Near & DearA Mother's Downsizing Laneway Home

Set on a 50’ lot in Shaughnessy

Near & Dear breaks from the usual narrow laneway house plan. Instead, it stretches outward—wide, light-filled, and composed—holding its place as a natural counterpart to the main house. This is what a mother built for herself.

Entering her next chapter, she decided it was time for priorities to shift. Close to family. Close to routine. Close to the rhythms she’s built over time.Time to move out of the big house… into a better house.

At 1,433 sqft, Near & Dear is intended to hold her life, fully.Once limited to compact, secondary dwellings of 500–800 square feet, laneway homes have evolved into full-fledged homes.

An Upsizer in Disguise

An elevator (yes, really) does the heavy lifting, quietly future-proofing the home and making daily life just that much easier. It’s a detail that speaks to the bigger idea: designing with foresight, for the years ahead. This is downsizing, uncompromised.

A Mother’s Age-in-Place Project

Every inch of Near & Dear responds to her priorities. Millwork carries throughout, creating abundant storage that keeps things out of sight. A private bedroom suite that folds in space for work, rest, and movement. A luminous open kitchen anchors both quiet moments and entertaining.

Walking Distance to Her Family

Opening the door, the home extends into a shared yard. Considered as part of daily life, it becomes a short, scenic walk to her old house, where her son’s family now lives. Onion and butternut squash soup from Mom, still hot from the stove.

A Nod to Materiality

Soft wood tones and quiet whites. Finishes layered with care, selected for aesthetics, of course, but also for easy maintenance and longevity. A contemporary country house that draws from the deep roots of the Shaughnessy neighbourhood, designed to feel both familiar and new.