This Kitsilano home renovation began with a century of character and a homeowner who saw exactly what the space could become. He loved the neighbourhood and found a 100-year-old home in the heart of it, a property originally converted into a triplex, with all the compromises that come with decades of modification. We were brought in to transform the front unit, inside and out, while preserving the architectural details that made it worth saving.
The result earned a finalist nomination at the 2023 Georgie Awards, presented by the Canadian Home Builders’ Association of BC, one of the most respected recognitions of residential construction excellence in the province.
The Challenge: A Dark, Compartmentalized Space
When we first walked through the unit, the potential was clear but buried. Decades of conversion work had divided a generous floor plate into cramped, poorly lit rooms. The kitchen and living areas felt disconnected. The layout was inefficient. Energy performance was far below modern standards.
The brief was ambitious: modernize completely, improve energy performance, and do all of it without losing the heritage character that made the home worth renovating. That balance is exactly where complex major renovation work gets interesting.
Inside the Kitsilano Home Renovation
Opening Up the Main Floor
We removed all the interior walls on the main floor. The result is an open, airy living space that feels generous and connected, a transformation that was simply not possible within the original layout.
Behind the walls, we completed significant structural and systems work. We upgraded the water service for entirely new plumbing. We installed a new structural support beam to carry the load the removed walls had provided. We gutted the interior completely, without touching the exterior walls that define the home’s heritage profile.
The space now reads as calm and comfortable. None of the complexity is visible. That is the goal, and it is something we describe in more detail in What Homeowners Wish They Knew Before Renovating.
A Kitchen Built for How He Actually Cooks
The new kitchen is one of the standout spaces in the home. Working closely with Phase One Design, we created a layout with abundant storage throughout, including a dedicated pantry. That pantry replaced what was, in the previous layout, an access point through the main floor bathroom. (Yes, really.)
A generous island anchors the space. It adds seating, counterspace, and storage. The layout connects naturally to the living and dining areas, making the kitchen part of the home rather than a room set apart from it.
Bathrooms Rebuilt From Scratch
We gutted and fully reconfigured both bathrooms. One now has a tub. The other has a dedicated shower. Every surface, fixture, and fitting reads as elevated, without feeling out of place in a home of this age.
Millwork, Finishes, and the Barn Door Detail
Phase One Design selected finishes throughout to complement the home’s heritage character while reading as unmistakably contemporary. New millwork ties the spaces together with a material consistency that feels considered.
One standout detail: a custom barn door conceals a new laundry space built under the stairs. Functional, beautifully executed, and entirely purpose-built.
Preserving the Exterior and Staircase
Not everything changed. We retained the front staircase as a prominent architectural feature, a deliberate choice to honour the original design. We rebuilt the lower portion to current standards, added new railings, and integrated step lighting that improves safety and the home’s street presence after dark.
We added a new front patio covered with a louvered structure that allows year-round outdoor use. Sliding glass doors open from the interior directly onto the porch. Natural light floods the main living area. The boundary between inside and out dissolves.
From the street, this is still the home that has stood in the Kitsilano neighbourhood for a century. Step inside, and everything has changed.
Energy Performance Built to Last
The client wanted meaningful energy improvements, not a checkbox, but a genuine upgrade to how the home performs. We coordinated building envelope work alongside the structural and interior scope. Insulation, air sealing, and mechanical upgrades all fit into the construction sequence without rework.
The home is quieter, more comfortable year-round, and significantly more efficient. That outcome is not visible in photographs. It is felt every day. It is also something we plan for from the earliest stages, as part of our construction management process, not added on at the end.
Recognized at the 2023 Georgie Awards
This Kitsilano home renovation earned a Georgie Awards finalist nomination in the residential renovation category, a recognition that reflects the work of the entire team.
The Georgie Awards evaluate process and collaboration, not just the finished home. Reaching the finalist stage means this project was reviewed and shortlisted among the strongest renovation work submitted in BC. We are proud of that, and we share that pride with our project managers, site team, trade partners, and the designers at Phase One Design who made the vision coherent and buildable.
Most of all, it reflects a client who trusted the process and gave us the room to do our best work. You can see more projects like this in our portfolio.
Most of all, it reflects a client who knew what he wanted, trusted the process, and gave us the room to do our best work.
The Team
- Construction Management: Venture Pacific
- Design: Phase One Design
- Location: Kitsilano, Vancouver, BC
Thinking About a Major Renovation in Vancouver?
This project is a strong example of what structured construction management can achieve in a complex renovation, one with heritage character to preserve, energy goals to meet, and a homeowner who wanted the process to feel as well-run as the finished home looks.
If you are considering a major renovation or custom home project in Metro Vancouver, we would be glad to talk through what’s possible Book a Free Consultation.
