A Personal Note from the team

What’s the Story?

With winter in full swing, we’re focusing on the spaces that support everyday life behind the scenes—utility spaces that help the home work better.

Hello Family, Friends, and Valued Clients,

Mudrooms, laundry rooms, storage zones, and mechanical rooms quietly carry the weight of the season as we spend more time indoors. Winter has a way of revealing how well, or how poorly, these spaces are working for you. Wet boots pile up faster, gear seems to multiply, and indoor routines intensify. A well-designed utility space improves daily life more than you realize—better flow, better storage, and finishes that stand up to the season.

If you’re looking for ideas or inspiration as you evaluate your own home this winter, here are a few helpful reads from our team:

10 Storage Ideas for Your Home — smart ways to make space where you didn’t think you had it
Tips for Remodeling Your Laundry — layout considerations that boost efficiency
From Messy to Organized — how to rethink your entry for modern living

Of course, utility spaces aren’t just functional, they can be surprisingly beautiful and expressive. In many older homes, these areas were minimized or tucked away, never designed for the rhythms of modern family life. Bringing them to today’s standards often means reimagining the layout, adding natural light, improving ventilation, or borrowing a bit of square footage from other rooms to transform them into hardworking hubs. It’s the kind of thoughtful remodeling that pays off every single day, especially in the winter months.

Every home tells a story, and utility spaces are the unsung chapters that make everything else run smoothly. We’re grateful for the families who invite us into these stories.

The design phase is underway for a major addition. That means confirming property-line clearances and setback requirements—even if winter decides to show up right on cue.

And on that note, a quick team update: John just returned from a short trip up north working to get the wood-fired sauna up and running, and the crew has been powering through projects even as daylight gets scarce. Their dedication this time of year is something we never take for granted.

As the new year settles in and schedules begin to fill again, I find myself appreciating the way winter encourages us to turn inward—toward home, toward family, and toward the spaces that help our days run a little smoother. Here’s to warm rooms, slower mornings when we can find them, and the beauty of light that feels earned in these short winter days.

Wishing you a comfortable winter and a great start to the year from all of us at the Sylvestre Team.

Warmly,
Marc and John