Overview

We met with this empty nester couple over the course of a five year period in the spirit of collaboration with the expectation for a wonderful outcome that would meet their needs. The initial dialogue was around; do we renovate, or relocate to achieve our Lifetime Home?

After multiple meetings and careful design and engineering consideration with the Pinnacle Group Renovations Team, it was determined that the primary need for accessibility to all floors on this walk out bungalow would make their current home a great candidate to renovate. That, along with some mountain views moved the final decision to transform this walk-out bungalow to provide a fully accessible home in all spaces including a fully custom, 3-stop elevator. This would allow the Lady of the house, who requires the use of a wheelchair, to easily traverse both floors along with garage access. In addition to this couple’s accessibility needs, the Man of the house is an avid car buff, and also thoroughly enjoys cooking; those elements also had to be brought into the design conversation.

With the needs and wishes on how this couple wished to live in their home; established through our proprietary DNA analysis, the Pinnacle Group Renovations Team went to work to Design & Build this couple’s walk-out bungalow designed for LIFE!

Project Criteria

• Completely re-configure the entire main floor for fully accessible spaces throughout.
• Create a fully accessible kitchen including a suspended prep and baking centre.
• Create a large master ensuite and dressing room that would be fully accessible including roll-in shower.
• Design and install a fully custom 3-stop elevator with special sizing requirements.
• All finishes and design had to be stunning aesthetically, yet fully accessible/wheelchair-friendly, yet not institutional in any way.
• Set up the garage and future detached Hobby-Workshop for the Car Buff gentleman of the house.

How the Criteria Was Met

Establishing the budget early in our conversations; we began in earnest to design this couple’s ultimate wishes for the final outcome of their home. Our Design-Build team consisted of both our in-house and contract professionals; consisting of architectural & interior designers, 3D rendering team, and our construction and engineering professionals. By listening carefully along the way, we created all aspects of this couple’s wish list for both the first phase and second; the second would be to fully address the wishes of our client’s car buff hobby!

Beginning with the primary criteria of a fully accessible home, but one that would not look or feel medicinal or institutional in any way; we began with a custom 3-stop elevator. This would enable the Lady of the house to easily transfer from her car in the garage, to the waiting elevator entrance; then traverse to both floors with ease. The custom-sized elevator including enlarged elevator pit, will allow for her larger wheelchair footprint and yet allows for her spouse or caregiver to also ride with her.

The lower level of the walk-out bungalow required an intense relocation of furnace room and electrical panel to allow for the new location of the elevator shaft. (Multiple locations were considered but this location was the most desired and was the best solution for the garage access). Future lower level patio and Hobby-Garage were brought into the designs and will be nicely accessible from this lower level walkout.

The main floor was designed as an estate level bungalow with an amazing open and yet fully accessible kitchen, fully accessible and barrier-free Master Suite along with a Guest/Flex room. The emphasis was on barrier free mobilization throughout the main floor including access to the above grade balcony as well as the lower level walk out doors; both doors are oversized and notice the 0-Threshold designs.

Through Pinnacle’s proprietary Design Discovery stage we learned a few things; the Lady of the house is an avid Chocolatier, the Man of the house loves to cook as well as restore cars, and at some point in the future there may be a need for a transfer track system from bed to ensuite.

So, again our design team ensured these wishes were carefully woven into the overall designs for both the 1st and 2nd phase of this project.

Hearing of the Chocolatier and the love of baking from the Lady of the house, and the love of cooking by the Man of the house; many elements are now designed and will be incorporated into this kitchen; see those amazing 3D renderings!

The wish list will include:

• Fully accessible kitchen with all lower cabinetry in pull out full extension drawers, pull out pantry systems.
• Lowered baking/prep counter that is wheelchair friendly.
• A complete reconfiguration and reallocation of appliances to meet both the wheel chair user and non-disabled of the house, but ensuring the heights are correctly positioned for both to use comfortably.
• Ensuring each lower level cabinet has all the needed accessories to ensure ease of use for the lowered baking counter.

For the car buff-hobbyist; the garage will receive a complete roughin for all future gas and electrical services and the detached Hobby-Garage location has been confirmed with City bylaws and is now in design for the 2nd phase. The 2nd phase will also include the lower level of the home, as well as a 3-Season room off the main floor balcony.
To ensure designs were considered for the possible future transfer system and because this couple loved Barn Doors, we came up with a Track-Free/floating Barn Door that would have future allowance for a track to run through the Barn Door opening between the master bedroom and ensuite. Ask us how this invisible hardware works, as once completed the door will appear to float with no brackets!

Our design team also listened carefully to the wishes and lifestyle requirements of the Lady of the house who spends a great deal of her time in the master bedroom. For that reason, the idea would be that from an elevated bed system, we allow for a better mountain view by enlarging the rear window, ensure we have full sight-lines to the kitchen, and also have great sight-lines into the Ensuite.

A great deal of attention has gone into the design of a gorgeous ensuite aesthetic but also a high degree of both Form AND Function. The oversized shower will be connected with the large jetted-therapy tub along with a gorgeous full width drapery system so the look is dreamy, yet the function is fabulous; again we encourage you to take a look at those stunning 3D renderings!

In addition, we have re-framed the floor for a barrier-free shower that allows for ease of transfer from wheelchair to tub or shower but also will allow for quick use of the shower by the Man of the house. Top off the Ensuite design with a roll-up vanity, a roll-in dressing room complete with stacking laundry pair not to mention the installation of a gorgeous flat-slab closet door system and all these details will come full circle with this client’s wishes. Those wishes were to ensure sight-lines from the bed would be amazing; her home aesthetic would be gorgeous; yet all wonderfully barrier-free for full access and maneuverability; we think we are well on our way to achieving that; again our 3D renderings will show you the future…today!

Having the opportunity to design and now fully renovate this couple’s Lifetime Home continues to be incredibly gratifying for our entire team. This renovation once completed will be a complete transformation of this home to seamlessly provide both barrier-free access, but a gorgeous yet non-institutional feel throughout.

We invite you to take walk through physically or virtually and enjoy the ‘behind the scenes’ look at all the intertwined elements that have come together. You will see how our design, engineering and construction crews have worked together for the last many months to bring this home to ‘Pre-Board’ stage for your enjoyment!

We offer these Pre-Board Tours to showcase so many talented trade and supplier partners of ours. So often all the work of those wonderful people, gets covered in drywall, flooring and paint; and most never know what went on behind those walls, or the thoughtfulness and quality of that portion of a renovation. Now you can enjoy an HGTV-style behind the scenes experience in person…welcome and enjoy this Pre-Board Tour!