text: "It's a well-known house in the city," he begins, "so it was interesting to have the opportunity to dance with it." And what a dance: an elegant Foxtrot in one room, interpretive Bob Fosse in another, and a mix of the two elsewhere. In other words, respect was given to the house's restored formal rooms, such as the large oval foyer or the massive living room, while softening them just a little.
  And despite the expected informality of 21st-century spaces such as kitchen, breakfast nook, mudroom and family room, even these were "elevated" to speak a slightly more formal design language; a task made somewhat easier by placing most of them within a new 600-square-foot pavilion tacked onto the rear of the home.
  Standing in the breathtaking restored foyer, one understands immediately how Mr. Mandel's disparate dancers unite. Under repaired cove lighting, the rhythmic, sweeping staircase (formerly covered with a busy "White House-y" carpet) unfurls to practically hold hands with a Cary Grant-esque ship's bar purchased at a Paris antique market by the homeowners (who have asked to remain anonymous). However, above this choreography is a massive light fixture that resembles a playful, kinetic Alexander Calder mobile. Furthermore, a look through one door reveals the dark wood panelling of a masculine office, while a swivel of the head points the eye down a light-filled corridor to the creamy, woodsy kitchen.
  Tying the kitchen, breakfast room and family room together is an open fireplace: "It's got that pinwheel thing," explains Mr. Mandel, pointing out that it also helps to marry the three different ceiling heights. The "restricted" materials palette also works at unification: "It was a strong colour theme of light wood, black and white, with the occasional limestone and marble."
  These rooms are "part of this formal geometry and the highlight of the house, but they're fallen out of use," offers Mr. Mandel, "so I think it's great not to let them sit totally abandoned."
  The home's original steel-framed, single-pane windows have been repaired, which, says the architect, are "a challenge to live with" since, on cold days, "you bring your scraper in from your car," he laughs. Joking aside, the decision to retain them – combined with the fact that Mr. Mandel's excellent addition is not visible from the street – means the house looks exactly as it did when Lawren Harris shook the Northern Ontario dirt off his boots at the front door.
  "This is definitely the biggest house I've worked on," says Mr. Mandel about the restoration-renovation-addition, but he could just as easily be speaking of the home's reputation. And for this challenging architectural choreography, the Ontario Association of Architects will give the project a 2012 Design Excellence Award in Ottawa Friday night.