Houzz Tour: A Toronto Town House is Influenced by Nature
Forests and rocks inspire the colours and materials of a Canadian designer’s townhouse
Imagine what a building that’s been empty for years must look like. Now imagine what that must be like to renovate. Designer Jason Ho didn’t have to imagine, because in 2012 he bought a three-floor townhouse that hadn’t been lived in for five years. For Ho, who is currently finishing his a master’s in architecture, this was more than just a property buying venture, it was homework - an opportunity to experiment with any detail, finish or material that had caught his eye in the classroom.
Ho intended to rent out the top two floors of the townhouse and lease the first floor to a shop or business. But after exploring the area and falling in love with the garden, he decided to take the spacious first floor flat for himself. He had been a designer for six years, but this was the first time Ho renovated a home for himself.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Jason Ho
Location Toronto, Canada
Designer Pause Architecture + Interiors
Size 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom
Year renovated 2013
Photography by Alex Lukey Photography
Ho intended to rent out the top two floors of the townhouse and lease the first floor to a shop or business. But after exploring the area and falling in love with the garden, he decided to take the spacious first floor flat for himself. He had been a designer for six years, but this was the first time Ho renovated a home for himself.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Jason Ho
Location Toronto, Canada
Designer Pause Architecture + Interiors
Size 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom
Year renovated 2013
Photography by Alex Lukey Photography
The interior was an empty shell, and Ho tailored the floor plan to his lifestyle. He made the kitchen and living room bigger, because he likes to entertain, and shrunk the bedroom. The beauty in renovating for yourself is you can devote more time and space to the things you value most, he says.
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The kitchen doubles as the dining room. Ho customised Ikea cabinets with some ingenious flourishes. The kitchen island, shown here on the left, is built on casters and can be rolled to create more room in the kitchen or living room. A wooden table shelf pulls out from its side, basically doubling the surface area; Ho says he’s had eight people comfortably sit around the island for dinner. Stainless steel wraps up the side and across the counter.
A birch plywood wall panel extends along the far wall. Ho installed the paneling in asymmetrical pieces, rather than as a solid sheet, to break down the scale of the panels and align the edges with various features in the home. It’s a warm and unifying element in all rooms.
Base cabinets: Ikea; countertops: engineered stone, stainless steel
A birch plywood wall panel extends along the far wall. Ho installed the paneling in asymmetrical pieces, rather than as a solid sheet, to break down the scale of the panels and align the edges with various features in the home. It’s a warm and unifying element in all rooms.
Base cabinets: Ikea; countertops: engineered stone, stainless steel
Ho built many of the pieces himself for this project, including this hallway light fixture. He cut a groove in the back of the birch tree trunks and inserted an LED light strip for a soft, even glow.
The floors throughout are painted grey with an industrial-grade covering, usually seen on factory floors. When Ho moved in, the flooring was an unattractive concrete that he decided to cover up. So far the covering has been great - waterproof and durable, and only a sponge is required to wipe up any mess.
The floors throughout are painted grey with an industrial-grade covering, usually seen on factory floors. When Ho moved in, the flooring was an unattractive concrete that he decided to cover up. So far the covering has been great - waterproof and durable, and only a sponge is required to wipe up any mess.
In designing the bedroom, Ho’s primary challenge was light. He wanted the room to be cosy but preferred a bright and airy space over a dark cocoon. In a first-floor room with no direct sunlight, this seemed nearly impossible. But always ready to experiment with a new material, Ho installed sanded acrylic partitions walls between the kitchen and bedroom. The room now receives plenty of light but has privacy. The wall partitions also add to that snowy northern look.
Ho built the clothes rail and shelves with plumbing pipes and birch-wood planks. Though the rest of the home has an updated contemporary style, this feature alludes to a more industrial look, warmed up by the light wood shelves. Ho says this wardrobe system has forced him to be tidier.
Read 10 steps for an organised wardrobe
Ho built the clothes rail and shelves with plumbing pipes and birch-wood planks. Though the rest of the home has an updated contemporary style, this feature alludes to a more industrial look, warmed up by the light wood shelves. Ho says this wardrobe system has forced him to be tidier.
Read 10 steps for an organised wardrobe
At the front of the house, the bay window in Ho’s home office faces the street. At first he though he could stick a chair in the space, but quickly realized he wouldn’t sit there and would be wasting space. So Ho popped a desk surface into the nook.
The sliding door here conceals the wires and storage. Ho built a bookcase around the door to both add storage and enhance the wall.
Ho is happy with his new home. Its size and look suit him. He considered every detail, every dimension, every material to produce something he’d only ever experienced on paper. He sees this place as an office for his firm someday. Until then it’s home.
Like this home? Tell us why in the Comments below.
The sliding door here conceals the wires and storage. Ho built a bookcase around the door to both add storage and enhance the wall.
Ho is happy with his new home. Its size and look suit him. He considered every detail, every dimension, every material to produce something he’d only ever experienced on paper. He sees this place as an office for his firm someday. Until then it’s home.
Like this home? Tell us why in the Comments below.
By selecting his main materials first, it was easier for Ho to visualize how they would look in the completed design. It may seem backwards, he says, but by starting with the materials instead of the layout, you can then explore how others have designed with those surfaces and finishes. If you start with materials, the layout may take shape from there.
Eve Sofa, Abra Floor Lamp: EQ3; Smart Round Marble Top Coffee Table: CB2