Houzz Tour: A Clever Layout Rejig Unlocked a Superb Family Home
An extension and redesign improved a narrow home’s flow while adding storage and maximising natural light
These Toronto homeowners liked their friends’ house redesign so much they hired the same architects, Brian Hagood and Charisma Panchapakesan, to work on their home. “They needed more natural light and organised spaces that made sense for their family,” Charisma says.
The scope of the project included taking the ground floor down to the studs as well as replacing a kitchen addition with a new two-storey extension. On the first floor, they moved and redesigned the bathroom, added wardrobes to the main bedroom and made decorative changes. They also finished the basement, which includes a home office, a playroom and a home for the family’s pet tortoise.
The scope of the project included taking the ground floor down to the studs as well as replacing a kitchen addition with a new two-storey extension. On the first floor, they moved and redesigned the bathroom, added wardrobes to the main bedroom and made decorative changes. They also finished the basement, which includes a home office, a playroom and a home for the family’s pet tortoise.
The architects took the ground floor down to the studs to open up the space. They flipped the living and dining room locations so the dining room would be conveniently located next to the kitchen.
They also removed the vestibule and replaced the existing window with a new glazed door, seen at the back left in this photo. This not only let in light, it also freed up valuable space for cabinetry and worktops in the kitchen where the door to the vestibule had been. The new kitchen addition begins past that glass door.
“It’s challenging to get light into these types of houses,” Charisma says. “They are so close together that you aren’t allowed to add windows to the sides of the house.”
A large new window in the kitchen lets in lots of natural light. Another way they made the space brighter was by using curved walls, like the one on the right side of this photo. “These walls help to wrap the light around and reflect it,” Charisma says.
They also removed the vestibule and replaced the existing window with a new glazed door, seen at the back left in this photo. This not only let in light, it also freed up valuable space for cabinetry and worktops in the kitchen where the door to the vestibule had been. The new kitchen addition begins past that glass door.
“It’s challenging to get light into these types of houses,” Charisma says. “They are so close together that you aren’t allowed to add windows to the sides of the house.”
A large new window in the kitchen lets in lots of natural light. Another way they made the space brighter was by using curved walls, like the one on the right side of this photo. “These walls help to wrap the light around and reflect it,” Charisma says.
The house lacked a proper foyer, so the architects delineated a hallway by tiling the area and adding a shoe shelf that creates a boundary. “With our snowy winters, you need tiles in the entry,” Charisma says. They used black around the house to add contrast to the light finishes.
The black tiles give way to white oak floors in a herringbone layout. “This composition created a pattern, which works like a texture, “ Charisma says. “These clients like things neat, minimalist and neutral, but we brought in a lot of warmth by using different textures.”
Find local architects on Houzz today.
The black tiles give way to white oak floors in a herringbone layout. “This composition created a pattern, which works like a texture, “ Charisma says. “These clients like things neat, minimalist and neutral, but we brought in a lot of warmth by using different textures.”
Find local architects on Houzz today.
Space in the living room was tight, so the architects made the most of it with a long media console built into a new alcove. “This alcove camouflages some of the ductwork,” Charisma says. “When you start a project, you have to think about the mechanical systems and how you can integrate them into the design in a way that looks intentional.” The architects used rift-sawn white oak for all the cabinetry on this floor, creating a cohesive feel.
In addition to the rift-sawn white oak, the architects tied the spaces together with the flooring and black accents. These elements create strong visual connections between the rooms.
In the dining room, they used rift-sawn white oak along one side to warm the room and help delineate it within the open-plan space.
The wall works hard, too. The doors to the right conceal a coat cupboard just off the hallway. The open shelves allow for storage and display. And the panelling on the left creates a thick wall look around the opening to the basement stairs. It also hides a new laundry cupboard, which is located off the kitchen. Previously, the laundry had been in the basement, which added an extra set of stairs to the chore.
In the dining room, they used rift-sawn white oak along one side to warm the room and help delineate it within the open-plan space.
The wall works hard, too. The doors to the right conceal a coat cupboard just off the hallway. The open shelves allow for storage and display. And the panelling on the left creates a thick wall look around the opening to the basement stairs. It also hides a new laundry cupboard, which is located off the kitchen. Previously, the laundry had been in the basement, which added an extra set of stairs to the chore.
This photo shows the original kitchen extension. A door in the kitchen led to the vestibule on the right. The vestibule blocked natural light from coming through an existing window behind it.
The kitchen extension had to be rebuilt, and Brian and Charisma added an extra storey at the same time. They were able to reuse the original extension’s foundations, which saved money. They did not replace the vestibule. Instead, they put in the new glass door, seen here on the right, to let in light. The new extension added 140 sq ft to the home, but didn’t extend beyond the old extension’s footprint.
The exterior of the house is also marked by the contrast between wood and black. The architects covered the extension in untreated cedar bevel cladding and the rest of the house in new pre-finished black wood cladding.
The exterior of the house is also marked by the contrast between wood and black. The architects covered the extension in untreated cedar bevel cladding and the rest of the house in new pre-finished black wood cladding.
At the edge of the kitchen, a waterfall worktop on the left creates a lovely accent, and open shelves above it provide an airy feel. The worktop material is quartz that resembles mottled concrete.
