Copyright © 2010 Fremar Construction LTD.
"An award-winning return to grandeur for a historic West Vancouver home."
This gorgeous estate on West Vancouver's historic Westdean Crescent is a vital part of the area's rich history. Built in 1913 as a summer residence for Thomas Arthur Spencer, son of department store owner David Spencer, the house was selected in 1918 to appear on a promotional poster for the District of West Vancouver and has since been identified as a "Building of Primary Importance" by the West Vancouver Heritage Inventory.
Fremar Construction was contacted by a client who was considering purchasing this historic house with the intention of restoring it to its original grandeur. Honoured and excited to be part of such an important project, Fremar retained the services of architect John Graham and set to work on an extensive reconstruction that would involve nearly an entire rebuild of the house.
As a result of this landmark restoration, owners Darrell and Nanette Der were presented with a District of West Vancouver Heritage Achievement Award.
The main objective for the Der house was to expand the overall living space. Fremar added roughly 3000 square feet via two channels. A wing added to the back of the house contains a new family room and a beautiful custom kitchen. Upstairs, the roof was raised and dormers were added to transform the two small bedrooms into three larger bedrooms with ensuite baths.
The underlying theme of this project was a continued sensitivity to the history of the house, which had undergone several renovations during its lifetime. Each step of the project required an assessment be made to determine whether to take a given element back to its original configuration or to continue forward with a past renovation.
One former renovation that was further developed was the stairway, which expanded from a narrow corridor to a beautiful staircase that provides access to the home's newly restructured second floor.
Modern building codes also presented a challenge when they didn't agree with certain elements of the original house. An example of this was the front porch railing, which by modern standards was too low in relation to its height from the front lawn. Rather than compromise the home's historic integrity, Fremar opted to raise the front yard by installing a bank of picturesque flower gardens.
A number of completely new elements were introduced to the property, including a putting green where a greenhouse used to be and a backyard playhouse that is a mini-replica of the house itself. The outdated plumbing and electrical systems were also entirely replaced.
Every modification to the structure of the original house was conducted with meticulous attention to detail and design to ensure that all renovations would blend seamlessly with the building's historic character.
Presenting another contemporary interpretation of the home's historic character, this entirely new living space features a striking, modern version of the original coffered ceilings. Further showing their dedication to perfection in every detail, Fremar matched all doors, windows, and finishes to those of the original house.
No expense was spared in this completely new room, and the result is a stunning blend of classic elegance and modern luxury. Details include countertops and full-height backsplashes of imported granite, custom-built maple cabinets and columns with a hand-rubbed white lacquer finish, and gorgeous stone floors with radiant heating.
Restoring this room involved a complete strip-back and rebuild. The original maple floors were reused and new flooring was treated to match the patina of the old floors. 75 years of build-up was removed from the stone fireplace, which remains completely original. To ensure design continuity, all new hardware was matched to the old by tracking down the original manufacturer, located in California.