• Spencer House

  • Spencer House

    This gorgeous estate on West Vancouver’s historic Westdean Crescent is a vital part of the area’s rich history. Built in 1913 as a summer residence for Thomas Arthur Spencer, son of department store owner David Spencer, the house was selected in 1918 to appear on a promotional poster for the District of West Vancouver and has since been identified as a “Building of Primary Importance” by the West Vancouver Heritage Inventory.

  • Historic Restoration

  • Historic Restoration

    Fremar Construction was contacted by a client who was considering purchasing this historic house with the intention of restoring it to its original grandeur. Honoured and excited to be part of such an important project, Fremar retained the services of architect John Graham and set to work on an extensive reconstruction that would involve nearly an entire rebuild of the house.

  • Heritage Award

  • Heritage Award

    As a result of this landmark restoration, owners Darrell and Nanette were presented with a District of West Vancouver Heritage Achievement Award.

Photo Gallery

DETAILS

The underlying theme of this project was a continued sensitivity to the history of the house, which had undergone several renovations during its lifetime. Each step of the project required an assessment be made to determine whether to take a given element back to its original configuration or to continue forward with a past renovation.

Family Room

Presenting another contemporary interpretation of the home's historic character, this entirely new living space features a striking, modern version of the original coffered ceilings. Further showing their dedication to perfection in every detail, Fremar matched all doors, windows, and finishes to those of the original house.

Kitchen

No expense was spared in this completely new room, and the result is a stunning blend of classic elegance and modern luxury. Details include countertops and full-height backsplashes of imported granite, custom-built maple cabinets and columns with a hand-rubbed white lacquer finish, and gorgeous stone floors with radiant heating.

Living Room

Restoring this room involved a complete strip-back and rebuild. The original maple floors were reused and new flooring was treated to match the patina of the old floors. 75 years of build-up was removed from the stone fireplace, which remains completely original. To ensure design continuity, all new hardware was matched to the old by tracking down the original manufacturer, located in California.

Spencer House

  • Flower Gardens
  • Greenhouse
  • Attention to Detail

  • Flower Gardens

    Modern building codes presented a challenge when they didn’t agree with certain elements of the original house. An example of this was the front porch railing, which by modern standards was too low in relation to its height from the front lawn. Rather than compromise the home’s historic integrity, Fremar opted to raise the front yard by installing a bank of picturesque flower gardens.

  • Greenhouse

    A number of completely new elements were introduced to the property, including a putting green where a greenhouse used to be and a backyard playhouse that is a mini-replica of the house itself. The outdated plumbing and electrical systems were also entirely replaced.

  • Attention to Detail

    Every modification to the structure of the original house was conducted with meticulous attention to detail and design to ensure that all renovations would blend seamlessly with the building’s historic character.

1610 West 75th Avenue

Vancouver

British Columbia

V6P 6G2

info@fremarconstruction.com

tel 604.264.7754

fax 604.264.8214