Lawrence House

?This home had been stripped of all its character in the 70?s and was wrapped in vinyl?siding.?The century home was restored to its original state and painted an historic color.?Wide trim was replaced around the windows and doors. The corner boards were repaired and the small?wooden steps were replaced with wider, more welcoming stairs. Small copper roofs were built over the door and window?and are trimmed with ornate wooden corbels. The stone wall adds an 'old world' feel to the front yard. Attention to Detail?The copper roofs over the door and window have slowly taken on a patina finish. Through oxidization, the roofs will eventually turn a matte-finish?turquoise?colour. The corbels were hand carved and constructed from several inlaid components. Backyard Addition?The exterior deck on the back of the house was replaced with a two-story addition. The ground floor of the addition ?(unlike the rest of the house) is at ground level. A slab foundation was poured, saving the costs of concrete walls, frost walls and excavations. This also allowed the ground level room to have a 15 foot ceiling.?Small windows were placed high for privacy, as well as providing deep shafts of eastern and southern light. Even though the room is fairly small (15' x 21') the feeling is not. Stairs were added to the inside of this addition instead of the outside, giving the clients double french doors that lead to the garden. The 15 foot ceiling gives a dramatic sense of verticality to the room. The small kitchen in this downtown house was given a boost with the addition. An archway overlooking the new living room gave the kitchen a more open feeling and the benefit of large south facing windows. A bold colour on the ceiling accents the five layers of crown molding. The upholstered window seats on either side of the fireplace provide cozy nooks that overlook the backyard garden. They also provide additional seats for larger gatherings and handy storage for firewood, kindling and blankets.