The Strathcona Residence is one of the clearest examples of what a luxury home renovation in Calgary can do with the space you already have. The clients came to HAUS Interiors with a simple brief: transform an outdated condo into a modern, elegant sanctuary. We designed and built it, from the first floor plan to the final styling, and this is how it came together.

The brief: from outdated to a modern sanctuary

The home had good bones but felt closed in. The kitchen sat behind a wall, cut off from the living and dining areas, so cooking, eating and relaxing happened in three separate rooms. The finishes had dated, and nothing about the space felt calm. The clients wanted a home that felt open and light, looked modern without feeling cold, and worked for everyday life as well as for hosting.

The big move: opening the main living space

The most important decision in this luxury home renovation was structural. We removed the wall that separated the kitchen from the living and dining areas, so the three spaces now read as one continuous room, connected by warm oak floors and soft, filtered light.

With the wall gone, the kitchen needed an anchor. We added an island: a Silestone Calacatta quartz waterfall top over a fluted black base, lined with cognac leather counter stools. It is where the clients cook, where guests gather and where the eye lands first when you walk in.

The signature details

Three details give the Strathcona Residence its character.

• Fluted panelling. Fluted surfaces add texture and rhythm without adding colour: on the island base and on the living room feature wall, a fluted panel that catches the light across the day.

• Wall mouldings. Applied mouldings give plain walls proportion and a tailored, architectural finish, the kind of detail that makes a renovated home feel considered rather than new.

• A monochromatic palette. Crisp white, deep black and warm oak, layered with leather and brass. Flat-panel white cabinetry rises floor to ceiling, black-framed glass-front uppers add depth, and matte black pendants and hardware carry the contrast through the space. Keeping the palette tight is what makes the home feel calm.

In the bathrooms, the same thinking continues: a natural oak double vanity with matte black fixtures and a fluted glass shower screen in the primary ensuite, and brushed brass with marble in the guest bath.

How the project ran

As a full-service design-build project, HAUS Interiors led every stage, so the clients dealt with one team throughout. From the first design meeting to handover, the project took about twelve months.

• Design. Floor plans and furniture layouts, then selections, materials and elevations, then 3D renders, construction drawings and costs, each reviewed with the clients before the next step. Every decision was made before the wall came down.

• Procurement and construction. Orders were placed and tracked, then demolition, the structural change, cabinetry, stone, tile, mouldings and finishes, with every trade working from the same drawings and one project lead coordinating them.

• Installation and styling. Furniture, drapery and decor were installed and styled, and the home was cleaned and handed over ready to live in.

Because the design was finished before construction started, the clients did not have to make decisions on site. They were away for much of the build.

In the client's words

"The best I could have wished for. Michael was so patient and accommodating of our needs and wants. We left for 3 months and came back to beautiful."

Gail B., Google review

What this luxury home renovation shows

Luxury in a renovation rarely comes from the most expensive finish. It comes from a clear plan, one strong structural move, a restrained palette and details carried through every room. That is what turned an outdated condo into a home that feels open, calm and finished. For more on how we approach these projects, read Luxury Home Renovations in Calgary: A Design-Led Guide and how a whole-home project runs.

See the full project

Walk through the photos and the video tour on the Strathcona Residence project page, read the case study, or compare the rooms on our before and after page.

Photography: Snap Squad (Haroula Spiropoulos).

Planning your own renovation in Calgary?

If you have a home that needs the same kind of transformation, book a design consultation with HAUS Interiors, or get a starting range with our free design and build estimator.