat lift on this canal front home offers you access to the Gulf of Mexico and far places beyond! Gorgeous lanai with pool, spa, fireplace and outdoor kitchen makes this the perfect spot to enjoy the beautiful Florida weather.

This spacious master bedroom, minimalistic in its design, exudes comfort, coziness, and warm atmosphere. It is split up into two areas off of the main access hallway; with bed build-in on one side, and sitting area extending into the terrace on the other. Rich, dark wood build-ins are set against white backdrops and seem to frame the intimate night resting space. The platform designed bed seems to hover above softly carpeted floors like the illuminated floating ceilings are. Rich wood tones are paired with blue, green, turquoise, and aquamarine accents and soft ivory bedding. On either side of the bed, there is a fully integrated, floating nightstand offering drawer and shelf storage, and on the side wall of framing the bed area is a hidden door with additional shelves behind, and an outlet inside for charging of gadgets when you’re reclining in bed. Simple cylinder pendant light offers soft glow against the woodwork and cleverly integrated reading light mounted on the back wall folds up when not in use. Photography: Craig Denis

This view showcases a spacious, luxurious primary bathroom. The double vanity with marble countertops offers plenty of space, while the large walk-in shower and freestanding tub add to the spa-like feel. The gray cabinetry and soft lighting create a calm and elegant environment, ideal for unwinding. The walk-in closet can be seen in the background, offering seamless access from the bathroom.

The new roll in 48x48" shower is 3/4 of the way onto the porch. A frameless shower enclosure offers grab bars, a shower niche, and a folding shower chair. The one piece shower base has a matching ramp.

This formal dining room sits just off the foyer, with archway access to the kitchen. A simple trey ceiling adds elegance. Prairie grid windows offer natural light.

Accessible from the screen porch, the deck offers a large space for grilling and enjoying the backyard. The deck hand railing is a similar cable railing system to the interior staircase, that helps bring this modern look to the exterior of the home. Designed and built by Terramor Homes in Raleigh, NC. Photography: M. Eric Honeycutt

What makes a bathroom accessible depends on the needs of the person using it, which is why we offer many custom options. In this case, a difficult to enter drop-in tub and a tiny separate shower stall were replaced with a walk-in shower complete with multiple grab bars, shower seat, and an adjustable hand shower. For every challenge, we found an elegant solution, like placing the shower controls within easy reach of the seat. Along with modern updates to the rest of the bathroom, we created an inviting space that's easy and enjoyable for everyone.

Safely access your entire home again. Narrow stair case? No problem. We offer the slimmest lift in North America - folding to only 11" off the wall!
Staircase - staircase idea in Ottawa

Accessible Shower with Grab Bars & Handheld Shower Wand – Safe, Stylish, and Functional This accessible shower combines safety and ease of use with a sleek, modern design. Featuring secure grab bars for extra stability, it helps ensure a confident, worry-free shower experience. The detachable handheld shower wand allows for effortless reach and flexibility, making it simple to shower from any position, whether standing or sitting. Ideal for those with mobility challenges or anyone looking to enhance their showering comfort, this accessible shower offers the perfect blend of style, convenience, and security.

This accessible bath design is proof that functionality and style go hand in hand. The shaker style Koch cabinetry pairs beautifully with the MSI countertop and Richelieu hardware to create a sleek design. The sink is fully accessible due to the open countertop with exposed pipes, and the surrounding cabinetry offers ample storage.

The new owners were looking forward to living in their new home with an open floor plan, tall vaulted ceilings, and great views. It featured a large Great Room with two big French Doors separating the Dining Room from the Master Bedroom. But after only a few months they identified a major design flaw: Each of the French Doors had ten glass windows with two large windows above each door. (Check out our before and after designs, traffic flow diagrams and photos of this project.) Glass windows and doors allowed sound and light from guests or the TV in the great room to easily sneak into the bedroom. With unique work and sleep schedules (he’s a pilot, she’s a registered nurse) this design wasn’t working. Then there was a traffic flow design flaw: The Master Bedroom had a second entrance from a hallway. To get into the bedroom from the hallway you needed to walk down another claustrophobic hallway. To get from the Master Bedroom to the Master Bath begin at the most remote corner of the bedroom and down a hallway between two closets. Once inside the bath, a huge triangular Jacuzzi dominating the space. So, from a privacy and traffic flow perspective, this home had some major design issues. When Craig Weber first met with the owners, he listened to their ideas and concerns. The owners trusted Craig to come up with the most efficient and most effective solution to this design dilemma. He offered a solution that resolved the bed-bath traffic flow problem, offered some bedroom room privacy, and updated the bath. First, the two French Doors and windows were removed. A new wall was built with sound-absorbing materials, making the Great Room and Dining Room more comfortable spaces for entertaining while creating the bedroom privacy the owners craved. Solving the Bedroom/Bath traffic flow problem began with removing the two existing closets. The bath door was relocated next to the hall entrance, and then a new walk-in closet was added adjacent to the hallway entrance. The solution offered easy access to and from the bath, closet and hallway without a hint of claustrophobia. The Master Bath underwent a major transformation designed for convenience and comfort – especially during long, cold Minnesota winters. Most everything from the former bath was torn out, beginning with the giant Jacuzzi. A new bathtub that is wider and deeper than the standard size was installed with brushed Nickel fixtures. It’s the perfect place to relax with a glass of wine and candles. Warm floors are a Minnesota “must have.” The bath’s new ceramic floor features in-floor electric heat. Getting in and out of the tub is easy and comfortable. The new walk-in shower again features in-floor heating and a place to sit. The most interesting feature of this shower may the custom ceramic tile installed with unique patterns. A new vanity Cambria Bradshaw countertops features two under-hung ceramic sinks with matching brushed Nickel fixtures. Tall ceilings and three glass windows near the ceiling flood the room with natural light. A new energy-efficient window frames an ornamental stained glass window created by the owner’s father – a great personal touch. A quiet place to sleep. A private dining room for entertaining. A Master Bath to die for. And easy traffic flow. The owners couldn’t have been more delighted with the outcome. And Lilly, their cat, loves it too.