Upstairs Downstairs By Christine Hanlon / Photography: Daniel Wexler In a unique reversal of traditional design, Dynasty Homes has expanded below grade rather than building a second storey. In this home design, the steps lead down, not up. Light filtering through the contemporary railing, the staircase draws attention to the other level of the sun-filled house. “The staircase is a very strong statement,” notes Dynasty’s marketing team, comprised of Dan Thiessen and Abe Friesen. “It really draws attention to the fact that there is a useful living space below.” |
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Making use of space that is often
considered as storage, Dynasty preserved the low profile of a bungalow
with all the living space of a two-storey. Starting with a 1773
square foot main floor, the builder created more than 3000 square feet
of living space. “Economically speaking, it makes good sense
to develop the lower level because it’s a volume of space that’s
already there, says Friesen. Basements usually have the reputation of being dark, cold and damp. To make the lower level as comfortable as any second floor, Dynasty addressed three issues. Skylights were introduced to flood the space with natural light. On other walls, five-foot wide windows ensure that no corner is in darkness. The issues of dampness and heating were addressed by placing a vapour barrier under the concrete floor, along with conscientiously ensuring the proper air exchange throughout the lower level. According to the homeowner, the space is always one degree warmer than the main floor throughout the winter. | ||
| Extending the wall for the
skylights created a natural space for a gas fireplace. Throughout
the lower level, which includes two large bedrooms and a bathroom, there
are standard eight-foot ceilings. Every space is bright without the need
for daytime lighting. “We called this design “Sunburst” because of all the natural light that flows throughout the home and from the skylights in the lower level, says Thiessen. On the main floor, windows are also abundant and large. A dramatic rakehead with brass grilles defines the great room, surrounding a fireplace wrapped in an oak mantle and granite surround. The vaulted ceiling creates an open spacious look. By adding the adjoining sunroom, the owners also extended the space in the lower level. Double French doors open into the sunroom, where the biscuit-coloured walls take on a rosy hue at sunset. The sunroom leads on to a wrap-around deck at the back of the house. The way the skylights are configured allows for a deck to be built around them without interfering with their function,” explains Friesen. |
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Both form and function were
integral to the design of this home. In the foyer, a cut-away
feature dividing wall opens onto the dining room, facilitating the flow of
light while balancing privacy with openness. A rakehead window
echoes the design of the great room. The adjoining kitchen features white cabinets with bull-nose moulding and indirect lighting, both above and below. A white backsplash is accented with a listello detail. Like all the larger closets in the house, the pantry features a sensor switch for automatic light upon opening. Dynasty opted for a corner sink installation, which provides both an indirect view of the outdoors through the eating area windows and also maximizes the use of space. | ||
| “One thing we emphasize
a lot in the design of our homes is proper traffic flow,” notes
Friesen. You should never have to go through a room to get anywhere.”
In the higher traffic areas, the builder chose a prefinished oak hardwood
floor for its durability and easy maintenance. The white baseboards and
casings throughout the main floor provide just the right contrast to accent
the oak flooring. The white and oak staircase unites the house both
by its colouring and its location, most rooms radiating from this centre
point. On one side, a main-floor bathroom with two doors doubles as an ensuite for a guest bedroom. The master bedroom has its own spacious ensuite featuring a whirlpool tub and a wall of patterned glass blocks, which provides both privacy and an abundance of natural light. |
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No where in the house was light
sacrificed for a wall or structural beam. Using contemporary, clean lines,
Dynasty preserved both the practical and the aesthetic in every aspect
of the design. Explains Thiessen, “We’re always looking
for what the eye can see at any one particular point and what we can do
to capture a particular moment, every step of the way. And what the eye can see in this house belies previous perceptions of the basement's place in a home. Space that some consider only part of a lowly basement need not feel like a room underground or even downstairs at all. Without raising the grade of the house, Dynasty Homes has taken the lower level to new heights. |
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About the Builder
The strength of Dynasty Homes lies in its team of specialists who work together to bring superior service to customers. As the exclusive marketing team, Abe Friesen and Dan Thiessen work closely with clients to determine their needs. Because we are custom builders, we build according to a customer’s desires, says Friesen. We pride ourselves on listening to the client. The team takes the ideas, pulls them together into a presentation package that details a floor plan, the elevation of the home, the specifications and pricing. Friesen and Thiessen know how important it is for clients to be informed of all the details related to their new home. Throughout the building process, clients have daily access to the Dynasty Homes team, including business manager John Friesen and on-site construction supervisor Willie Friesen. With more than 20 years of experience in the home construction industry each, they add a wealth of knowledge to the firm’s custom home building team. Launched in the early ‘80s, Dynasty Homes is the residential division of Stratfield Properties, which is involved in condominium construction and commercial project management. Having built seven or eight of my own homes gives me an understanding of what people go through in the process, notes Friesen, who has designed most of Dynasty’s showhomes. The company will have two showhomes available for the summer line-up, one in Linden Woods and one in Breezy Bend Estates. Although many people use the showhomes to inspire their designs, Dynasty professionals strive to stay an arm’s length away, attempting not to prejudice their clients’ decisions. The team introduces clients to in-house third party engineering and design specialists who can provide objective consulting. That's what we are trying to do as a team, explains Thiessen. We place the client's needs first. It's an approach that works for everyone involved.” |
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