Demolition Premonition

Suddenly reality hits, and you are literally in a cloud of dust…, demo dust.

Let’s face it, renovating your house is a daunting task for several reasons. It starts off with all of the exciting elements-  a more functional space, sparkling new finishes, the latest gadgets. Suddenly reality hits, and you are literally in a cloud of dust…, demo dust.

As a designer, I notice that this is the phase that tends to scare home owners the most, because you are exposing the underbelly of the beast. The demolition phase is where you typically uncover ‘surprises’ like a hidden pipe in a wall that was going to be demolished, mold or asbestos lurking behind plaster walls, and sometimes, an intricate web of knob and tube wiring.

Don’t panic! Rather than thinking of them as obstacles, consider them opportunities.

Don’t panic! Rather than thinking of them as obstacles, consider them opportunities. They present opportunities to rid your house of unwanted hazards, and in some cases they give you the opportunity to create a feature wall, as in the case of an unwanted pipe. Although you may not have planned on it, you can always plan for it.

Setting aside a 10% contingency fee is basically your insurance for such unforeseen events. Nothing is insurmountable in construction, it just comes with a cost. If you plan for the cost, you may receive an unexpected ‘surprise’ at the end of your renovation- an unplanned vacation courtesy of your contingency.

Projecting wall clad in flame stone with cantilever shelf.

Above is a photo of my den. I had originally planned on demolishing the  projecting stone wall. Once I found out it would be very costly to relocate the mechanical elements that it housed, I decided to highlight the wall by cladding it in a beautiful flamed stone, and I extended a cantileverd shelf, which acts as my home office desk.

Silvia Mazzone is a Designer of architectural interiors who has worked on several award winning projects with some of the country’s leading Interior Design firms. Before pursuing design, Silvia studied biology at the University of Toronto. Science continues to influence her interiors, as Silvia applies the organic way form influences function and how light and color influence mood and behavior into each of her designs. For the past 10 years, Silvia has been working independently, focusing primarily on residential interiors. At Edesignboutique.com, Silvia and her partner developed a menu of interior design services, which makes her custom design expertise available to everyone on line.