Tuesday 26 January 2016

Farewell to 2015 - It was a great year!

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom!
Ok, so 2015 wasn't exactly the Tale of Two Cities, but it was surely a roller-coaster year with a busy project schedule mixed in with some great travel time and a couple family calamities.

However, to end the year off on a great note, I was pleasantly surprised to have two of my projects win MAC Awards by the Federation of Rental-housing Providers of Ontario (FRPO) on December 4, 2015. The FRPO is the largest rental housing association in Ontario, representing managers, builders, services and suppliers, whose members collectively own or manage over 350,000 households across Ontario.

The winners were selected by a panel of industry leaders and nominated by the property owners and managers. The news of my win came unexpectedly as I had no idea that my clients had submitted the spaces...but what a wonderful Christmas surprise! 

This space is consistently a hub of activity, yet tranquil and recluse
Sixteen awards were presented in categories such as Resident Management of the Year, Environmental Excellence Award, Best Renovations (lobbies and suites) among others. The Wi-fi lounge/Boardroom/Study Area won the Amenities Award of Excellence, while a Penthouse open-concept conversion project won for Best Suite Renovation over $10,000. There we touched every surface in the 2500 sq.ft. Suite - the in-suite laundry room was reconfigured with great organizational and storage solutions, the master ensuite was revitalized with separate bath and shower areas, and the entrance vestibule is now befitting of an executive rental. But we didn't stop there! We tore down the wall of the galley kitchen - incorporated incredible storage solutions and 24 linear feet of counter space, updated the mantel of the fireplace and created a spacious den. And because the space turned out so wonderfully, we replicated the same design and finishes in another Penthouse suite, in it's sister building.


Best Suite Renovation over $10K - We tore down the dividing wall and gave them a 9' island


Part of what yields great designs and finished spaces is the collective collaboration between myself, the owners and managers and the contractors. I'm quite grateful for having a wonderful team to work alongside with and look forward to creating more exciting spaces in 2016. Stay tuned!