FROM THE PRINT EDITION: A kitchen renovation achieves a LEED Platinum rating — and does it with style
Homes

FROM THE PRINT EDITION: A kitchen renovation achieves a LEED Platinum rating — and does it with style
BY Ottawa Magazine
POSTED February 14, 2012 11:00 am
Because the compact kitchen is part of a much larger room, the team created visual flow by carrying the unique walnut millwork throughout the main floor. Photography by Gordon King.

This kitchen is one of four innovative kitchens featured in the February 2012 Interiors edition.

The starting point was a small bungalow in Old Ottawa South, and the intrigue of the project was in the details. A young professional couple were looking to undertake an extensive renovation that would transform their cramped quarters into a two-storey space with an open-concept main floor. The details? They wanted to build to LEED Platinum standards, and they wanted a renovation that would be fully accessible.

“It’s all about careful design,” explains Steve Barkhouse, owner of Amsted Design-Build, which worked with Montreal architects Laroche et Gagné Architecture Design on the project. “Accessibility is part of what we aim for in every project anyway.”

Because the compact kitchen is part of a much larger room, the team created visual flow by carrying the unique walnut millwork throughout the main floor. “The key,” says Barkhouse, “is that the kitchen doesn’t stand out. The cabinetry doesn’t look like kitchen cabinetry, and the wood we used matches other furniture pieces on this level.”

Other neat features include the two countertop working areas, conveniently located plugs hidden in the kitchen side of the breakfast bar, and heated polished-concrete floors. Interestingly, the kitchen is located at the front of the house, so the cook can enjoy neighbourhood views while preparing meals on the stove. When asked to sum up the kitchen in one line, Barkhouse does so perfectly: “This is a kitchen that isn’t really big, but it lives big.”

The kitchen is at the front of the house, so the cook can enjoy neighbourhood views while preparing meals on the stove. Photography by Gordon King.

THE TEAM: Laroche et Gagné Architecture Design (design); Amsted Design-Build (contractor)

APPLIANCES: Bosch

CABINETRY: Laroche et Gagné Architecture Design (built and installed by Espace Cuisine, Montreal)

COUNTER: TechniStone (in Crystal Polar White), Comptoirs Illimités

FAUCET: Boone Plumbing

FLOORING: Maxxon Therma-Floor, installed by Floor Solutions

REFRIGERATOR: Samsung

LIGHTING: Systemalux

SINK: Blanco, Boone Plumbing

TABLE AND CHAIRS: Vintage Danish teak, homeowners’ personal collection