Client Profile

• Professional couple
• Children away at university
• Have owned current home
  for 20+ years

Residence

• 2000+ sq.ft. 2-storey Arts & Crafts single family home in historic Ottawa South
  

Client Comments

We moved into our old Ottawa South home in 1987. Built early in the 20th century, the house had a small, dark kitchen with a cramped eating area in back. With the kids off to university, it was time for us (after living there for 16 years) to upgrade.

We had considered various options over the years and failed to come up with a design that would work. Then we met Irene Staron. With great enthusiasm and a wealth of ideas, Irene led us through a variety of options for the arrangement of appliances until we hit on one that worked perfectly. And with her suggestions for cupboards and colours, we had a plan we liked for a beautiful and functional kitchen.

As for the south-facing eating area, Irene came up with a radical idea: remove the old extension completely, and add on a larger one – with large windows on two sides and a cathedral window pouring light into the room from above. We never would have thought of that.

Irene’s wide network of specialists helped us refine the technical details and find a good contractor and cupboard fabricator. And once construction started, Irene even helped us get through the inconvenience of being kitchen-less by loaning us a barbeque. That’s service.

Today we have a fabulous kitchen – one a friend described as “a kitchen to die for.” And the eating area, now complete with TV, computer, desk and sofa, has become our favourite place in the house.