Rediscovering a Grande dame

Calgary Herald
Saturday, January 13, 2001
Page: CS05
Section: Condos & Homes
Byline: Marcello Sousa, Ottawa Citizen
Dateline: OTTAWA

Seven months and many cheques later, a 90-year-old home has been revamped, refitted and turned into a Grande dame with many delectable stories for dinner-party diversion.

Need a word with the serving maid? Since workers found and replaced wiring to activate a servant's bell, you'll have no problem, says Bill Renaud, one of Ottawa's top real estate agents and owner of the restored home.

"We decided to keep it functional for the fun of it,'' says Renaud, adding he was drawn to the house because of the walnut and cherry staircase connecting the three floors.

He also saw the potential for entertaining spaces on the first floor and private areas on the second and third levels.

There were holes in the floor, concrete falling from the ceilings and bare wires hanging like spider webs.

"We even found an old ceramic tub with claw feet in the middle of the dining room.

"The people lived here a long time and got great use out of it,'' says Renaud. ``It was like an old beauty -- a grand home that needed to be restored to former splendour.''

Walls were knocked down and porches ravaged, while the basement walls were stripped to the original masonry and the attic restored.

``We wanted to keep the estate look of the house and so we reconstructed the period detail, but made the house low-maintenance.''

The main floor, intended primarily for entertaining, was kept in period decor, and the home's exterior was restored.

Though much of the home was gutted, the maid's bell was one of five key elements restored to maintain the early-century feel of the home.

Other elements were the exterior masonry, staircase paneling and banister, claw-foot bathtub and 70 per cent of the floors.

The owner feels the gentle undulations found here and there in the original flooring add an element of character, and chose to preserve them rather than replace them.

In the living room, subtle recessed lighting emphasizes a baby grand piano. To the left, a low-heat fireplace adds a cozy mood.

In the formal dining room, a ``fainting couch'' has been placed in a bay window, should any of your guests be overcome with the grandeur of it all.

The kitchen, with its large cabinetry and marble-topped island, evokes a past era while hiding modern efficiency.

A quick peek behind closed cupboards and drawers reveals built-in spice racks, appliances and an automated espresso bar.

Where the main level camouflages modern aids such as the security and sound system, the second floor takes you to another continent.

If you climb the stairs, you'll find a master suite in a Japanese motif with a sitting area, an Ensuite bathroom, a change room and a meditation area complete with Zen garden.

There are 11 showerheads in Renaud's river stone-tiled vertical Jacuzzi. An orchid garden flourishes at the head of a nearby Roman tub.

``I have a high-stress job and so when I come home I need a place to relax,'' says Renaud.

``The Zen garden and everything surrounding it is made from all-natural fibres and woods, there's lots of light, not a lot of clutter and it's decorated with simple colours. Everything is calming.

``I love coming home and, in the end, that's why all the work was done,'' says Renaud.

The third floor was made into guest quarters with a separate bath and a media room, without changing the feel of the home. Period-style windows complement custom-designed doors reminiscent of the early 1900s.

In the basement, the original rubble stone foundation was exposed to add a rugged feel to the wine cellar, adjacent to a wine-tasting room.

Originally, Renaud was simply thinking of building a cedar cabinet to store his wine there. Designer Chuck Mills had different ideas when he discovered the masonry behind the walls, using it to add a rustic touch.

Once a debutante, then a dowdy dowager, this elegant home is now truly a Grande dame ready for a full life and a demanding social whirl.