When it comes to location and lifestyle, itB次元官网网址檚 hard to beat sunny South Oak Bay and thatB次元官网网址檚 what sold Edmonton transplant Kristopher Ricci on his Monterey Avenue character home. 

B次元官网网址淚 love the central location,B次元官网网址� says Kris, a realtor with The Agency. B次元官网网址淲e walk with the kids to Ottavio to have gelato or the Penny Farthing for a bite. WeB次元官网网址檙e close to Windsor Park and when I go for a run, I just head down Monterey to Beach Drive and run along the water.B次元官网网址� 

Kris bought the 1911 Samuel Maclure home in the summer of 2021 and then embarked on an ambitious reno to restore the homeB次元官网网址檚 old-world charm while bringing it into the modern era. 

B次元官网网址淚 didnB次元官网网址檛 really know what I was getting into with a 1911 home,B次元官网网址� Kris laughs. B次元官网网址淚 did a '60s home in Edmonton prior, but this was totally different. I had to replace all the guts but I also wanted to preserve a lot of the original pieces that make the home special and pay respect to the Maclure style and the architecture.B次元官网网址�  

As I walk through the custom wrought iron gate, IB次元官网网址檓 transported to a private oasis with an inviting fire pit out front and a beautiful Camellia tree that started to bud in January. Laurel and cedar hedges ring the large lot, which is dotted with established fruit trees and has laneway access. 

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a rare double lot in South Oak Bay and I was told that originally, it was a fruit orchard back there, so there's really cool plums and apple trees. I did some climbing hydrangeas, too, that will fill in and flower.B次元官网网址�  

Inside, the almost 4,600-square-foot home oozes with character. From the wood mouldings, fireplace mantles and built-in cabinets to the stained glass windows and white oak parquet flooring with walnut inlay, the home's original beauty has been brought back to life.

B次元官网网址淎ll the woodwork on the main level is original B次元官网网址� along with the floors that I sanded down and take pride in B次元官网网址� and all the windows, including the stained glass, have been restored and have new hardware,B次元官网网址� Kris explains. B次元官网网址淢ost of them were painted shut or the sashes were snapped off or the weights inside were broken.B次元官网网址� 

The transformation of the main floor B次元官网网址� with a living room, family room, an extra bedroom and a powder room (constructed during a 1930s addition) B次元官网网址� along with the upstairs took two years and wasnB次元官网网址檛 easy.  

B次元官网网址淚t was a rigorous two years and to be honest, IB次元官网网址檓 not sure I would do an old house again because it was so involved and very challenging,B次元官网网址� Kris admits. B次元官网网址淧eople thought we were crazy because it was in pretty rough shape. I had to remove all the knob and tube wiring so it's new electrical, do the plumbing, perimeter drains on the outside, and restore all the radiators.B次元官网网址� 

Modernizing the old kitchen, which included ripping up layer upon layer of flooring, was also a big challenge.  

B次元官网网址淎t first, I was going to change it and blow it all open because itB次元官网网址檚 not that big, but I decided to respect the traditional four-box layout of the home and work with it,B次元官网网址� Kris says. 

The result is a high-end and timeless grey and white gourmet kitchen with Calcutta marble countertops, a Sub Zero fridge and a show-stopper La Cornue stove. 

"I kind of wanted that old-world European influence,B次元官网网址� explains Kris. That's why he removed a washer and dryer between the kitchen and dining room and converted the area back to a butlerB次元官网网址檚 pantry.  

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 great for extra storage and we also added a sink, wine fridge, and fridge drawers so itB次元官网网址檚 really functional. WhatB次元官网网址檚 cool is that thereB次元官网网址檚 also a second stairwell at the back that the servants would have used.B次元官网网址�  

Italian marble and European fixtures are used throughout the home. On the top level, there are three bedrooms and two bathrooms, along with a large landing that was big enough to accommodate a new laundry area.  

B次元官网网址淭hey only had coal-burning fireplaces upstairs so I brought in a heat pump to fire every room with heat and AC,B次元官网网址� Kris says. B次元官网网址淲e also added a lot of the picture rail mouldings to keep it with the esthetic and we bleached the original fir floors, which usually have red tones, to match the main floor.B次元官网网址�  

The biggest transformation upstairs is the primary suite: Kris renovated a fourth bedroom and turned it into a huge bathroom with a wall of custom closet cabinets. 

B次元官网网址淲e really wanted it to be a retreat,B次元官网网址� Kris says. B次元官网网址淭he original bathroom is on the other side, which the kids use, and all the rooms are a really good size.B次元官网网址� 

With main floor and upstairs renovations completed, Kris turned his attention to the basement, where he created a three-bedroom, two-bathroom in-law or nanny suite with private access.   

B次元官网网址淭he basement was such a challenge to figure out not just the layout, but how to get it up to par,B次元官网网址� Kris explains. B次元官网网址淚t was pretty gross with mouldy flooring and rat poop so I demoed everything and repoured the slab after I replaced the sewage lines.B次元官网网址� 

Kris also sanded and restored the fir beams and highlighted the original brickwork, which adds character to the open-concept living room and large kitchen area in the 1,500-square-foot suite. 

But after all the work heB次元官网网址檚 poured in, Kris is putting the house on the market because heB次元官网网址檚 keen to do another project.  

B次元官网网址淚 have passion for it, for sure,B次元官网网址� the father of three says. B次元官网网址淛ust taking something and getting excited about what it could be like, and having the vision and transforming it into something is really special.B次元官网网址� 

This article is from the spring edition of Tweed.