Zen and the art of renovation

Herb's Corner

By Herb Lagois

This Lagois Project, "South of the Mountain", is an example of the beauty of Zen in a renovation.

Parents of active children know what it’s like when kids share a room. It’s okay when they’re little, but as they get older there can be problems. There’s a lack of privacy. There’s not enough space or storage for all their stuff ‒ and we know there’s plenty of noise in their arguments. Any chance of a calm home flies out the window.

When everyone is over to watch a game and Dad is prepping dinner but he’s isolated in the kitchen so he can’t see what’s going on, it can be awkward (even unfair, Dad might say). You might start thinking it’s time for a change.

Careful, mindful renovation impacts families and lifestyles in significant ways.

Shaping the way you feel

“We shape our buildings,” Winston Churchill said. “Thereafter they shape us.”

Good architecture is about solving problems. When Lagois Design∙Build∙Renovate fixes cramped spaces, isolation, poor functionality and elements of noise and frustration, there is a lovely sense of Zen in your home that frames the way you feel.

A major renovation can reflect your inner journey. It’s a perfect way to strip away outdated habits and open up ideas about how you really want to live. Renovation can mean personal transformation.

Thoughtful luxury: first, we listen

The very first step in the design process of a Lagois renovation is one simple thing: listening. We ask questions so we can understand what you and your family want, need, dream of, and expect. We believe not just in beautiful homes but meaningful places where your life happens, evolves, and thrives.

The art and Zen of a Lagois renovation means thoughtful luxury, where the flow of movement, indoor-outdoor integration, fine finishes and materials and clever, intentional lighting meet the patina of time and durability. We believe it’s about how your space feels every day, at different times of the day in every season.

Light and sanctuary

Zen in renovation can be custom built-in storage that saves you from visual clutter but keeps everything in place and ready for use. It can be the sanctuary of an ensuite that whispers complete stillness and complete luxury. It can be wider spaces, open visibility (for Dad in the kitchen) an extra bedroom or two (for kids and guests), a warm floor under bare feet. It can be the beautiful angle of light through a window.

A calm environment

The Lagois secret? It’s knowing the snags and challenges in your everyday living and directly relating them to our design process ‒ where every line, detail and material has purpose. The result is a calm environment where you can function easily and happily for years to come.

Our design process is Zen. So is the outcome.

We shape the spaces where your best moments unfold ‒ on time and on budget.