Favorites

Architect Fareez Giga deploys a suite of custom built-ins to upgrade a 715-square-foot flat for a bibliophile and a passionate cook.

Karuizawa Summer House, Antonin Raymond, 1933. Primary Solar Paths and Corresponding Sections. Images provided courtesy The Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture Archive of The Cooper Union.

Jason and Laura Miller-Smith tapped Cover Architecture and EEK Studio to update their Buff and Hensman midcentury home with custom casework, ribbed glass, and a grand fireplace while staying true to the original plans.

Custom cherry cabinetry with integrated handles and sliding doors brings a furniture-like component to the open kitchen. Three 1960s Scandinavian flush mounts by Arnold Wiigs Fabrikker brighten the soapstone counter, while two cognac leather stools by Afteroom for MENU are tucked beneath.

One of the home’s six bathrooms, the spa-like space favors natural materials like textural wood and stone.

The bespoke timber dining bench allows generous seating and integrated storage. The upholstered back cushions are made from a yellow Rogers & Goffigon fabric with an irregular twisted weave that complements the natural veining in the oak timber. The impressive, tapered dining table is crafted from one slab of walnut by maker Rowan Shaw-Jones and adds an element of drama to the primarily light space.

Furniture designer Tom Deacon teamed up with pal and architect Andrew Jones to renovate his Toronto townhouse. “Architects tend to think of the building first, the interiors second, and last, the furniture. Our approach was the opposite,” Jones says.

The former closet was transformed by opening up the wall to the bedroom and adding a skylight above the bathtub. The light timber joinery and bright white surfaces enhance the feeling of light.

"This was the easiest room to transform, and where we got the most bang for our buck,

The double-height wall of windows in the living room looks out on the property and was a big draw on their first walk-through.

The renovated parlor-level is a completely open space from front to back, with a door to a balcony that steps down to the garden.

"Due to the shape of the lot, the house had to sit near an embankment," says architect Michael Scro of Z+ Architects, who worked with unusual dimensions to accommodate the siting of the home.

A main goal of the renovation was to open the home to its unique perch in Glen Park. On a clear day, it's possible to see from downtown to the South and East Bay.