Houzz Tour: The Light and Airy Transformation of a Terraced House
Clever layout tweaks, extra windows and a good call on an extension have turned this dark house into a cosy family home
After spending several years in Brooklyn, New York, this couple returned to their hometown of Toronto with new needs. Their family was growing and their period house was dark and lacking in personality. Married architects and business partners Brian Hagood and Charisma Panchapakesan could relate. Their lives had taken a similar path: they too had lived in New York City and returned to a similar-style house in Toronto as their family grew. “We’d had a lot of the same design problems in our own home,” Charisma says. “Our goal was to make theirs lighter and brighter and to make the rooms feel more connected.”
The scope of the project included taking the first floor down to the studs, adding a cloakroom, removing a useless rear extension, adding a two-storey bay to the front, installing a skylight on the first floor and fully renovating the upstairs bathroom.
There were also cosmetic changes made to the first floor, including adding a wall of built-in wardrobes in the main bedroom. “We wanted to make the house smarter in terms of how it worked and how it looked,” Charisma says.
The scope of the project included taking the first floor down to the studs, adding a cloakroom, removing a useless rear extension, adding a two-storey bay to the front, installing a skylight on the first floor and fully renovating the upstairs bathroom.
There were also cosmetic changes made to the first floor, including adding a wall of built-in wardrobes in the main bedroom. “We wanted to make the house smarter in terms of how it worked and how it looked,” Charisma says.
Before Photo
The idea both inside and out was to bring back embellishments in the spirit of the original 1880s architecture. An important part of the facade’s facelift is the addition of a two-storey bay that added about 45cm of depth to the dining room and the bedroom above it.
Other changes include all new windows and a new door with a fanlight over it, a panelled portion next to it and a small awning that nods to the existing large awning that was removed.
The designers had artist Chris Rouleau add the house number in a traditional font in gold on the fanlight. Also, the window above the front door is new. Its stone lintel and matching windowsill add historic embellishments. This new window enhances the facade’s composition and brings more light into the primary bedroom.
The changes also included a new HVAC system that eliminated the need for window air conditioning units.
Find a local architect on Houzz.
Other changes include all new windows and a new door with a fanlight over it, a panelled portion next to it and a small awning that nods to the existing large awning that was removed.
The designers had artist Chris Rouleau add the house number in a traditional font in gold on the fanlight. Also, the window above the front door is new. Its stone lintel and matching windowsill add historic embellishments. This new window enhances the facade’s composition and brings more light into the primary bedroom.
The changes also included a new HVAC system that eliminated the need for window air conditioning units.
Find a local architect on Houzz.
Before Photo
The original front of the ground floor held the living room while the kitchen was at the back. The house is quite narrow at 4.3m wide, but the architects, having lots of experience of designing as well as living in houses with similar proportions, knew they could fit in a small foyer with room to store coats and boots.
The team carved an entrance space out of the front room. Wainscoting and a lively botanical wallpaper welcome all who enter, while the tiled floor stands up to snowy boots in winter. “We wanted to play with the mouldings and put things back into the house that felt original,” Charisma says. Previously, the house had almost no period details; all the mouldings seen in the ‘after’ photos are new.
They also replaced the stucco ceilings with flat ones. “Now they bounce light around, which stucco does not do,” Charisma says.
They also replaced the stucco ceilings with flat ones. “Now they bounce light around, which stucco does not do,” Charisma says.
A new curved wall helps reflect the light coming in from the windows and from a new skylight over the staircase on the first floor. The architects tucked a small coat cupboard into the entrance behind the curved wall.
“Our clients did not want a super modern or trendy home,” Charisma says. New sash windows have a traditional look that suits the home’s era. With the large awning over the window gone, light streams into the space.
“The [45cm] of depth in the bay gave the family more breathing room in here,” Charisma says. The small amount of space gained from the bay addition had a big impact. Here it allowed for a built-in dining bench. Creating cosy moments was an important part of giving the home an inviting, family-friendly feel.
“In a lot of these homes, every wall has been blown out to create an open-plan space. Our goal was to connect things visually while delineating the rooms,” Charisma says. For example, new plasterwork on the dining room ceiling creates delineation overhead, as does the chandelier.
