Clean, Defined, Redesigned

Sleek Burnaby Mountain remodel earns maison d۪̻tre two Georgie nominations.

The team at maison d’être design-build inc. is excited to have four finalist nominations in the 2017 Georgie Awards: the prestigious Grand Georgie Awards’ Residential Renovator of the Year, Best Condo Renovation under $250,000, Best Condo Renovation over $250,000, and Best Kitchen Renovation over $125,000. These last two nominations were earned for the transformation of the Burnaby Mountain condo whose former design didn’t take full advantage of the breathtaking views of the Lower Mainland from this elevation.“Although the condo was spacious,” says Robert Capar, President of maison d’être, who led the renovation, “it had its issues: a shortage of heat, poor lighting, (the living room had only one bare light bulb over an electric fireplace), out-of-proportion kitchen cabinets, and a general lack of visual flow.”Removing the view-obstructing wall between the kitchen and the living room was a priority,” continues Capar. With the wall removed, two distinct living areas were defined with drop-ceiling lighting panels, area rugs, and furniture placement, as well as by installing a three-sided open-biofuel fireplace, which carries the eye through the hearth from the living to the dining area.One stunning focal point of the redesign is the elevated dining bar expanding from the kitchen island via floating panel. Capar’s favourite element, though, is “the blue back-painted glass—a striking feature—above the island.”Resized baseboard heaters and radiant floors keep this renovation warm and cozy, and the scratch-resistant, large-format tiles now throughout the home mean that the resident dog can run freely. Ultimately, Capar indicates, “the clean lines and sleek finishes of the kitchen’s high-gloss two-tone cabinets and the overall symmetry of the space suit the taste of this detail-oriented homeowner, who’s very happy with the results.”