Beyond the large pedestrian gate, “which is really the home’s front door,” says Gottschalk, “the house begins to reveal its strong indoor and outdoor relationship. Blurring the boundary between the two is a key design element.”
The cylindrical fireplace has windows on the side, so the flickering flames are visible from multiple angles.
The bathroom towards the front of the building had a greater width than the staircase: rather than having a notch, Bader curved the wall. “It gave it flow instead of an abrupt change of direction.” That theme is echoed on the main level, with a curved ceiling in the kitchen to disguise a pesky bulkhead.
The ensuite is an oasis, featuring a steam shower and peekaboo windows. Stoncrete tiles are from Ciot.
Since the photo shoot, the couple have placed a desk in the triangular window nook and use the perch as a workspace. “There’s just something about it that hugs you,” says Shelley. “I feel very focused and relaxed when I’m here.”
From one end, there’s a stunning view of West Toronto; on the other side, the family overlooks a vibrant alleyway (“We see garages and houses, a patchwork of people’s interests,” says Shelley.)
The white oak hardwood staircase between the main and second floor were installed by RK Woodworking. A plywood, MDF-finished guardrail is painted white to match the walls; the handrail features an integrated LED strip light.
Perforated steel and a glass guardrail on the stairwell allow the skinny second-floor hallway to feel as open as possible.
A special finish brings out the grain in the kitchen's walnut cabinetry.
Tucked beneath a grassy roof covered by nearly 200 species of plants and grasses, the structure is virtually invisible from the nearby street. In fact, the 1,400-square-foot house is so well hidden in the earth that it doesn’t seem to register on the radar of local wildlife either. Birds, butterflies, bees, dragonflies, hawks, snakes, lizards, and frogs all treat the house like just another grassy knoll.
The paneled library leads to another family room, wired for theatre sound.