Maison Murphys
Vacation Home Renovation
Design-Build
Brand Identity
THE CHALLENGE
A compact 1950s ranch with limited natural light, compartmentalized rooms, and a disconnected relationship to the outdoors—compounded by a tight budget, limited access to skilled labor in a rural context, and a contractor who abandoned the project mid-construction, requiring a complete reset.
THE GOAL
Transform a modest footprint into a cohesive, light-filled home—making under 1,000 square feet feel open and continuous through spatial clarity, light, and flow. At the same time, reinterpret the optimism of 1950s design through a contemporary lens, shaping a home that feels joyful and immersive, where each space carries a distinct atmosphere while contributing to a unified experience.
THE PROCESS
Over two years, we became our own builders—learning, making, and executing the work ourselves. A graphic language of colour, pattern, and curved geometry was developed as a guiding system, informing decisions from overall spatial organisation to the smallest details. Applied across surfaces and scales, this language became a way to structure movement, define atmosphere, and connect spaces. What began as a constraint evolved into a method, where design and making operated in tandem, allowing the project to be refined continuously into a cohesive spatial and visual system.
