The front facade is completely reimagined to give the home a fresh presence on the street. The front door is cleverly relocated from a nondescript opening on the right to be celebrated within a larger arched opening on the left. An old porch is rep
The relocated front door retains a portion of original stained glass in the transom above, and opens to a sunken, tiled entry foyer complete with a bench and plenty of closet storage space.
The foyer’s floor tile flows inside and up the back wall of the powder room, inside of a volume clad in raw cold-rolled steel. The combination of a delicate, handmade, geometric cement tile with the dark grey, machine-made raw steel is a deliberate
Stepping up from the entryway, the ground floor opens onto a cozy built-in banquette with a wood ceiling that wraps down one wall, defining a warm space for gathering and enjoying meals together.
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The bold texture of the powder room volume wrapped in steel provides a dynamic backdrop for the dining banquette; reflections in the metal wall highlight its rich and varied, natural texture.
Opposite the banquette, the wood ceiling folds down crisply along a bank of full high cabinetry providing storage space for jackets, outerwear, and overflow kitchen storage.
The wood ceiling wrap is a bold gesture that brings warmth and richness to a clean, modern interior.
In contrast, a clean white kitchen is located in the heart of the home. The house takes full advantage of a unusually wide side yard by punching large windows in the side wall, which is typically not allowed on most Toronto lots where homes are clo
A subtle, geometric tile backsplash brings a lightness and delicacy to the kitchen. The crystalline shapes glimmer and reflect light streaming in from the generous windows.
New window openings are carefully located and aligned with the countertop and bulkhead above to make the window frames disappear as much as possible and create an illusion of standing outdoors when one stands at the countertop.
A custom lasercut screen features a pattern inspired by the kitchen backsplash tile and changes in opacity to provide views through in some areas, and conceal the staircase beyond in other zones.
The living room at the back of the house is defined by a second wood ceiling wrap, effectively bookending the ground floor of the home.
From the stairwell side, the cutout pattern of the screen wall is highlighted by light passing through, casting soft shadows on the opposite wall.
Through the upstairs corridor, a selection of the original ceiling joists are retained and exposed. The ceiling above vaults to a peak and is punctured by three sun tunnels that flood the corridor with natural light. Pendants are precisely dangled
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A custom made barn door that repurposes scraps of reclaimed wood makes a bold statement on the 2nd floor, enclosing a small den space off the corridor that serves multiple purposes - a yoga space, a reading nook or a child’s play space.
Exposed joists continue through the master bedroom, but at a denser spacing which creates a sense of coziness and enclosure, within a grand bedroom with vaulted 12’ ceilings.
A clean palette for bathroom is enriched by a bold patterned floor tile. Since the bathroom is shared by the family it includes a separate toilet room and double vanity to enable it to be used by more than one person at a time.
A shower niche aligned with the vanity top is a perfect place for storing soaps and shampoos.
In the basement, a custom built in shelving unit uses rough, reclaimed wood to house a collection of books around the TV - a casual lounge space for movie watching and sleepovers.
The cat’s litter is tucked discreetly into a closet, marked only by the an orange rimmed circle cut into the door at the perfect height for easy kitty access.
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The new porch provides a generous urban room for sitting outdoors, chatting with neighbours and watching pedestrians walking through the beautiful & established neighbourhood. A cedar slatted wall provides privacy and a backrest for the built-i
The rear yard provides a more secluded outdoor space for family gatherings, BBQs and playing in the yard.
The palette of raw cedar and black-stained wood siding continues on the rear facade. Generous new windows and doors are cut into the existing home to provide generous amounts of light, and views to the yard.
An oversized picture window at the back of the house is a bold, modern move. Instead of a sliding door, the window provides uninterrupted views and a clean, minimal appearance. Access to the yard is through a tall swing door opening to the right si
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