“The [45cm] of depth in the bay gave the family more breathing room in here,” Charisma says. The small amount of space gained from the bay addition had a big impact. Here it allowed for a built-in dining bench. Creating cosy moments was an important part of giving the home an inviting, family-friendly feel.
“In a lot of these homes, every wall has been blown out to create an open-plan space. Our goal was to connect things visually while delineating the rooms,” Charisma says. For example, new plasterwork on the dining room ceiling creates delineation overhead, as does the chandelier.
You may have noticed window-unit air conditioners in the ‘before’ photo of the exterior. Installing the new HVAC system’s ductwork posed some design challenges. “It’s so important to get the mechanical systems right so they function well. They take up the room they take up, and as architects we deal with that,” Charisma says.
In the dining room, concealing the ductwork created an opportunity. The architects arranged the ducts to form an alcove for storage and display. The lower built-in cabinet is for extra tableware and linens. The upper shelves house the family’s album collection, and the top of the cabinet is the perfect spot for the record player and speakers. All the built-in units are white oak, as are the new floors. This adds warm contrast to the white walls and ceilings.
In the dining room, concealing the ductwork created an opportunity. The architects arranged the ducts to form an alcove for storage and display. The lower built-in cabinet is for extra tableware and linens. The upper shelves house the family’s album collection, and the top of the cabinet is the perfect spot for the record player and speakers. All the built-in units are white oak, as are the new floors. This adds warm contrast to the white walls and ceilings.
Redesigning the staircase was also part of the project. The architects refaced the stairs, adding white oak treads, and designed a powder-coated steel banister. “The railing was another chance to add embellishment that would be timeless,” Charisma says.
In the new layout, the entrance hall, staircase, cloakroom and boot room occupy the right side of the house. This left between 3m and 3.5m of width for the dining room, kitchen and living room at the back.
Few Toronto terraced houses like this one have cloakrooms on the ground floor. Finding space for one was important to the homeowners. Look to the back right corner of the photo to see the new cloakroom’s door. Behind it (entered from the living room) is the new boot room, which has a door that leads to the back garden.
In the new layout, the entrance hall, staircase, cloakroom and boot room occupy the right side of the house. This left between 3m and 3.5m of width for the dining room, kitchen and living room at the back.
Few Toronto terraced houses like this one have cloakrooms on the ground floor. Finding space for one was important to the homeowners. Look to the back right corner of the photo to see the new cloakroom’s door. Behind it (entered from the living room) is the new boot room, which has a door that leads to the back garden.
A beautiful botanical wallpaper turned the cloakroom into a little jewel box. The room measures just over 1m x 1.83m. The architects saved space by using a slim, wall-mounted vanity unit.
They also added a high window that shares light from the boot room, which is located directly behind the toilet wall.
They also added a high window that shares light from the boot room, which is located directly behind the toilet wall.
The kitchen serves as the hub of the home. The architects moved it from the back of the house to the centre of the floor plan, leaving room for the living area behind it.
“We try to design islands with seating on two sides on our projects whenever we can. It’s so much better for conversation than sitting in a row,” Charisma says.
“We try to design islands with seating on two sides on our projects whenever we can. It’s so much better for conversation than sitting in a row,” Charisma says.
The island’s worktop is Carrara marble, which brings in a beautiful natural texture. The perimeter worktops are white quartz (look out for low-silica versions), and the splashback is zellige tiles.
The blue island adds contrast in the kitchen. The two-tone perimeter cabinets consist of warm wood on the bottom and clean white on top. “Our clients had a lot of colourful art and lovely Persian rugs that brought in colour. We knew they would accessorise the neutral palette of the house really well,” Charisma says.
“The waterfall counter created a clean corner,” she says. “The inset upper cabinetry keeps neat and tidy lines.” Check out the half wall behind the sink that serves both the kitchen and the living room. On this side, it acts as a splashback, and it hides any kitchen mess from people relaxing on the other side.
“The waterfall counter created a clean corner,” she says. “The inset upper cabinetry keeps neat and tidy lines.” Check out the half wall behind the sink that serves both the kitchen and the living room. On this side, it acts as a splashback, and it hides any kitchen mess from people relaxing on the other side.
Before Photo
Beyond where the family room now sits had been this hodgepodge of an extension, which the family used for storage. The haphazard addition stole an opportunity for natural light to enter the rest of the interior from the back.
“There wasn’t a way to reintegrate this extension into the house in a meaningful way, so we gave it to the [garden],” Charisma says.
