Michael Design

Michael Kilpatrick was our architect, designer and project manager for a substantial renovation of a 1932 single family residence. Michael’s skills are twofold: first, he has excellent design ideas that maximize natural light and are modern yet cozy and secondly, his approach and hands-on involvement from concept to execution are invaluable. At the beginning of the project, Michael helped to refine our initial design ideas and provided useful and innovative solutions. Once our drawings and plans were complete, he assessed contractor offers, dealt with city hall permit issues, set budgets and implemented a schedule. During construction, Michael was on-site almost daily to respond to contractor queries and ensure the project proceeded smoothly. He responded to our myriad of concerns with comprehensive and thoughtful responses and ensured that he provided solutions that were within our budget. Michael’s breadth of experience, know-how and contacts within the industry were invaluable. I’ve heard folks say that a renovation project is a stressful endeavor; they’ve obviously never worked with Michael.

When we decided to extensively renovate an existing house I was completely overwhelmed by the scope of the project. We had to tackle everything from building permits and city by-laws to choosing tile and faucets for the bathrooms. I didn't know where to start. Michael knew exactly what to do at every step, and he brought us the information we needed to make choices in a clear and calm way. He is incredibly knowledgeable on all aspects of planning, construction and design, and communicates his knowledge clearly. It was invaluable to have Michael's supervision and know-how on-site throughout the project. He was on time, available, and responsive. He prevented problems before they happened, and provided excellent solutions to the inevitable challenges presented by renovating an existing older home. He brought the project in on time, and on budget.We love the finished product, especially the custom elements that Michael designed such as the fireplace, the bathroom tiles and the kitchen cabinets. I highly recommend Michael.

Building a house is exciting, confusing and certainly at times stressful. When I decided to take the plunge and build my own home, I had a good idea of what I wanted, but very little idea, as to how to make it happen - enter Michael Kilpatrick. Michael was recommended by a friend and after the first consultation, I knew he was the right person for the job. He appreciates this is a very personal endeavor and doesn’t force his vision, but instead enhances your ideas, with professional, creative and insightful suggestions. The result – a custom home, that won an OCHBA housing design award and a feature article on the front page of the homes section of a major newspaper. My home is built on a narrow lot (only 30 feet wide), situated on a hillside overlooking a golf course. It is a three story open-plan design, with windows (most south facing) that take full advantage of the view and warm winter sunshine. Everyone who visits makes the same statement, “I didn’t think it was going to be so big inside” - that’s all due to Michael Kilpatrick’s creative design and careful positioning of windows, which maximize the use of available light. My home is bright during the day and warm and cosy at night – it’s just what I wanted.

Michael was extremely knowledgable and helpful when it came to our home renovation. Although we had a good idea of what we wanted, Michael made sure the proportions, colours, and overall aesthetics worked with our existing house. He transformed our simple bungalow into a modern yet very comfortable and tasteful home. Although our renovation was completed about 5 years ago, we continue to receive positive comments from friends and new guests on how wonderful our home looks. Michael's expertise and his quiet, thoughtful, and professional demeanor makes it a pleasure to work with him. I could see he had the respect of the trades people and our contractor as well. I wouldn't work with anyone else but Michael Kilpatrick Design for our next project.

Michael Kilpatrick Design has been involved with two renovation projects at my home. The first project (1999) was a complete overhaul of the 1950's style kitchen - it lacked counter and storage space along with almost no natural lighting, due to the kitchen window being shaded by an open-walled carport. Michael provided an efficient and functional layout that I would never have thought possible, given the original state of the kitchen! With Michael's design expertise and renovation experience, the counter space more than doubled, the storage space more than quadrupled and a cathedral ceiling incorporating skylights provides the area a grand, open feel with much needed natural light. The second project (2008) consisted of a complete upgrade of the main floor 50's art-deco bathroom along with the addition, in the basement, of a second bathroom and a formal laundry area. Again, Michael was able to provide efficient designs that made the most of rather small, confined spaces. Michael provided professional and insightful suggestions for the colours, materials, lighting and hardware, that were eventually chosen for these projects. He is readily able to answer or find answers for all the questions and concerns (of which there can be many) that arise during the design and renovation processes. I highly recommend Michael Kilpatrick Design for any home renovation projects you may be considering! Doug W. NOTE: Project cost reflects both projects!

I can't say enough great things about Michael Kilpatrick Design. Michael recently completed an addition to our Old Ottawa East home. Michael's years of experience and his ability to "read" the project made our home absolutely perfect for us. Michael helped us define our vision and bring it to life. Now our teeny tiny little house is beaming with sunlight and air because of his attention to lighting, windows and flow. The design stage was so much fun because Michael could provide drawings that really suited our needs and our lifestyle. He took time to understand our tastes (even if they seemed a little opposing at times) and provided us with options that suited both our neighbourhood and our property. From taking advantage of natural light, to providing advice on fixtures and finishings, to managing the contractor's questions he made our process pain-free for us. Now we're delighted every time someone comes into our addition and says "wow, this place is amazing". I can't wait to work with Michael again on another project and would recommend that anyone looking for a new home or large renovation speak with him.

I enjoyed working with Michael on this project which was a major renovation of my 1980s era kitchen and dining area (see Havelock photos). Michael worked patiently with me to determine what I wanted and encouraged me to think outside the existing 'box' that was my old kitchen. He was very professional and honest in providing advice and design options. He made me feel that I was part of the design process and my ideas and needs were of the upmost importance in the end result. He had a number of unique ideas that really added to the renovation (for example small display shelves inserted on the kitchen and dining room side of a half wall, uniquely designed coat rack and bench for my front entrance, etc). The contractor that he recommended was first class and extremely professional. The reaction of friends and family who have seen the renovation has been overwhelmingly positive and the most frequent comment is "Wow". Overall, I am very satisfied with the entire process from design to completion and would highly recommend Michael as a dedicated professional who takes pride in his work to produce an outstanding result.