Marchand Houston originally built this home as a spec house for its business. Before the company even broke ground, staff knew the design of the home had to maximize enjoyment of the green space, river valley and downtown skyline. The builders even snuck windows into hallways and stairwells, so every part of the home gets natural light.
“We were able to put some really large windows in and have a patio up top to enjoy those views,” says Blair Houston, co-owner of Marchand Houston.
The homeowner agrees, citing the third-floor patio and sitting room as the best spot in the home — and the one where their family spends much of their time.
“The view basically sold us,” she says. “We sat up here watching the thunderstorm the other night and it was incredible.”
Incorporating the neighbourhood into the design was high on the list of priorities for the builders. Strathearn, where the home is located, is an older area seeing revitalization, and Marchand Houston wanted to build something that would suit the character of the neighbourhood.
“We really wanted to complement the environment around the home,” says Houston.
“We definitely wanted to make sure we were raising the bar,” adds company co-owner Josh Marchand. The home, he says, was designed to look modern, while still fitting into the natural environment of the area and the older homes surrounding it. So Marchand Houston went with a neutral palette, including real wood cladding.
But homes, of course, are as much about the inside as they are the location. Warm wood details and green tile bring the natural beauty of the area inside. The homeowners purchased the place while it was still under construction, and they made minimal changes to the existing design.
“They loved the design so much right off the bat that even with the opportunity to change things, they didn’t want to because it was just such a great design,” says Marchand.
The overall effect is modern and streamlined, but informed by mid-century taste. Warm wood cabinets, wall panels and ceiling features, along with eclectic brown tiles on the fireplace, add a vintage texture to the home. But features like heated floors and a glassed-in office match the modern homeowner’s needs.
The kitchen is a particular standout, with its hidden coffee bar, double oven and sliding cabinet doors, creating a sleek and seamless kitchen experience. The homeowner’s favourite part of the kitchen, though, is the rich green and brown backsplash tile.
“A house doesn’t have to be huge, just well laid out,” says the homeowner. The builders took the footprint of the lot as a challenge to optimize the space. The outcome is a home without an inch of wasted space — built-in storage, coffered ceilings and so much natural light, the gorgeous, retro-inspired light fixtures hardly need to be turned on.
“We‘re not trying to build the most homes, but we‘re trying to build the best homes we can,” says Houston.
This article appears in the September 2026 issue of Edify