The door to the rear vestibule had been approximately where the cooker is now. Removing it opened up space for a more efficient U-shaped kitchen.
The large window is divided into two parts – the left side is fixed while the right side opens. The size of this window was a game-changer in terms of letting in light. “And it provides a huge, uninterrupted view that you can see from the front of the house. It creates a strong connection to the green back garden,” Charisma says.
The large window is divided into two parts – the left side is fixed while the right side opens. The size of this window was a game-changer in terms of letting in light. “And it provides a huge, uninterrupted view that you can see from the front of the house. It creates a strong connection to the green back garden,” Charisma says.
“Our clients loved neutral and calm style,” Charisma says. “By playing with elements such as two-toned cabinetry, we were able to add more texture, life and vibrancy to the space.”
The base cabinets are the same rift-sawn white oak used for the media console and dining room wall. The upper cabinets are painted a putty colour, and they are inset, slab-front cabinets. “These sit within the cabinet frames. The extra lines give the room a little more texture than overlay cabinetry would have,” Charisma says.
The worktop cabinet in the corner is a false cabinet that conceals a duct. “Once again, you have to figure out how to integrate these mechanical elements early on in the design process, otherwise they can ruin the space,” Charisma says.
The base cabinets are the same rift-sawn white oak used for the media console and dining room wall. The upper cabinets are painted a putty colour, and they are inset, slab-front cabinets. “These sit within the cabinet frames. The extra lines give the room a little more texture than overlay cabinetry would have,” Charisma says.
The worktop cabinet in the corner is a false cabinet that conceals a duct. “Once again, you have to figure out how to integrate these mechanical elements early on in the design process, otherwise they can ruin the space,” Charisma says.
The architects incorporated open shelving in two areas in the kitchen for a lighter feel.
Using a microwave drawer maximised worktop space. And the open shelves next to the window created another light moment in a room packed with storage. The cabinet to the right of the fridge is a larder unit.
Previously, the paint colour on the staircase walls darkened the space.
The architects lightened up the paint colours and replaced the existing stair rail with a white oak and black metal railing. “This lets more light through,” Charisma says. It also adds texture and contrast.
The white oak flooring up here is composed in a straight, simple pattern. This was better suited than herringbone for the narrow landing and helps create a calming feel in the bedrooms.
The white oak flooring up here is composed in a straight, simple pattern. This was better suited than herringbone for the narrow landing and helps create a calming feel in the bedrooms.
The changes to the main bedroom were mostly cosmetic. The architects borrowed space from the existing wardrobe to relocate the bathroom. They installed new wardrobes on another wall, put in new flooring and painted the room.
The bathroom is in a new, more central location to serve all three bedrooms. “The new spot did not have any windows, so we added a skylight,” Charisma says. “The family leave the bathroom door open when it’s not in use, so the light spills into the hallway.”
The new vanity unit is rift-sawn white oak and has a furniture feel. The architects also added a bespoke medicine cabinet that extends over the toilet for extra storage.
The new vanity unit is rift-sawn white oak and has a furniture feel. The architects also added a bespoke medicine cabinet that extends over the toilet for extra storage.
The large shower niche in the family bathroom provides plenty of space for everyone’s products.
Many of these types of homes in Toronto lack a bathroom on the main level. This one has a cloakroom in the basement.
More: How to Plan for a Bathroom Renovation
Many of these types of homes in Toronto lack a bathroom on the main level. This one has a cloakroom in the basement.
More: How to Plan for a Bathroom Renovation
The new extension created space for a bedroom-playroom. The large windows give it a treehouse feel. One of the homeowners picked out a celestial wallpaper for the ceiling. It’s perfect for their child to flop down on the rug and stargaze.
The house previously had two bedrooms. The existing bathroom was at the top of the stairs, and it was very compact.
Now, the main bedroom is on the right and the new playroom-bedroom is on the left. By reconfiguring one bedroom, the landing and the main bedroom’s wardrobe, the architects opened up space for a larger family bathroom. They added new wardrobes to the main bedroom along the top right side of the plan to make up for the loss.
“All in all, the renovation gave the ground floor a better flow, and the rooms feel connected yet distinct,” Charisma says. “Upstairs, everything is brighter and happier, and they got a little extra room in their bathroom.”
Tell us…
What do you like about this home transformation? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
“All in all, the renovation gave the ground floor a better flow, and the rooms feel connected yet distinct,” Charisma says. “Upstairs, everything is brighter and happier, and they got a little extra room in their bathroom.”
Tell us…
What do you like about this home transformation? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Who lives here? A couple and their toddler
Location Toronto, Canada
Size Three bedrooms and one bathroom; 1,100 sq ft (102 sq m)
Architects Brian Hagood and Charisma Panchapakesan of CAB Architects
Builder Darren Richer of Habitude
Photos by Charisma Panchapakesan
The home’s layout was long and narrow, with the dining room at the front, the living room in the middle and the kitchen at the back. The kitchen was a previous extension, and it had a door located on the left that led to a small garden entry vestibule. This door took up valuable space in the compact area. And the only view through the window in the back left corner of the living room was of the vestibule.