Homes

The floor plan of Little House, Big City.

A sectional drawing of Little House, Big City.

The new basement level now serves as an entryway, and includes an 'urban mudroom.'

"The narrowness of the house required the design to make effective yet frugal uses of space," explains the firm. "Precise positioning of walls, doors, and windows were crucial as each floor was planned to serve a purpose."

The floor plan

Gardiner Architecture ensured that flexibility, practicality, comfort, and spaciousness were all present in Elm Street House, as well as natural connections to the oft-used backyard and the surrounding neighborhood. The kitchen units are composed of blackbutt veneer and have a matte finish; the counters are Caesarstone. A pass-through window at the sink connects to the yard and makes for easy entertaining.

A hardworking pantry was essential for the family. “They’re also very keen cooks,” said the firm. “They preserve fruit, make kombucha, keep bees, and grow a lot of herbs and vegetables. The open walk-in pantry, plenty of bench space, and storage are all approaches that allow for lots of food to be produced.” Pantry inserts are made from Maxi Film birch plywood in black, so that the pantry space recedes.