A Sympathetic Approach
In a previous blog post I mentioned that I’d initially had a bit of a bad attitude about this house. I certainly wasn’t sold on it based on the photos (or room dimensions), but fell in love with the bones - it has some really great original details and a lot of character and soul. On top of that, it spoke to me in a way that the others we looked at hadn’t - the plan for creating a home that is suitable for life in 2023 was obvious to me during our first visit, it didn’t require anything outrageous, and I knew I could do the house justice.
I’m using a sympathetic approach to the design on our house, which is to say that I’m not really interested in restoring it, but rather in ensuring that the finished product is in keeping with the home’s original architecture and surroundings. It is a Craftsman, through and through, and it’s important to me that that is recognizable when we’ve finished this project. I keep asking myself the question, “If someone were to build this house today, how would they do it?” Everything I alter will be thoughtful and with intention, because the other question I keep asking myself is “What will they say about the homes of today in 100 years?” and can assure you that it won’t be “Wow, these vinyl windows are stunning.”
The house is situated in a neighbourhood that would have been home to the many workers at St. Catharines old GM plant on Ontario Street. It is full of on-the-smaller-side homes that were built before the days of mass-production, which means that even the working-class had beautiful hardwood floors and ornate detailing throughout their homes that set theirs apart from their neighbours’. Considering all of this, I want to ensure that the “they don’t build ‘em like they used to” elements aren’t lost and that whoever lives in this house after us knows that we put a lot of thought, love, and care into it (also blood and sweat - no tears yet, but I wouldn’t be surprised).
The first bit of the design that I want to share is the changes to the floor plans. We are taking this from a 3-bedroom to a 2-bedroom house, which doesn’t sound great on paper, but hear me out. Two of the three bedrooms are currently nursery or kids room size, and the “big” bedroom is, by modern standards, not very big. Instead of having three mediocre bedrooms, we’re opting for one mediocre and one great bedroom.
Here are the original and new layouts for you to see what we’re changing:
The Original Layout
The New Layout
If you compare the two floor plans, it’s clear that we’re not reinventing the wheel. Everything is more or less in its place, but we are shifting things slightly to make this a more functional home. Changes of note include:
Reclaiming the Front Hall Closet: It’s clear that there used to be a front hall closet, but that someone claimed that space to expand the bedroom’s closet. We are going to take it back to how it would have been and give ourselves somewhere to store our boots and coats.
Expanding the Bathroom: As is, the bathroom can’t accommodate a shower because of the window’s location - the previous owners had a weird solution that was creative but … not great. The window is original and stunning, so moving or changing it isn’t an option. Instead, we’re stealing some space from the bedroom (karma for the aforementioned closet theft) and making that room a bit smaller. It will function as an office in its time with my husband and I, but could function as a nursery or kids room. You could probably get a queen bed in there if you wanted to, but it’d be cramped and that’s not my vibe.
Expanding the Middle Bedroom: I am creating symmetry in this space by pushing one wall down and bringing the second window into the room. The lost bedroom gives us a new closet (yes!) and a walk-in pantry (double yes!)
We’re also expanding some doorways/openings (hallway and kitchen) and removing some altogether (off the kitchen near the rear exterior door). These changes are bit more subtle, but will go a long way in making the home feel more spacious.
I am currently in the absolute thick of it with securing quoting and hiring trades and will be applying for a permit quite soon. I’ll be glad to have my ducks in a row and start seeing some real forward motion!
-Laura