Laurysen Kitchens has once again proudly contributed time and materials to the 2024 Dream of a Lifetime lottery, an initiative supporting the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) Foundation.
This annual fundraiser is vital for CHEO, generating money to support critical medical equipment, research and programs that benefit countless families. Partnering on this project for a seventh year is a true honour.
The 2024 dream home
The 2024 Minto dream home, the Oasis, was brought to life by Karen van der Velden and the Minto Communities product development team alongside the creative vision of Tanner Vine Design. Together, they created a home that perfectly balances beauty and functionality.
Laurysen was thrilled to play a role in bringing this vision to life. I was proud to lead our team in contributing custom cabinetry and design expertise to multiple areas of the home, including the kitchen, bathrooms and other key spaces. Participating in the CHEO dream home project year after year is a deeply rewarding experience for me; it’s a privilege on multiple levels, allowing me to give back to the community while taking on new creative challenges.
The home, located in the Mahogany neighbourhood of Manotick, is over 5,000 square feet of thoughtful, functional design that evokes contemporary minimalism and undeniable warmth. The integration of wood, specifically “all heart hickory,” that is used throughout the home helps to achieve a cohesive look that enhances the home’s sense of calm and harmony.
Kitchen
At the heart of the Oasis is the spacious, open-concept kitchen. Designed as an entertainer’s dream, it integrates perfectly with the adjacent living room and dining area.
The kitchen is thoughtfully designed in a galley style, with sleek cabinets and drawers along one side and an impressive 13-foot island on the other, offering abundant counter space for meal preparation and dining. Panel-ready luxury appliances from Fisher & Paykel and the hidden pantry door blend seamlessly into the cabinetry, creating a polished esthetic. Inside the pantry is a second sink, base cabinets and open shelving.
All appliances, including a built-in speed oven with traditional and microwave oven functionalities, are flush-installed with gaps minimized to no more than one-eighth of an inch for a flawless finish. The kitchen island features organization systems such as pull-out garbage and drawers, while surrounding cabinets are equipped with pull-outs and drawers to ensure every item is easily accessible.
Bathrooms
The five bathrooms in the 2024 dream home showcase Laurysen’s ability to bring a design vision to life.
The primary ensuite vanity exudes luxury and sophistication with an asymmetrical arrangement of cabinet doors and drawers in varying widths: 21 inches, nine inches, 15 inches, 18 inches, and another 21-inch panel. This unconventional layout, the brainchild of designer Tanner Vine, creates visual interest. The vanity is topped with a 2½-inch countertop and two sinks positioned off-centre to the right side with a large stretch of countertop on the left.
In contrast, the traditional layout of the Jack-and-Jill bathroom embraces symmetry:
And all bathrooms showcase distinct designs with a unified style:
An extra-deep countertop distinguishes the third-floor bathroom, while the two powder rooms also harmoniously blend with the rest of the house, each with unique design features creating distinctive looks.
Primary bedroom closet
Floating shelves, a bold design choice in the primary bedroom closet, relied on innovative engineering to maintain strength and stability. Traditional closets rely on vertical panels to support horizontal shelves and clothing rods. However, Tanner Vine’s vision eliminated these vertical supports, creating a challenge to securely mount the shelves and ensure they could withstand the weight of clothing and other items.
Laurysen analyzed the structural requirements and rose to the challenge, integrating robust, hidden hardware to anchor the floating shelves securely. This system, discreetly integrated into the closet’s structure, allows the shelves to appear as if they are effortlessly floating while providing the necessary support to hold a substantial amount of weight.
The custom closet also incorporates several other practical features that further enhance its functionality. Lower shelves offer space for shoes and bags, drawers provide organized storage for folded items, clothing rods maximize hanging space, and a full-length mirror ties together a closet that balances beauty with practicality.
Study room
In the study, Laurysen’s one-of-a-kind millwork solutions are on full display.
A custom-designed credenza explicitly created for the 2024 dream home is a statement piece. Its black finish adds a touch of sophistication and contrasts beautifully with the room’s overall design. On the other side of the room, a built-in desk area offers a functional workspace that reflects the contemporary yet warm esthetic of the entire home.
Mudroom
The mudroom features a shelf, a sturdy reinforced bench and a three-drawer “drop zone,” offering convenient compartments for frequently used items like keys, hats and mittens.
Laundry room
With a focus on both function and style, the second-floor laundry room includes ample concealed storage, a roomy folding area and sleek black hardware accents that stand out against the warm tones of the wood cabinetry.
Basement bar
The basement is a true oasis — a retreat for entertaining and relaxation.
Nestled between a golf simulator and a cosy rec room, Laurysen has seamlessly integrated a wine fridge into the lower cabinetry of the wet bar. Above the counter, black-framed, glass-front cabinets, echoing the design seen in the kitchen, offer open storage and display space for glassware and decorative items. The sink’s matte black faucet complements the black-framed cabinetry above, tying the elements together and adding a modern, cohesive touch.
The Oasis awaits — don’t miss your chance to visit or win!
The 2024 CHEO Dream of a Lifetime lottery ends Friday, Dec. 13. Don’t wait to get your tickets for your chance to win at dreamofalifetime.ca.
The home is free to tour until Dec. 13. Hours are Tuesday to Friday, noon to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., at 845 Companion Cres., Manotick. If you can’t make it in person, take a virtual tour of this stunning home.
