Burnaby Modern Farmhouse Renovation
Burnaby, BC
FREE OPEN HOUSE · SAT, NOVEMBER 21 · 11 AM – 2 PMSee the Transformation in Person
Tour this Burnaby renovation and second storey addition, walk the glass staircase, step into the ensuite, and meet the team who designed and built it.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Burnaby Modern Farmhouse: Roof Off, Walls Down, Family Together
A 1,400 sq ft single-level Burnaby home had become too small for a family of four. We took off the roof, added a 1,429 sq ft upper floor, and stripped the main level back to the studs.
Why They Renovated
Two young kids, one small house, too many walls. The original layout split the main floor into separate rooms. Whoever was cooking was cut off from whoever was playing, and there was nowhere for the whole family to be in one place.
The Brief
The homeowners asked for a modern farmhouse, but a practical one. That meant natural oak, crisp white and matte black. It also meant durable wood-look floors that could handle kids, a mudroom to catch the mess at the back door, and window benches in the bedrooms.
TYPE OF PROJECT: Whole Home Renovation + Second Storey Addition
LOCATION: Burnaby, BC
DESIGNER: Kerr Design Build
BEFORE: 1,400 sq ft single level with basement
AFTER: About 2,830 sq ft across two floors, plus basement
SCOPE: Roof removal, new upper floor, full main floor gut and reconfiguration. A rear-yard carport followed in Phase 2.
STATUS: Completed / March 2026
Designing an Open Burnaby Home
Main floor: Every interior wall that could come out, came out. The living room, kitchen and dining area are now one continuous space. From the sofa, you can see the island, the dining table, the deck and the staircase.
Upper floor: The new storey holds the primary suite, the kids’ bedrooms and the kids’ bathroom. Moving the bedrooms upstairs freed the main level entirely for family life.
Indoor-outdoor living: French doors in the dining area open straight onto the rear deck, so dinner can move outside on a summer evening.
Back of the house: A new mudroom with built-in Sea Serpent cabinetry sits at the rear entry, so boots, bags and sports gear have a home before they reach the kitchen.
A Glass Staircase That Connects All Three Floors
The staircase is the centrepiece of the new open plan. Frameless glass panels held by black standoff pins, warm wood treads and a wood handrail connect the basement, main floor and new upper level. Because the glass hides nothing, light and sightlines carry through all three floors, so the stair feels like part of the room instead of a wall in the middle of it.
The Fireplace Wall
The gas fireplace is framed in cultured stone and topped with a wood mantel shelf, set against a mineral plaster feature wall. It gives the living room a warm focal point within view of the kitchen island.
The Outside Tells the Story Too
The new upper floor is clad in white vertical board-and-batten under staggered sloped rooflines with deep overhangs. Below, the original level is refreshed with light stucco and a stone base in deep Caviar black. A flush oak-texture front door, black lanterns, new concrete steps, black railings and a curved walkway complete the entry. It reads as one house, not a house with something added on top.
The Primary Ensuite
The kitchen is designed so the cook is never left out:
Natural oak shaker cabinets running to the ceiling A panel-ready fridge that disappears into the cabinetry White quartz countertops with a glossy white herringbone backsplash A Sea Serpent island with seating for four and a built-in beverage fridge, so drinks stay out of the cook’s way A five-bulb wood-beam pendant, matte black hardware and a matte black faucet
The Primary Ensuite
The ensuite is the one room in the house designed for quiet. The approach is part of the experience: from the bedroom, a skylit walk-in closet leads straight to a freestanding soaker tub framed by a black-and-white herringbone feature wall.
A double vanity in rift-cut oak with matte black vessel sinks on a dark honed quartz top A horizontal wood-grain feature wall behind black-framed LED mirrors A walk-in shower in large-format dark marble-look tile, with a recessed niche and frameless glass A matte black shower column with a rain head and body jets Floating oak shelves beside the tub
A Burnaby Home Addition That Changed Everything
For the first time, the family can cook, eat and play in the same room. The kids sleep upstairs, the mess stops at the mudroom, and on sunny days the dining room opens straight onto the deck. They kept the neighbourhood they love and gained a home that finally fits.
That’s what we’re proudest of.