Houzz Tour: Wide-Open Views on a Narrow Canadian Lot
Expansive glass walls facing the street create openness, sun-filled rooms and closer relations with the neighbors
Most people know it’s possible to make the most of small living spaces through clever design choices. But this double-stacked home in Edmonton, Alberta, proves that even with a supernarrow lot size, it’s possible to create a staggeringly expansive floor plan. How expansive? How about a 17-foot-wide home that boasts 3,400 square feet?
While most lots in Edmonton clock in at 50 feet wide, this 25-foot half lot posed a significant design challenge that caused many people to move on to greener, more ample pastures. But thirdstone's architects saw the immediate potential for their client to make a big family home with larger-than-life design cache.
Their linear model created 16- by 16-foot rooms — bigger than most people’s living rooms and bedrooms — with windows on both sides to capitalize on the abundance of light, a huge advantage over fatter layouts that have the tendency to bury some rooms deep in their core. The reduced lot size also meant a reduction in cost, which allowed the homeowners to pour extra money into building something striking that catered to the needs of their family. They wanted to be able to interact with the outdoor spaces, have glass walls so they could see their kids playing outside and have the space be flexible for family growth. The large, open kids' room, for instance, can easily be partitioned off to create two bedrooms in the future.
Meanwhile, they employed low-cost, off-the-shelf materials for a fresh, forward-thinking design. “We definitely saw the potential of the site,” says architect Louis Pereira. “We knew it’d work.”
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with 2 kids (ages 7 and 9)
Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Size: about 3,400 square feet; 1 bedroom, but space to expand into 5
Budget: $450,000
While most lots in Edmonton clock in at 50 feet wide, this 25-foot half lot posed a significant design challenge that caused many people to move on to greener, more ample pastures. But thirdstone's architects saw the immediate potential for their client to make a big family home with larger-than-life design cache.
Their linear model created 16- by 16-foot rooms — bigger than most people’s living rooms and bedrooms — with windows on both sides to capitalize on the abundance of light, a huge advantage over fatter layouts that have the tendency to bury some rooms deep in their core. The reduced lot size also meant a reduction in cost, which allowed the homeowners to pour extra money into building something striking that catered to the needs of their family. They wanted to be able to interact with the outdoor spaces, have glass walls so they could see their kids playing outside and have the space be flexible for family growth. The large, open kids' room, for instance, can easily be partitioned off to create two bedrooms in the future.
Meanwhile, they employed low-cost, off-the-shelf materials for a fresh, forward-thinking design. “We definitely saw the potential of the site,” says architect Louis Pereira. “We knew it’d work.”
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with 2 kids (ages 7 and 9)
Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Size: about 3,400 square feet; 1 bedroom, but space to expand into 5
Budget: $450,000
The flooring is a laminate in a solid charcoal gray to help ground the space, with a reflective finish for an airy feel. The TV is concealed behind maple wood cabinets with a walnut stain. “We wanted a traditional parlour feel, where we can sit with guests and have coffee or wine and a discussion,” the homeowner says.
The inspiration came from Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's classic Farnsworth House (shown in this roundup of must-know modern homes). “I always wanted a living room with a modernist feel,” says the owner.
The inspiration came from Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's classic Farnsworth House (shown in this roundup of must-know modern homes). “I always wanted a living room with a modernist feel,” says the owner.
For the kitchen, the homeowners didn’t want anything too decorative, but rather something to reflect the clarity and refined appearance of the rest of the interior and the exterior. To complement the gray floors, charcoal highlights all the recessed elements in the white Ikea cabinets.
The drop-down ceiling is maple wood with a walnut stain, mimicking the island layout below and nodding to the living room cabinets.
The drop-down ceiling is maple wood with a walnut stain, mimicking the island layout below and nodding to the living room cabinets.
The kitchen's double-galley design allows two people to cook in the kitchen at once. The small prep sink area in the background adds more counter space and hides kitchen appliances.
The homeowners envisioned the dining area as hosting large gatherings that spill out to a courtyard. The fir-framed doors completely fold open to create one fluid space.
The homeowner created the painting based on one he saw while on vacation in Bali. The table and chairs are from Ikea.
The homeowner created the painting based on one he saw while on vacation in Bali. The table and chairs are from Ikea.
The courtyard connects evenly with the indoor dining room. A large garden wall and the knotted cedar plank wall make the space feel cozy and intimate.
A small workstation for one of the homeowners, seen here, and his family features a built-in computer monitor and storage cabinets for media and crafts.
The open-riser staircase gives the appearance of floating wood slabs — in this case, more maple with a walnut stain. Apart from looking cool, the design lets the homeowners see from the workstation to the entryway, and allows air circulation between the two floors.
Thirdstone came up with an economical design for the handrail: The architects developed the middle brackets, then purchased 1 1/4-inch wood dowels from a hardware store.
The painting was purchased in Bali and picks up the various wood tones in the house.
Thirdstone came up with an economical design for the handrail: The architects developed the middle brackets, then purchased 1 1/4-inch wood dowels from a hardware store.
The painting was purchased in Bali and picks up the various wood tones in the house.
A skylight above the stairs opens to draw lingering heat from downstairs through the roof. Floor-to-ceiling windows throughout the house allow cross ventilation through operable openings at the top.
The kids' rooms are one large, open space with a play area in the middle. It was designed to be flexible for when the kids become teenagers and need more personal space; the homeowners can easily and affordably add partitions.
When the blinds are open in the master bedroom, the homeowners can wave to their neighbors on the street.
The chair was purchased locally. The platform bed is from Ikea.
The chair was purchased locally. The platform bed is from Ikea.
A charcoal tile bathroom with cedar wood for the shower floor is one of the most stunning spaces in the house. The wood slats sit above tile and can easily be removed to clean beneath.
The white fiber cement panels are accented with knotted cedar planks. Both materials extend to the landscape with garden walls that appear to become part of the house.