Toronto's 10 Top Homes

Mandel mounted the fireplace in a blackened-steel frame, which echoes the window and door treatment on the house’s new facade.

For a Toronto couple with a love of minimalist Japanese architecture, a sleek, storage-packed kitchen was the first priority in their home's renovation. In the kitchen, white oak used for the cabinets, kitchen island, and dining table is finished with double-boiled linseed oil, which can be reapplied by the homeowners as the wood mellows and patinas. The custom beveled edge for the island's "Blizzard" white Caesarstone countertop forgoes the standard one-inch countertop overhang to save on space and maintain a sleek feel. A Vola faucet is used with a sink by Mekal.

Towards the end of the day, when dusk arrives, the glowing lights from the interior gives the feeling that each volume is floating in space.

With ingenuity and plenty of elbow grease, architect John Tong turned an old Toronto dairy into the ultimate family clubhouse. Photo by Christopher Wahl.

Daoust and Baker sit among a Siwa tote bag by Naoto Fukasawa, Cutter benches and shelves by Niels Hvass, and Dots wall hooks by Tveit & Tornøe for Muuto.

Architect Janna Levitt devised a creative emellishment for a residence in Canada. Photo by: Philip Cheung

A narrow garden and climbing ivy soften and brighten the house’s blank front facade.

A dim Toronto Tudor gets an airy new look. The home’s second-story hallway, which serves as an open office and library, was suffering from a severe lack of light. Lifting up one side of the old pitched roof made room for a linear skylight, which faces south to allow in as many rays as possible, and the modification transformed the top floor into a loftlike double-height space. Inexpensive detailing then added texture and scale: Simple plywood panels attached to cold-rolled-steel frames serve as guards along the stairs.

A rear view of the narrow house shows how Chong twisted the house’s volumes to bring daylight into each room.