“There wasn’t a way to reintegrate this extension into the house in a meaningful way, so we gave it to the [garden],” Charisma says.
Before Photo
The kitchen had occupied the back of the ground floor. Sliding doors led out to the unusable extension. The laundry room was relocated to the basement as part of the project. The basement also contains a recreation room and a bathroom.
The new wall on the right conceals the cloakroom plus the boot room behind it, visible here though the door. The boot room allows for a separate entrance to the garden that doesn’t open directly into the living room. Its new glass door lets in natural light.
With the odd extension gone, there was room to replace the sliding doors with beautiful triple windows that also let in lots of light.
With the odd extension gone, there was room to replace the sliding doors with beautiful triple windows that also let in lots of light.
All the moulding in this room is new, including the plasterwork on the ceiling, which delineates the space in the same way it does in the dining room. The homeowners’ art collection, rug and cushions bring in lots of cheerful colour.
Remember that splashback half wall in the kitchen? On this side, it serves as display space. “It’s a good spot to put a drink or a remote control when you’re sitting on the sofa,” Charisma says. “It also brought the wood to this side of the half wall.”
Before Photo
The previous extension seen from the outside. “I think they’d just added glass under their awning and tied it into the neighbour’s extensions on either side,” Charisma says.
The architects and their clients decided that using the extension’s footprint for outdoor living was a better use of space. “Although technically we took away interior space by removing the extension, we were able to use this area in a more meaningful way,” Charisma says. Now the parents can relax, entertain and watch their kids play on the lawn from the new deck.
The two different sizes of slats on the new fence create pleasing shadow play.
The two different sizes of slats on the new fence create pleasing shadow play.
There’s a garage across the back of the garden and alleyway and the homeowners saw the door as an opportunity to add colourful artwork. They hired muralist Peru Dyer Jalea to come up with something that would incorporate the names of their children, Maia and Ronen.
Before Photo
Before, the upstairs hallway got no natural light when the bedroom and bathroom doors were closed.
Now, a new skylight bathes the hall and staircase in light. “We left the original roof joists exposed so we didn’t have to make structural changes. This saved the couple a lot on the budget, and they appreciated the idea of exposing the structure,” Charisma says.
Other improvements seen here include the new stair railing and white oak flooring.
Other improvements seen here include the new stair railing and white oak flooring.
Before Photo
The house has one family bathroom on the first floor and a second bathroom in the basement. The original upstairs bathroom had dark finishes and taking it down to the studs was part of the renovation.
Now the bathroom has marble metro tiles and a marble-look floor. Brass fixtures and a white oak vanity unit bring in warm contrast.
The wainscoting is composed of green tiles. “These tiles brought in some colour and contrast,” Charisma says.
More: How to Plan for a Bathroom Renovation
More: How to Plan for a Bathroom Renovation
In the primary bedroom, the bay extension created room for a bench beneath the window. The window on the left is the new one over the front door.
This room also has new skirting boards, which are cohesive with the rest of the house.
Expanding the storage in the bedroom was also part of the project. “We created a little dressing table on the right to enjoy the new window and to break up the long wall of [wardrobes],” Charisma says.
Although they technically ended up with less square footage by removing the back extension, the house now functions much better for the family. The renovation brought in natural light, made the floor plan more functional and created a cosy, family-friendly feel.
Tell us…
What’s your favourite element of this home renovation? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Although they technically ended up with less square footage by removing the back extension, the house now functions much better for the family. The renovation brought in natural light, made the floor plan more functional and created a cosy, family-friendly feel.
Tell us…
What’s your favourite element of this home renovation? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
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Who lives here? A couple with two young children
Location Toronto, Canada
Property An 1880s two-storey terraced house with a basement
Size Three bedrooms and two bathrooms; 111 sq m plus basement
Architects Brian Hagood and Charisma Panchapakesan of CAB Architects
Landscapers Garden Party
Contractor Habitude
Photos by Scott Norsworthy
Styling by Margot Austin
In this ‘before’ photo, the couple’s house is the one with the tree blocking most of the facade, but Charisma notes that it was almost identical to the one on the right. It had a similar awning, which darkened the room at the front of the house. “Most of the original historic detailing had been removed in the 1960s or 1970s,” she says.
Goals for the project included: