Designed by renowned Canadian architect Arthur Erickson in 1965, the Mitchell House is a midcentury modern property located in Vancouver, Canada. The home is remarkable for its unique “wedge” design, which is actually half of an A-frame. The current owners purchased the 1,500-square-foot home (1,300 square feet were added to the home with the renovation) after falling in love with the West Coast, midcentury modern design. Inspired to preserve the home despite the fact that a larger house could be built on the spacious site, they called upon Vancouver–based Lanefab Design/Build to help them realize their vision.

Along with constructing a 1000-square-foot addition and a 300-square-foot garage, the primary intent was to create a new kitchen and dining area with a family room, and to give the home a proper entry sequence. The secondary goal was to improve the comfort and energy efficiency of the home by replacing the existing single-pane and Jalousie windows and updating the heating system with a more energy-efficient one.

“The redesign aims to preserve the original massing of the home and to maintain views of the existing iconic timber frame structure,” explains Bryn Davidson, co-owner of Lanefab. So successful was the project that it received a heritage award from the district of North Vancouver—an acknowledgment which is also significant in that it is “emblematic of the need to consider midcentury architecture as part of our built heritage,” says Davidson. Scroll ahead to see the home's spectacular transformation.

Before: Exterior (With Carport)

After

Before: Kitchen and Dining Room

After

Shop the Look

Before: Living Room

After

Before: Side Yard

After

Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Lanefab Design/Build (@lanefab)
Builder/General Contractor: Lanefab Design/Build
Structural Engineer: Yeming Li, Deerlake Design
Landscape Design: Take Root Gardens
Lighting Design: Lanefab Design/Build
Interior Design: Lanefab Design/Build
Cabinetry Design/Installation: Brillian Cabinets
Doors and Windows: Builders Door and Window
Prefab SIP panels: Insulspan

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Before & After: An Expanded Wedge-Shaped Abode Flaunts its Midcentury Roots