Photos by Jordann Brown
Enhanced natural light, a sophisticated minimalist esthetic and seamless integration of technology make this modern reno shine.
The project began with a beautiful challenge,” says designer Stacey Price, describing how two people, each with their own home, wanted to create a home together that would suit them both.
After months of looking and not finding the right new house, they called the founder and principal designer of Ottawa’s Stacey Price Design. The couple had decided to revamp the husband’s residence: a 3,500-square-foot, two-storey home in Kanata.
Not only was proximity to his workplace a factor in the decision, “He’d invested significantly in audio and IT technology … and created a dedicated workshop in the basement for his hobby: collecting and refurbishing full-sized upright arcade cabinet games,” the designer explains.
As for his partner? She felt the 20-plus-year-old builder home was dated and didn’t have enough storage. “More importantly, she wanted to make her own mark on their shared space, to create a home that felt like theirs rather than just his.”
Initially, the couple were thinking about a small-scale update. When they talked it through with the designer, though, and started seeing the potential, the plan grew. “They realized that a comprehensive renovation would give them everything they wanted.”
That included space for his tech and hobbies, plenty of storage, plus a new, modern esthetic that would encompass the entire home and feel authentically theirs. The ensuing 14-month renovation involved every room, from the second floor through the basement. “We essentially created a custom home within the existing footprint.”
Stacey says three priorities drove all decisions: “Light, sound, and storage.” Better light was “non-negotiable,” she adds. “The original home felt dark and compartmentalized. They wanted natural light to flow freely and strategic lighting to enhance architecture rather than simply illuminate it.”
The key to achieving this involved switching out the existing staircase for a modern floating design with integrated LED lighting. “The floating staircase is undeniably the heart of the home,” says the designer. “It’s the first thing you encounter when you enter, and it sets the stage for everything that follows. Its open, cantilevered construction allows light to pour down from the second floor while maintaining visual connection between levels. The integrated LED lighting transforms it into a glowing sculpture after dark.”
She calls it “the home’s defining personality.”
Another showstopper is the kitchen. It was completely reconfigured with custom cabinetry built for how the couple cook and entertain. A massive island, dubbed “the continent,” anchors the space. It includes plenty of storage and a sophisticated, suede-finish quartz countertop that invites touch. Not only does the kitchen serve as an extension of the living room, its custom cabinets conceal functional features and technology while maintaining clean, furniture-like lines.
For this couple, “Integrating technology cleanly was critical. Both wanted to eliminate the visual clutter of servers, wires, and cables.”
The task “required significant creative thinking and collaboration with the contractor team,” says Stacey. “The challenge was making everything accessible yet hidden, functional yet aesthetically seamless and modern.”
This was a particular feat in the transformation of the unfinished basement. Now a multi-functional space that incorporates a gas fireplace, modern audio tech, and vintage arcade cabinets, it’s a welcoming spot for TV watching, workouts, and console gaming.
Throughout the home, windows and doors were replaced and passageways were enlarged “to establish a clean, modern envelope.”
As for colour and texture, soft whites, matte blacks, brushed brass accents, warm-toned wood, stone and glass set the inviting, elevated tone.
Now that the job is done and the couple are enjoying the beautiful results, there are a couple of unexpected thrills. The wife not only enjoys her custom makeup vanity, she’s delighted with the functionality of the broom closet in the kitchen. “I really don’t know what we would have done without it,” she say.
“Sometimes the home you already have holds more potential than anything you’ll find on the market,” Stacey points out. “It just needs someone to see past what is to what could be.”
Design: Stacey Price from Stacey Price Design
Contractors: Pariac and Jay from Grand Design Construction
Styling: Amy Spingle Interiors
Photography: Jordann Brown Imaging
