Lasting beauty
Ottawa Magazine|Spring - Summer 2023
Three generations, two homes, and one challenge: Build a house that works for everyone now- and into the future
FATEEMA SAYANI
Lasting beauty

When this family started the process of building their dream home, they set out to marry accessibility and beauty in unique and subtle ways. The W couple's child was born with a rare genetic disorder and relies on a wheelchair. Knowing that he will always require a caregiver, his parents started planning for the house they needed. They knew that their stacked townhouse would not do; the child's mother, who is the primary caregiver, was carrying her son up and down multiple flights of stairs. As he grew, it was clear they were going to need to move.

"Knowing what we were facing going into the future was discouraging, Jennifer* says.

At the same time, her elderly parents were finding their four-bedroom house more than they could manage. And so both families sold their homes, bought a neglected bungalow west of downtown, and promptly tore it down to build fresh. They hired Amsted Design and Build to design a Craftsman-style house that backs onto a ravine and blends in nicely with its neighbours. Working with the existing foundation, two separate units were erected - one for the young family of three, the other as an in-law suite.

"It has allowed us to have a safe, stable, bright, calm place all those things that are not always in our life," she says. "The house is more than just a home because it brings you all of that."

Denne historien er fra Spring - Summer 2023-utgaven av Ottawa Magazine.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra Spring - Summer 2023-utgaven av Ottawa Magazine.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA OTTAWA MAGAZINESe alt
Voice - Hope on the horizon
Ottawa Magazine

Voice - Hope on the horizon

\"I JUST CONSIDER MYSELF VERY LUCKY.\"  Jackie, a 60-year-old mother of two, is describing her experience at a new community mental health clinic opened by the Royal Ottawa Health Care Group.

time-read
3 mins  |
Spring - Summer 2023
Drink - The low and no trend
Ottawa Magazine

Drink - The low and no trend

Experts agree: a world of benefits and flavours come with reduced alcohol consumption. Yvonne Langen surveys the scene - and offers a refreshing recipe

time-read
3 mins  |
Spring - Summer 2023
Food for Thought - Exhibits with taste
Ottawa Magazine

Food for Thought - Exhibits with taste

While Ottawa may not be a sophisticated metropolis that compares with London, Paris, or Rome, it is still the national capital, and as such is blessed with excellent museums and galleries, as well as some really good food. But as Hattie Klotz learns, it can be difficult to find the two under the same roof

time-read
2 mins  |
Spring - Summer 2023
Working with the grain
Ottawa Magazine

Working with the grain

As demand for artisanal bread and craft beer continues to grow, Hattie Klotz meets the people building Ontario's small-scale grain sector from the ground up

time-read
3 mins  |
Spring - Summer 2023
Found - Working with the grain
Ottawa Magazine

Found - Working with the grain

As demand for artisanal bread and craft beer continues to grow, Hattie Klotz meets the people building Ontario's small-scale grain sector from the ground up

time-read
2 mins  |
Spring - Summer 2023
Design Insider
Ottawa Magazine

Design Insider

Upcoming projects, recent awards, and new openings in the city's dynamic design and build sector

time-read
3 mins  |
Spring - Summer 2023
THE WINDS OF CHANGE
Ottawa Magazine

THE WINDS OF CHANGE

Storms that knock down trees and cut power are becoming increasingly common. A snapshot of the May 2022 derecho offers a glimpse of what city hall and small businesses are doing to prepare for the next big one

time-read
6 mins  |
Spring - Summer 2023
THE HOTEL FACTOR
Ottawa Magazine

THE HOTEL FACTOR

As tourism returns, new hotels are opening - and many have their sights set on locals

time-read
3 mins  |
Spring - Summer 2023
THE FUTURE OF DOWNTOWN
Ottawa Magazine

THE FUTURE OF DOWNTOWN

The way people move and work in the core is changing. We explore the possibilities by talking to industry leaders and engaged residents about how to build a great downtown

time-read
10+ mins  |
Spring - Summer 2023
Opinion - Counselling change
Ottawa Magazine

Opinion - Counselling change

It's been 20 years, but the effects of amalgamation are still being felt. Drew-Anne Glennie argues community councils could reconnect us with city hall and our neighbours

time-read
3 mins  |
Spring - Summer 2023