A reflection of trust

Awards have a way of making you feel deeply appreciated. They congratulate you on your achievements. They also confirm for the world your skills, philosophy, vision and approach.

This is how it felt recently when the Lagois team won two national awards from the Canadian Home Builders’ Association: one for the renovation project “Achieving Hygge”, named Best Whole Home Renovation Under $200,000, and the other national award for the Lagois website.

Achieving Hygge has won two Housing Design Awards, provincial and national.

“Achieving Hygge” also won an award in 2024 from the Ontario Home Builders’ Association for Custom Kitchen Renovation.

“These awards reflect the trust of our clients, the dedication of our team, and the talented trades and partners we work alongside every day,” said Lagois President Jacob Kirst.

“Achieving Hygge” transformed a home from a dark, tight space to one of openness and light. The homeowners wanted a Scandinavian feeling, and thus the theme name. Hygge is a Danish word that evokes a cozy peacefulness, a warm atmosphere and the good things in life. Some of the ways of achieving this include design harmony, lighting, and natural material selections.

Large windows, an open view to the back of the home, a more functional kitchen and a clear sightline to living and dining areas created the clean Scandinavian feeling the homeowners wanted.

Previously hidden natural light now floods throughout.

In addition to plentiful natural light, other elements complete the look – for example, natural maple hardwood, sage-coloured cabinets and white countertops. Other features are a kitchen peninsula, good prep space, a special area for children to do homework and crafts, floor-to-ceiling pantry cupboards and open shelving to store children’s art supplies.

“We opened up the home to capture natural light that had previously been hidden,” Jacob said. “It is an example of a Lagois core belief that exceptional homes are defined by how they are shaped around the way people live.”

The kitchen now has a clear sightline to the back of the home.

He added: “It’s what we mean when we talk about Perfecting the Art of Living. It’s creating homes that support the rhythms of everyday life: spaces that feel connected, calm, and personal.

“The best renovations aren’t just about aesthetics. They shape how homeowners gather, recharge, raise families, and experience daily life together.”

He praised the Lagois team for their excellence and dedication. He called the awards a “direct reflection of the work by people who take pride in their craft and genuinely care about the outcome.”

The team was delighted with the award for the Lagois website.

“Our goal with the site was to create something that feels like a true extension of Lagois,” Jacob said. “And that meant something calm, intentional and deeply considered. Beyond showcasing our work, we wanted to communicate how we think about our process, our standards, and the level of care behind each project.”

He added they didn’t want the website to feel like marketing but rather something that “reflects the substance of what we do and the strength of the team behind it.”

Celebrating the awards was fun. Jacob took the team out for lunch at Black Dog Bistro in Manotick. It was a leisurely couple of hours to talk about work but also about families, children, travel, and personal successes.

It’s times like this that make a team feel like a family.