Bracondale Hill is one of Toronto’s earliest garden suburbs, and it’s filled with heritage homes, many of which have been restored and renovated over the years. In December 2019, Drew Mandel Architects expanded a 1924 residence to 5,125 square feet, reinventing its interior while preserving its historic brick facade.

The clients, a family with three small children, previously lived in the same neighborhood—and they were excited to move into their revamped home on the tranquil, tree-filled lot.

“In this neighborhood, there’s a strong interest to not be like other neighborhoods with McMansions,” Mandel says. With this in mind, Mandel began drawing up a plan that would respect and maintain as much of the existing structure as possible—but unfortunately, the 100-year-old home was in need of a significant overhaul.

The original interiors, which exude a funky Wes Anderson vibe in photos, were less charming in person. The rooms were dark with low ceilings, and the kitchen was isolated from the living areas, as is often the case in older homes.

Mandel and the clients ultimately opted to gut and reorganize the home’s interior while lowering the ground floor to provide taller ceilings. The renovation also introduced new windows, an awe-inspiring staircase, a shingle-clad side addition, and a glazed rear extension. “We made it a better version of the original,” Mandel says.

When it came to the additions, Mandel kept the plans as linear as possible to avoid going deeper into the lot, as they planned to maintain all of the existing trees. Overall, the home’s design is airy and contemporary, with a nods to the building’s historic character—and the exterior blends in seamlessly with the neighbors. It also includes an array of sustainability-focused features such as a gray water system, recycled brick masonry, low-VOC millwork finishes, and a green roof.