To achieve a seamless presentation when renovating any type of house involves equal measures of art and discipline.

Unfortunately, far too often art trumps discipline, or discipline rules, or both are forgotten. In each case, the result is completely unsatisfactory.

Without rehashing the past series of columns I wrote on design, suffice it to say that any competent architect designing in a recognized architectural style has an established set of parameters they must comply with. Generally speaking, these parameters establish an overall aesthetic which, when used correctly, produce a visually pleasing presentation.

The challenge one faces in a renovation, particularly when the work affects the exterior of the building, is maintaining the integrity of the original design. Anything short of a complete transformation (altering the architectural style) requires “sympathetic” treatment in which every detail matters.

In this context, sympathetic means creating a continuity between new and old that maintains the overall presentation of the gestalt without visual interruption or distraction. Simply put, the newly renovated building looks and intuitively feels like it was always meant to be that way.

So, what happens when you get the marriage between the new and old part of the building right, but the details wrong?

As an example, shortly after my retirement, I was asked to restore a home designed by Ron Thom. A brilliant five-level design set into a ravine, it had been added to in the years since it was first constructed.

The architect responsible for the renovation had done a marvellous job of sympathetically melding the addition with the existing facade. However, unwilling to wait for the new red cedar cladding to naturally silver and blend with the original cedar, the owner painted the entire house grey.

Sadly, while the paint did unify new and old, this decision eliminated a vital element in its overall organic composition by minimizing its integration into the landscape.

The details in a renovation (or restoration) of a historical residence are just as important.

Consider the fact that these houses were designed using the materials of-the-day to create that visually pleasing presentation.

Something as simple as using wavy glass to create a decorative dreamy effect on the facade was part of the overall composition (visit the 240 Centre St. restoration to actually see this in person). To use modern featureless float glass robs the original design of an important (in some cases vital) decorative element. 

Quite simply, success is dependent on the details.