Article by Michelle Heslop. Photos by Jody Beck.
In a move to be closer to their adult son in Victoria, this design-savvy couple downsized from a home in North Vancouver to a sixth-floor penthouse overlooking Victoria’s working harbour. However, nearing twenty years since its build, the penthouse finishes were dated and the layout didn’t flow like the couple hoped. In order to continue living in Vancouver during their penthouse renovation, the owners needed to find a reliable builder and project manager they could trust. After thorough online research, they felt that Mac Renovations would be the best fit based on past projects, client reviews and their rigorous project management. Boasting the most expansive patio in the building, the renovation’s primary goal was to open the space to capitalize on the stunning views and create a light and airy feel between distinct spaces.
“Our clients had done their own reno project management in the past so they were keen to be updated with progress reports as much as possible,” states designer Azu Saavedra. “This involved sharing progress photos, texting and emailing frequently to keep them up-to-date.” To ensure they stay on schedule, the Mac Reno team builds a calendar for every job to show trades and clients how the project is going to run. Once the design is complete, each step of the reno is scheduled before they start the demo. In this case, the deadline was met on time except for a few kitchen items that were on back order.
“Like all of our projects, we start the process with a floor plan design. We took this project a step further and created a 3-D rendering of the kitchen that would show the couple exactly what it would look like with all their material selections. Considering the long-distance reno, the ability to see precisely how materials work together really put the clients at ease.”
For Mac Reno, kitchen renos are all about creating a functional space with a place for everything and everything in its place. “Our clients provided us with inspiration photos of kitchen inserts and we added other custom elements to keep the work area streamlined and organized,” says Saavedra. “For the couple who love to entertain, we included the glass front cabinets to showcase glassware, a glass liquor cabinet, shelving for cookbooks and accessories and puck lights in upper cabinets.”
To keep the kitchen functional and organized, Mac Reno included multiple concealed cabinet inserts: chef knife drawer, cutlery drawer, spice drawer, baking sheet divider cabinet, garbage pull out, recycling drawer, dividers above fridge for large baking sheets, shallow cabinets on the island for vases, a built-in microwave in the base cabinets to keep out of view, pullout shelving in the pantry, a pull out broom closet beside the fridge and a slide-in wine glass organizer.
“The owners wanted to restain the existing flooring so we kept the texture and tones in mind when considering materials and new furniture. For furnishings, the clients used both new and existing furniture from their home in Vancouver. Their dining set, entertainment unit, and sectional was brought over from Vancouver while the recliners were bought at StudioYDesign in Victoria, notes Saavedra.”
“There are always surprise challenges in renovations but collaborating with the clients and trades allowed us to stay on schedule and come up with ways to tackle the obstacles while keeping the clients involved. The clients didn’t come to us with a budget initially but after presenting the cost of our whole renovation, it was more than they originally expected. However, because it was exactly what they wanted, they moved forward with the price we presented and were very happy and excited about their new home.”
