Set in Vancouver’s Point Grey, this duplex renovation reimagines coastal family living within a compact urban footprint, balancing practicality with a spirit of joy and play.
Idea
The family loved their neighbourhood and the proximity to the waterfront,but the home’s fragmented layout no longer supported their needs. The design challenge was both spatial and experiential: how to create continuity from indoors to outdoors, and from top to bottom, while accommodating the storage demands of an active household and not losing a sense of warmth and delight.
Originally configured as separate suites, the project unified the lower level with the upper two floors to create a cohesive home for a busy, active family of five. Building on earlier work Measured completed in the residence, including a new staircase, this phase transformed the house from top to bottom while preserving the building’s original form and typology, shaping spaces that feel highly functional and full of life.
Build
Measured approached the renovation with a guiding principle: the house should quietly support the family’s life “like a butler” with intuitive organization and hidden functionality woven throughout. The main floor presented a particular puzzle. Its long, narrow, open plan sits directly along the home’s primary circulation route. The kitchen, dining, and living spaces needed to feel generous and welcoming, yet allow easy flow for daily movement and gatherings of guests.
The home was fully gutted, retaining only the staircase from the previous renovation. Underutilized exterior areas, including a covered patio and carport, were enclosed to expand the interior footprint and create a seamless connection between old and new spaces. Spatial reconfigurations, including relocating a powder room, allowed for a more generous and functional entry sequence and mudroom, key to managing daily clutter.
Custom millwork and built-ins integrate storage at every opportunity, from concealed pantry space and hidden media to multifunctional kitchen elements and a dedicated family calendar. Colour blocking and material changes subtly define zones within the open plan, supporting intuitive movement through the house.
While much of the home is designed to manage motion and activity, moments of delight and calm are equally important. Playfulness appears in unexpected places, including a climbing wall in the lower level for the kids, reinforcing that this is a home designed for joy. In contrast, the primary suite was conceived as a retreat. A softer, more restrained material palette establishes a sense of quiet and restoration, offering respite from the lively pace of the shared family spaces.
Throughout the house, materials balance durability and sophistication: engaging enough to feel spirited and youthful now, yet timeless enough to age gracefully with the family.
Live
A renewed sense of spaciousness defines the home, achieved through clarity of planning and intention in every detail. Integrated storage absorbs the visual noise of daily life, circulation flows naturally, and the house supports both lively gatherings and everyday routines with equal ease.
Just as importantly, the family is able to remain in the neighbourhood they love, now in a home that responds to how they want to live rather than constraining it. Ongoing collaboration on furnishings continues to refine the balance of beauty, function, and personality that gives the project its lasting character.
