After searching months for a home with a big backyard and room for a pool for their children, Sarah and Fred Steciuk were thrilled to find a gem of a property in their area.

Sarah says when they first started house hunting, they weren’t interested in doing renovations.

“However, after searching for two years we just couldn’t find what we were looking for. We were already living in the neighbourhood so when this opportunity came up, we couldn’t say no.”

CCR Building and Remodeling – with more than 20 years’ experience – was hired to create a new living space. Co-owner Arne Madsen is known as a visionary to his team so it didn’t take him long to map out a plan with the couple. “I knew right off the bat,” he recalls. “You walk into this beautiful home but you can’t really see anything and it’s kind of dark.”

Arne suggested moving the staircase to be central in the house, which meant the main floor would undergo extensive renovations. “You take one of these older homes with all of these walls and doorways and small windows and you open it up and all of a sudden the house is 50 per cent bigger, but you didn’t go outside of the exterior walls,” he says.

Arne’s son and co-owner, Peder Madsen, says now when you enter the home you can see the beautiful white oak staircase with a switchback design. Its location means the lower level is more connected. “We gutted the whole main floor back to the studs. All the insulation was stripped out and everything was revitalized,” Peder says.

At the back of the home, CCR installed two floor-to-ceiling patio doors. The doors lead to a new concrete patio and pool. “When you walk through the front door, it’s stunning. You can look through the great room, dining room, kitchen and backyard and it’s all quality,” Peder says.

The Steciuks hired The Wood Studio to design their kitchen.

“The house was built with a mid-century floorplan and the couple wanted a kitchen that spoke to that esthetic,” says Elias Polizoes, founder of The Wood Studio. “We used rift cut white oak and matte black panels for door fronts and drawer fronts. That contrast created a nice balance. There was the warmth of the wood and the modern feel of the matte black.”

The Wood Studio also designed an island that is more than three metres long with a sink, dishwasher and loads of drawer space. The Steciuks requested no seams on the countertop.

“Keeping an eye on budget, we managed to source a countertop that they liked that came in an oversized slab. It fit the space wonderfully and we proportioned the island accordingly,” Polizoes says.

The Cosentino Dekton surface is scratch resistant, UV resistant, and fireproof. “The emphasis all around was on making something that’s functional and beautiful.”

Sarah says her new kitchen “is beyond stunning and the craftsmanship shows.” The open concept living space is perfect for their family as well as for entertaining, she adds. “Our reno truly reflects how we like to live.”