In 2020, clients – a family with two young children – approached Studio Trudeau to upgrade a mid-1990s project home that now felt cramped and worn.

Rather than demolish the house and start again, we worked with the clients to keep and optimise the main house and its living, sleeping and study areas with some small but effective changes.At the same time, we framed the house with two contemporary volumes.

The first, to the north, replaces small garages with space for three cars and a workshop, all entered from the side – dramatically improving the house’s appearance from the street.  The other volume, to the south, houses a small self-contained apartment for guests, a large laundry and a luxurious master suite.

This in turn connects to an internal garden, safe from hard winter frosts, and an internal pool for year-round use. Finally, some 10-12 new trees will be planted across the site to provide shade in summer and a brilliant range of colours throughout the year.

Together, these changes create a luxury residence that frames a large garden, ideal for entertaining.