Thoughtful Elegance
The Vision
The clients chose the Dunbar-Southlands area for its character and generous lot, seeing it as the ideal place to settle down long-term. Rather than trying to find an existing home that partially met their needs, they chose to design and build a home that fully reflected their lifestyle and values.
Their goals were clear:
- A welcoming family home where gatherings, celebrations, and future generations could thrive
- Dedicated spaces for both family life and professional work
- A home that prioritized health, wellness, and comfort
- Smart home automation built for the future
- Thoughtful integration of select elements from the original house
A Collaborative and Flexible Process
With no architect or designer in place at the outset, Solaris worked closely with the clients to assemble the right team of professionals and consultants - each selected to align with the project’s vision and priorities. Drawing on years of experience in custom builds and renovations, the Solaris team provided straightforward guidance at every stage, helping translate ideas into practical, buildable solutions.
With demanding travel schedules and no rush to complete the build, the clients valued a thoughtful and collaborative process. Meetings were arranged around their availability, with a strong preference for in-person discussions whenever possible. As the project progressed, regular weekly or bi-weekly meetings ensured decisions were made with clarity and confidence.
Throughout the build, open communication and creative problem-solving helped address details and unforeseen challenges - keeping the project moving forward while staying aligned with the original vision.
Customized Design for Everyday Living
Every space in the home was intentionally designed to support both daily life and hosting others.
Key spaces include:
- A grand entryway that creates an immediate sense of quality and welcome, featuring custom millwork, expansive tile, and a striking stone countertop
- A sleek kitchen design with cooking functions relocated to a connected wok kitchen
- A large accordion door opening the kitchen to the backyard, flooding the space with natural light and creating a seamless indoor-outdoor area for entertaining
- A home theatre room for movie nights, games, and gatherings
- Two spacious home offices, allowing both mother and daughter to work comfortably from home
- A fully automated smart home, with smart wiring, enabling monitoring and adjustments while travelling
The result is a home that feels elegant yet effortless - carefully planned, well-executed, and designed for real life.
Thoughtful Craftsmanship & Intricate Details
Attention to detail played a defining role in this project, with craftsmanship evident throughout the home. Solaris’ hands-on approach ensured that both new features and preserved elements were integrated seamlessly.
Notable features include:
- European-style circular gutters that complement the home’s modern exterior
- Custom white oak millwork throughout the home, including seamless entry storage and hidden doors
- Hand-framed and smoothed ceilings in the primary bedroom and office, eliminating sharp edges to meet the client’s preferences
- Mother-of-pearl tiles with real pearl inlays in the hallway
- A custom stone fireplace composed of 20 individual stone pieces, matched to stone surfaces throughout the home
- The original front door, restored and repurposed as the entrance to the media room
- Chevron-patterned wood flooring in the media room, bordered with wood reclaimed from the original house
- A waterfall kitchen island with custom tile detailing
- Stonework that ties together the chimney and front retaining wall
Each element was carefully selected to create cohesion, warmth, and lasting quality.
Prioritizing Health, Comfort, and Longevity
Health and wellness were central to the design, influencing both systems and spaces throughout the home.
- An air-to-water heat pump system provides in-floor radiant heating and cooling, delivering consistent comfort without natural gas
- A large infrared sauna, steam shower, and dedicated gym space support daily wellness routines
- The sauna includes a built-in emergency safety system, alerting the home and occupants while automatically shutting off if needed
- A residential elevator ensures the home remains fully accessible, allowing the mother to age in place with confidence
These features support not only how the family lives today, but how they plan to live for decades to come.
A Home Built for Today and the Future
This Dunbar–Southlands residence is a refined blend of modern design, meaningful details, and long-term thinking. Guided by clear communication, experienced craftsmanship, and a collaborative approach, Solaris delivered a home that reflects the clients’ vision.
A place to call home - thoughtfully built, carefully executed, and designed to last.
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