Family-Friendly Reno
STORY MERRILYN PATTERSON | PHOTOGRAPHY JASON HARTOG
With two young babies at home, Jessica was not at all interested in buying a home. Her husband Brad convinced her to look at a property in the south end of Guelph. Brad says it felt like home on the drive-by before the walk-through. Jessica conceded, and is now as passionate about the location as Brad.
The Wyldes moved in with two baby girls, Jade and Jordyn, a Great Dane, and a cat. It was going to be a trying year, living in the basement without a kitchen throughout a major renovation that started in June. The goal was to be living upstairs by Christmas.
Jessica posted Facebook photos of the home they were selling. Josh Bellamy, a builder in the Guelph area, saw that they intended to renovate their new home, and he reached out to Brad. Brad and Josh had met previously in the real estate industry, and after considering three quotes from builders, the couple chose Bellamy Custom Homes to renovate their new home. “We chose Josh because he is professional, honest and approachable,” says Jessica. “You need someone you can trust who will offer overall good value for your investment.”
Brad drew the original design for the renovation, as his educational background includes architecture. The house was gutted to the studs and work began on the new design, which included a 585 sq. ft. addition to the second floor, relocation of the kitchen, moving and opening the staircase, and opening the solarium to the kitchen.
The original home was traditional with small, dark, separate rooms. The Wyldes’ vision included an open-concept kitchen, living room and sunroom. The staircase was removed to create extra space. The new layout features a separate, formal dining room, mudroom, powder room and office – all pivoting from a reconfigured main hall entry. The sunroom was existing but needed updating and was separated from the rest of the house by a small entryway. Northfield Trim & Door supplied all eight-foot solid doors, mouldings and trim.
The original house had two large bedrooms. Now there are two master-size kids’ bedrooms and a separate hallway to a third bedroom, which is the luxurious master suite. The original four-piece bathroom was relocated down the hall. Jade and Jordyn each have their own bathroom now, which will be handy when they are teenagers.
Josh says renovating with a family in residence is tricky. “You must be mindful at all times that you conduct all work in a manner that will disrupt the family as little as possible,” he says. “In July, we took the entire roof off – it was open to the sky!”
The Wyldes love to entertain. The new kitchen design has a work triangle that accommodates two cooks, children and seating for family and guests to gather while food is being prepared. Jessica wanted a home that was stylish but functional for a young family.
In the kitchen, finishes were chosen for their beauty and elegance, but also for their durability. Jessica chose sleek black and white for the colour scheme, but wanted a touch of elegance, so she opted for glamourous champagne gold pulls for the cabinetry. The gold accent carries throughout the house in light fixtures and other accent pieces. Countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms are quartz by Stone Innovation Inc. Sculpted white tiles from Sarmazian Brothers Flooring on backsplashes soften the linear modern look.
The kitchen opens into both the living room and solarium, which is the children’s playroom – one of the features that attracted the couple to the house. It’s filled with light and has wonderful views of the private gardens in all seasons. Furniture in this room and others has a warm, neutral theme to add a serene, welcoming and cohesive balance. Jessica did all of the decorating in the home, but she says, “Linda from Accents for Living helped source furniture and lighting and helped us select paint colours as well.”
Century Stair Systems installed the newly positioned staircase with custom newel posts and wrought iron pickets. The stairs lead to the transformed second floor. Jade’s room reflects her love of rabbits. Younger sister Jordyn’s room has floral accents and a vaulted ceiling.
In the master bedroom there’s a tranquil space for the couple to unwind at the end of frenetic days. Its bank of floor-to-ceiling windows (Ventralux Window and Door Systems) overlooks the mature, treed, quiet court. The room is spacious, featuring a cosy gas fire by Mantels Plus and a his-and-her walk-in closet with barn door. Vaulted ceilings in the room provide the perfect setting for an elegant crystal chandelier.
The en suite is a showstopper with stunning black marble tiles and a freestanding soaker tub with champagne bronze fixtures from Multi Kitchen and Bath.
The Wylde family did indeed celebrate Christmas in their elegant, family-functional home thanks to Bellamy Custom Homes, whose team completed the job on schedule. Jessica reflects as she self-isolates with her children at the time of writing: “I am grateful to have this beautiful house. It’s a great space to raise children – home is your safe place!”
