NEED TO KNOW
- Chiara Plastina spent a lot of time at her grandparents’ house growing up
- Naturally, she always dreamed of owning their home one day
- In 2022, her dreams came true after she and her then-fiancé bought and renovated the house – making it their own while still preserving its history
In September 2022, Chiara Plastina fulfilled her childhood dream of becoming the proud new owner of her grandparents’ beloved home in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada
After years of considering a move but finding nothing that felt right, her grandparents, Sara and Alvaro Giorgi, accepted an offer to live with Plastina’s father, allowing her the chance to take over the house that had meant so much to her growing up.
With care and intention, she renovated the space, giving it a “modern” refresh while preserving the details that held deep family meaning.
Today, it stands as both a tribute to her past and a foundation for the future she and her husband, Jason, are building together.
“My siblings and I always casually told my Nonni that we never wanted them to sell the house,” Plastina tells PEOPLE exclusively. “It’s been such a special place for us –we slept over every Friday and had lunch there every Sunday. I learned to ride a bike there, helped Nonno in the garden, and baked with Nonna.”
Her grandmother is originally from a small town in the mountains of Tuscany, just outside of Florence. Her grandfather, for his part, was born in Rome but was later adopted by a family in the same town as Sara. The pair have been together since meeting at the age of 17.
After getting married, Sara and Alvaro moved to Switzerland, where they welcomed twin daughters. In September 1967, they immigrated to Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, in hopes of a better future.
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“Nonno worked as a factory worker, while Nonna held several different jobs – from cleaning homes to working in a restaurant. When they first arrived, they lived with family, saving every penny they could,” Plastina explains.
“Eventually, they were able to purchase a semi-detached home, and many years later, they upgraded to a cute little backsplit on Jasper Court, still in Kitchener.”
While Sara and Alvaro loved living in Kitchener, after the patriarch started working at a factory in Vaughan, the long commute started taking a toll on the family.
“Nonno didn’t want to move. He loved Kitchener. Leaving meant taking a massive leap of faith – and a significant financial risk,” Plastina shares. “But Nonna and her daughters were so confident in the decision that they bought the home in Vaughan without Nonno even knowing.”
In 1987, Plastina’s grandparents bought their home in Vaughan, putting down a $10,000 deposit on the $250,000 property, which pushed the limits of their budget but proved to be a worthy investment.
The move was difficult. Living on a tight budget, they counted every dollar and couldn’t afford a stove right away, saving for it over time. His grandmother felt embarrassed when guests noticed its absence, but to them, the house was still their castle.
“Over the years, they worked tirelessly to make it their own. They treated it like the greatest blessing – saving, investing, and pouring love into every corner,” Plastina says. “38 years later, my Nonni know it was the greatest and most rewarding risk they ever took.”
However, Plastina’s grandparents first started thinking about downsizing around 2016. The house was starting to feel too large, and family gatherings were happening less often under their roof.
As the family grew and schedules shifted, it became easier for her grandparents to join meals at their children and grandchildren’s homes rather than host.
By 2020, they began touring apartments and townhomes, but none felt like the right fit. Some were too big for their needs, while others were too expensive.
Eventually, Plastina’s father proposed a practical solution: they could move in with him and her mother, who had an extra room and had long planned to add a second kitchen.
As a result, Plastina and Jason had an opportunity to buy the house. “I don’t think I ever really thought it would happen,” she tells PEOPLE. “It all aligned so perfectly.”
Plastina’s goal was to update the home to modern standards, updating the electrical and plumbing, while preserving its original character. The layout remains largely intact, with the kitchen, living room, and powder room in their original spots.
Still, the two main floors were completely renovated. On the ground floor, three load-bearing walls were removed to create a more open layout, and a window was taken out to expand the kitchen.
Upstairs, one bedroom was split to add a laundry room and walk-in closet, while the original laundry space was converted into a mudroom. The original staircase was preserved for its warmth and character, and finishes were chosen to reflect the home’s era.
Much of her grandparents’ original furniture remains – beds, side tables, artwork, mirrors, a dining table, and dressers – but the most meaningful piece is the original front door, which will be repurposed and used in the renovated home.
“Our goal is to blend the old with the new, and we plan to bring in even more vintage charm through decor and furniture that reflect the home’s original style,” Plastina says.
After three years of renovations, she and Jason have finally settled in and are now enjoying the home they built together. The chance to not only buy her grandparents’ home but renovate it themselves left Plastina deeply grateful.
“Since my incredibly talented husband, Jason, is a contractor and has been renovating our home himself, the process has taken a lot longer than we anticipated,” Plastina reveals. “He’s been juggling his full-time job, everyday life, and responsibilities — so reaching that milestone felt surreal.”
Seeing her grandmother’s reaction to the final product, especially the kitchen, was an emotional moment in itself – an unspoken approval that meant more than words.
“They felt deeply honored to see the legacy of their hard work being appreciated,” Plastina says. “It meant so much to them to know that the home they built their life in was being loved, preserved, and reimagined with care.”
The renovation was bittersweet and full of memories, emotion, and meaning. Though much has changed, the heart of the home – and the love her grandparents poured into it – is still felt in every corner.
“For me, it’s not just about preserving memories, it’s about continuing their story,” Plastina tells PEOPLE. “Their love, dedication, and resilience built the foundation of this home, and now I get to honour that by creating a new chapter rooted in everything they’ve given us.”
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