- Story by Sean McIntyre Photography by Don Denton
Andi Hook grabs a sparkling water from the fridge ahead of our interview. The kitchen91裸聊视频檚 white cupboards and shimmering appliances surround a sprawling central island, lending the space an air of elegant spaciousness.
There91裸聊视频檚 even room for young River to play on the floor while Andi91裸聊视频檚 mother, Jude, takes a phone call across the room.
It91裸聊视频檚 unsurprising that Andi and her spouse Larry have created such a great kitchen for themselves. What is shocking is that we aren91裸聊视频檛 anywhere near the couple91裸聊视频檚 home. We91裸聊视频檙e at their office.
Granted, the warehouse setting along Sidney91裸聊视频檚 Mills Road and the sound of power tools from Larry91裸聊视频檚 workshop in the adjacent room betray the room91裸聊视频檚 true location, but business at Hook & Hook Renovations and Design has been hopping since the husband-and-wife team set up shop three years ago, making the office somewhat of a second home.
91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e lived in seven or eight places since leaving California in 2008, and we91裸聊视频檝e felt totally accepted since we arrived here,91裸聊视频� says Larry.
Displaying her eye for detail and knack for precision, Andi notes it hasn91裸聊视频檛 been quite that many places, but she concedes the young family definitely has a healthy wandering streak.
Andi moved to California, where her mother began a home-design business, soon after graduating from high school in the Lower Mainland. She fell into the business naturally and soon found herself studying interior design in New York. Soon after she returned to the West Coast to work in the family business, she ran into Larry on one of her projects.
91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檇 hired him to do the cabinetry, and he never went away,91裸聊视频� she says.
The connection was instant, and the pair artfully combined Andi91裸聊视频檚 penchant for design with Larry91裸聊视频檚 skills in carpentry and cabinetry to start a business that has since seen them renovate homes across the continent.
91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e kind of like a one-stop shop,91裸聊视频� he says.
Larry, clad in work clothes and obscured by several layers of sawdust, stands in stark contrast to Andi, who is elegant, gracious and impeccably dressed. The advantage of covering the extremes is that clients instinctively know who to turn to when they have questions to ask.
91裸聊视频淭hey seek her out for design, and they automatically know I91裸聊视频檓 the contractor,91裸聊视频� Larry says. 91裸聊视频淚t makes people feel comfortable because they realize they91裸聊视频檝e got all these tools and knowledge at their disposal.91裸聊视频�
The couple opened Hook & Hook Renovations more than a decade ago on Prince Edward Island, where they began to specialize in the remodelling of historic homes as well as kitchen and bathroom renovations. With a newborn son in tow, the couple eventually decided to relocate closer to Andi91裸聊视频檚 mom, who had since moved north to the Saanich Peninsula. If that wasn91裸聊视频檛 enough of a reason, there was the alluring prospect of less snow, milder winters and fewer mosquitoes. The deciding factor, at least in Larry91裸聊视频檚 mind, was living a ferry ride from Seattle, home to his beloved Seattle Seahawks, a team his family has supported with religious-like zeal for generations.
91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檇 decided early on that we weren91裸聊视频檛 going to settle easily, but I think we both now agree that Sidney is the spot for us,91裸聊视频� Larry says.
91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檇 like our son to grow up in the same spot and have some roots here,91裸聊视频� Andi adds.
The couple has started renovating their own home in Sidney and a welcomed surge in business means the Hook family spends a lot of time at the office. Larry has crafted a ping-pong table and dart board in the workshop and young River already has his own little workbench set up near his dad.
91裸聊视频淗e91裸聊视频檚 got his own set of tools, and he can probably use a drill better than some of the guys I91裸聊视频檝e hired,91裸聊视频� Larry jokes. 91裸聊视频淚 feel fortunate that he likes that kind of stuff, because I work a lot.91裸聊视频�
In spite of the long workweeks, Andi and Larry appreciate the importance of setting aside time for the family. The Hooks enjoy hiking at Goldstream Park, Mt. Doug or nearby Horth Hill. If time is tight, they91裸聊视频檒l pop out of the office to spend some time climbing on the rocks down at the seashore or a nearby park. Swimming lessons are every Wednesday, and the family tries to head out camping whenever the opportunity arises.
91裸聊视频淚 always find a way to incorporate myself into family life so they91裸聊视频檙e not left wondering where Larry is all the time,91裸聊视频� he says.
Carving out that family time has been essential to maintaining a healthy and productive work life. As any spouses can imagine, working alongside one another in a stressful and emotion-filled sector like home renovations offers valuable lessons for married life.
91裸聊视频淐ommunication is huge,91裸聊视频� Andi says.
Talking things through with one another or with clients is also a large part of the business. Clients have varying levels of anxiety surrounding the building process and it91裸聊视频檚 crucial that elements on the design side correlate with the building phase. Having an idea of what91裸聊视频檚 ahead, talking things through and offering reassurances are important whether you91裸聊视频檙e talking to apprehensive homeowners or a tired partner.
91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e able to blow things off super fast,91裸聊视频� Larry says. 91裸聊视频淲e are both stubborn and strong minded, but we91裸聊视频檙e both flexible. There hasn91裸聊视频檛 been an issue that we haven91裸聊视频檛 been able to iron out together.
91裸聊视频淲hen I91裸聊视频檓 wrong, I91裸聊视频檓 wrong. She91裸聊视频檚 never wrong, so that91裸聊视频檚 all good.91裸聊视频�
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