Photos: Inside This Modern Edmonton Renovation

A new(ish) home in Edmonton gets a major overhaul for a young family.

There’s a classic story arc to the major house reno. A homeowner discovers an ancient gem of a house hiding under decades of additions and bad decorating, and with some elbow grease and TLC, the house triumphantly returns to its former glory. This was not that sort of reno.

This one started with homeowner Mike Yasinski driving by a barely 20-year-old home in the relatively new Henderson Estates area of Edmonton and thinking that the house might work well for him and his two young sons. There are dozens of brand-new neighbourhoods a short drive away that would have allowed Yasinski to build entirely from scratch, but he knew Henderson Estates well and loved the idea of the mature trees and established community on the river valley. “The house had great bones,” he recalls, noting that it was a bungalow, had a flat roof, and had a high ceiling in the basement, three major checks on his wish list. So he took the next step and called up designer Louis Pereira of Thirdstone.

The two had worked on a project previously, but nothing on a scale like this. “I knew the house was built in the 1990s, but when I first pulled up it looked more 1980s,” noted Pereira—and not in a retro-cool way. The house was a custom-built executive bungalow, not a builder’s special, but it had a very traditional layout. Distinct, separated rooms hearkened back to a time when the idea of open-concept living had not yet caught on. Further, some original design cues, like a sunken wet bar, dated the layout even more. Cue the sledgehammers.

Yasinski owns Hudsons, a successful chain of pubs in Alberta and Saskatchewan, and had already been through numerous renovations and site improvements, so he was ready to play a very active role in his own reno. The first step was taking down the walls that created the compartmentalized feel of the old residence. At the top of the list for a guy who makes his living in the restaurant industry was a showstopper of a kitchen, so Heart Kitchen and Bath was brought on board to realize the design that Yasinski and Pereira dreamed up. To begin, they demolished a massively long existing island in order to free up some space for a sit-down eating area that could double as flex space in between meals. The rest of the kitchen was finished in a mix of high-gloss white lacquered cabinets with wood accents that creates a space that’s both sleek and warm. A built-in wall of Miele appliances finishes a swoon-worthy space fit for a chef.

Once the interior layout was complete, Yasinski called up designer Denise Matheson and gave her the marching order of making the space a perfect fit for the young family. For Dad, she picked out elements that spoke to his love of modern design, like spare, brushed white oak floors, a good fit for the cozy-yet-streamlined sofa from B&B Italia that’s suitable for lounging in front of the TV but also channels a pared-down version of beauty. But it was for the boys—Max and Zach—that she saved the most fun surprise: she hired noted Edmonton street artist Trevor “Kurly” Peters to paint their bedroom wall in what is probably the only graffiti in the entirety of the upscale neighbourhood. The more traditional art, heavy on geometrics and abstraction, came from artists David Cantine and Mitchel Smith, who show at the Peter Robertson Gallery.

 “People thought I was crazy to renovate a 15-year-old home,” Yasinski recalls, and when he looks back at the renovation schedule—which doubled in time and cost from the initial plan—he concedes that “the path of least resistance would definitely have been to buy new.” But then he wouldn’t have all the things that are now so key for his family: great neighbourhood, a seamless outdoor space and a home where he and his boys can relax in a place that is both carefree and easy while still offering a modern design aesthetic.

Want more inspiring homes delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our newsletter!

 

---

Source List

Designer, Louis Pereira, Thirdstone, Edmonton, thirdstone.ca.

Entryway

“Still Life Large” painting by David Cantine, Peter Robertson Gallery, Edmonton, probertsongallery.com. B&B chair, Le Belle Arti, Calgary and Edmonton, lebellearti.com. Rug, Simons, Vancouver and Edmonton, simons.ca. Lamp, HomeSense, across the West, homesense.ca.

Dining room

B&B table and chairs, Le Belle Arti, Calgary and Edmonton, lebellearti.com. Light fixtures, Vivid Concepts, Calgary and Edmonton, vividconcepts.ca. “October” painting by Mitchel Smith, Peter Robertson Gallery, Edmonton, probertsongallery.com. White oak flooring, Ador-A-Floor, Edmonton, adorafloorhardwood.com. White bowl, Joe Fresh, across the West, joefresh.com.

Living room

“The Beach” painting by Phil Darrah, Peter Robertson Gallery, Edmonton, probertsongallery.com. B&B sofa, coffee table and chair, Le Belle Arti, Calgary and Edmonton, lebellearti.com. Blanket, Top Knot Style, online, topknotstyle.ca. Gray pillows, H&M Home, across the West, hm.com. Yellow pillows, Simons, Vancouver and Edmonton, simons.ca. Vase, Joe Fresh, across the West, joefresh.com. Rug, HomeSense, across the West, homesense.ca.

Bathroom

Faucets, Blu Bathworks, Vancouver, blubathworks.com. Flooring, River City Tile, Edmonton, rivercitytilecompany.com. Bath mat and towels, Simons, Edmonton, simons.ca. Table, HomeSense, across the West, homesense.ca.

Master bedroom

Rug and B&B chair, Le Belle Arti, Calgary and Edmonton, lebellearti.com. Bover lamp, Vivid Concepts, Calgary and Edmonton, vividconcepts.ca.

Kids’ room

Ligne Roset shelves, Le Belle Arti, Calgary and Edmonton, lebellearti.com.