We’re excited to finally share the story behind our Heritage Award–winning Kitsilano character home renovation. This 1913 corner-lot home had lived many lives before finding its way back to the neighbourhood — restored on the outside, and thoughtfully reimagined for modern family life within.
A House With a History
One of the true highlights of this past year was seeing our renovation of this 1913 Kitsilano home recognized with a City of Vancouver Heritage Award. For us, the recognition reflects not only how the house looks today, but what the project represents: helping families remain rooted in the neighbourhoods they love while honouring the stories of the homes within them.
When the Rembrandt Renovations team first stepped inside, the house had drifted far from its origins. Over the decades it had lived many lives, including a period as a rooming house, and little of its early character remained. It was dark, drafty, worn, and fragmented, shaped more by necessity than intention.
But the bones of the house — and its place in the neighbourhood — still mattered. Rather than replace it, our clients chose instead to give it another chapter.
A Clue From the Past
A turning point came with the discovery of a 1940s aerial photograph showing the home with a generous covered porch and upper balcony. That single image revealed that the house had once belonged to the Vancouver Traditional Craftsman lineage, a style that helped define Kitsilano’s early residential streets.
That insight changed the course of the project. Rather than simply modernising the house, the goal became to restore its architectural voice and allow it to once again contribute to the character of the neighbourhood.
The work that followed was extensive. The home was rebuilt from the inside out, beginning with environmental remediation, structural reinforcement, and full modernisation of its systems — the essential groundwork before any restoration of its character could begin.
The front façade was redesigned and reconstructed with careful attention to scale, symmetry, and period detailing. Cedar siding, restored brickwork, Douglas fir elements, and historically sympathetic colours all worked together to re-establish the home’s presence on its corner.
Today, the entrance once again feels welcoming and composed. The restored porch and reclaimed balcony draw the eye upward, giving the house a sense of dignity and beauty that had long been missing.
A House Made Whole Again
While the exterior looks respectfully to the past, the interior was always meant to look forward. The remediation and rebuilding inside focused first on modern comfort, performance, and livability — creating a home that would truly support the family for the long term.
The reworked interior now centres around light-filled gathering spaces, including an open kitchen that connects directly to the porch — a natural extension of how the family lives day to day.
Warm walnut detailing, contemporary finishes, and thoughtful custom millwork reflect the clients’ taste and lifestyle. The result is intentionally modern but still grounded, allowing the restored exterior and the lived-in interior to feel like two parts of the same story.
It’s a house that feels both rooted and current — a place for children, pets, visiting family, and everyday routines to unfold comfortably.
The People Behind the Project
More than anything, this project was about harmony — bringing the house back into balance with its history, its neighbourhood, and the way it is meant to be lived in today.
Projects like this are always collaborative at heart. The Armas family’s commitment to the home’s future made the transformation possible, supported by the thoughtful work of Ian McLean Architect, Allester Engineering, and Rembrandt Renovations’ dedicated team of carpenters and tradespeople who brought it to life.
We were deeply honoured to see this collective effort recognised with a City of Vancouver Heritage Award, but the real success lies in something more enduring: a home that honours its past and can be loved for generations to come.
