FEATURE
The Hallmarks of a
GREAT RENOVATION Following a local renovation story PART 1 by MARIE SOPROVICH
SLEEPING IN THE MOST ENCHANTING
location you have ever seen… In a dated and well-lived home on the beautiful banks of the North Saskatchewan River lives a family who was ready to renovate.The owners had a dream for their home and the living experience they wanted to create for
THE PROJECT WAS REDESIGNED TO FIT BUDGET AND STILL MEET THE NEEDS 14 home décor and renovations JAN - FEB 2013
their family. The children were old enough to participate in the dream but not so old that they wouldn’t enjoy the benefits for many years to come. Encouraged by this sense of timeliness and motived by the love of their location, the homeowners began their search for the perfect renovator. Every man’s castle has a back story and this one does too… years and years ago before children, Joyce and Darren had their eye on an acreage with a country view on the outskirts of the city – the perfect location for a family home. They loved nature and wanted a place that would give them the feeling of being far away from the concrete jungle and busy ways of the city. They had a house deal that fit their criteria and when the offer didn’t come together, instead of being devastated by the loss, they became proactive problem solvers. With the encouragement of Joyce’s father and a good tip from a neighbour living in the area they found an even better house with owners who were “just thinking” of listing. Sure it was more than they were really wanting to spend but the location was absolutely spectacular and behind this self-identified, over-analyzing husband was a very reassuring wife who knew they would never lose on this property. And if times got tough, she knew they could always sell it. Joyce and Darren learned some of the history of the house, who the builder was and that the house had endured a fire and was rebuilt following the original design. So, with financials stretched to the max and a baby on the way, Darren and Joyce moved into their dream location, peeled layers of wallpaper, painted, changed light fixtures and settled in for many years of happy family times and mortgage payments. As years went by, family life and careers became established,the 1970 design lost its luster and Joyce and Darren felt the urge to create a completely fresh new look that emphasized the beauty of their surroundings and created more usable space for their maturing family. Darren and Joyce now began a very thoughtful and detail-orientated journey to find just the right renovator for them. Darren described how for two years, he did his research by visiting booths at trade shows, seeking out show homes, talking to people, scrutinizing websites, asking for references, talking to