When Toronto-based couple Carla and Chris found out they were having their third child, they decided to transform the third floor of their 100-year-old Parkdale home into a principal suite to free up bedroom space on the second floor. This was easier said than done, however. The attic was divided into small rooms for accommodating guests, working from home, and storage, with little access to natural light.

Thankfully, their neighbor is an architect. “Knowing Carla and Chris’s house and their style ahead of time helped with envisioning the right space for them,” explains Nova Tayona. “They wanted it to be an open, light-filled retreat with a Scandinavian feeling to reflect Carla’s Icelandic background.”

The result is a spectacular suite that plays with contrasting materials and opens up the previously compartmentalized floor plan. One bedroom has been transformed into a large dressing room with dark timber joinery and forest-green walls, while the guest bedroom/office is now a primary bedroom with light timber and bright-white walls. Most impressively, a former closet has been opened up into a light-filled bathroom with clever joinery that separates it from the bedroom while maintaining a visual connection.

Before: Guest Bedroom/Office

The third floor is accessed via a switchback stair, and the original plan had full-height walls and separate rooms. This limited access to natural light and made the rooms feel smaller than they actually were.

“The main design challenge was to open up the floor plan, while still providing privacy from the floor below, and to allow the various spaces to function,” says Tayona.

The dormer window in the former guest bedroom/office was overshadowed by the dark walls, the boxy nature of the room, and a dominant beam fitted with spotlights. It tooksSubstantial structural and cosmetic work to create a calm and cohesive retreat." layout="" credit="Courtesy of Nova Tayona Architects" photoUserId=""/>

After: Main Bedroom

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Tayona designed a circular plan so that the entire floor is a series of interconnected spaces that can be opened or closed off via a series of concealed sliding doors.

The primary bedroom takes the place of the former guest bedroom and shares the same ceiling with the en suite bathroom—which was previously an enclosed storage closet. These two spaces are cleverly divided using a custom white oak storage cabinet and bench that runs past the dormer window into the bedroom.

The new bedroom is a bright, open space that overlooks mature trees and Lake Ontario. “The window millwork allows for a window seat and camouflages a hot water radiator below,” says architect Nova Tayona. “This area is the perfect spot for the clients’ various plants, which are thriving in the sunlight.”" layout="wide" credit="Photo by Scott Norsworthy" photoUserId=""/>

“With the first two floors of the home used for the growing family and filled with the usual stuff of life with kids, we wanted to create a retreat,” says Tayona. “Carla said she would love for the space to feel like a spa or hotel.”

Before: Storage Closet

While the new bedroom is undoubtedly impressive, the transformation of a former storage closet into a bathing room is even more spectacular. The small room at the end of the landing had no windows and was packed full of clothes overflowing from Chris and Carla’s wardrobe on the floor below.

After: Bathing Room

By removing the interior walls, raising the ceiling, and taking over the unused landing space, Tayona created a spa-like space that elevates the entire suite. The new bathing room is separated from the bedroom via a low storage unit that serves as a divider while still allowing light from the skylight and dormer window to flood both spaces. The rounded corners introduce a gentle design language that softens the sharp angles of the existing ceiling, and each side has a distinct identity.

“Caning lightens the overall mass from the vanity side, while the solid side facing the bedroom is detailed with a frame around it,” says Tayona. “Initially, we though this would be a good spot for artwork, but the clients like it as it is—a calm surface viewed from the bed.”

The plumbing fixtures are from Phylrich, the tub is Wetstyle, and the vanity lights are by In Common With." layout="" credit="Photo by Scott Norsworthy" photoUserId=""/>The new bathing room is open to the bedroom. The clients have decorated the built-in joinery that divides the two spaces with potted plants to add a touch of greenery to the Scandinavian-inspired interior. While the large amount of custom millwork was a significant part of the budget, it is undeniably the defining element of the renovation—and is key in uniting the previously disparate spaces with a cohesive design language." layout="" credit="Photo by Scott Norsworthy" photoUserId=""/>

Before: Guest Bedroom

The former bedroom, which faces the street, received little natural light. It is, however, bright in the early morning—so the design team decided to turn it into a dressing room and walk-in wardrobe." layout="" credit="Courtesy of Nova Tayona Architects" photoUserId=""/>

The eastern end of the plan held an uninspiring, street-facing guest room that was fairly spacious yet felt cramped due to a lack of natural light—and it was this lack of light that actually inspired the entire plan. “Early on, we looked at the light and how it moves around the house during the day,” explains Tayona. “We chose to set up a dialogue between the front (east) and the back (west) of the house, with a new shower room in between to create a circular plan.”

After: Dressing Room

Keeping the millwork lower than the ceiling allows for upper-level storage and some vertical relief through wall color. “Initially, the closets were to be made of walnut, but pandemic supply chain issues and pricing greatly affected this—instead, we went with a more readily available, cost-effective laminate material,” says Tayona. “We did go a bit hi-low here, however, and splurged on the locally made leather pulls by Casson Hardware.”" layout="bleed" credit="Photo by Scott Norsworthy" photoUserId=""/>

Since the dressing room gets darker throughout the day, the design team decided to embrace the lack of light and use darker materials and colors that contrast with the white oak and white walls found elsewhere in the suite. The result is a dramatic space defined by dark millwork and walls painted in Greenfield by Sherman Williams. “Green was in the clients’ mind for a fresh hit of color,” says Tayona.

The cabinets are fitted with leather and brass cabinet pulls, which are made locally by Chapman & Bose. “Spending on various elements like hardware, fixtures, and lighting allowed us to add some design and detail interest and a bit of luxury,” says Tayona." layout="" credit="Photo by Scott Norsworthy" photoUserId=""/>

The dressing room provides ample storage for all the usual items, such as clothing, bags, shoes, and toiletries—but there are also several more surprising items concealed within the joinery. A built-in hamper provides a place for dirty laundry, and a fold-up desk disguised as a wall panel allows Chris to move his computer and large monitor upstairs when guests visit.

“Carla and Chris are my neighbors, and as friends and clients, it was very fulfilling to see their space transformed,” says Tayona. “We completed the project at the height of the pandemic, as they were having their third child—and it’s amazing to hear how it has affected their life.”

More Before & After stories:

An Olympic Gold Medalist Gives His B.C. Cottage a Triumphant Revamp

An All-Too-’80s Condo Trades Its Popcorn Ceiling for a Chic Sunroom

Project Credits:

Architect & Interior Designer: Nova Tayona Architects / @novatayona

Builder: Vivaia

Structural Engineer: YCL Structural Designs

Joinery: BL Woodworking & Design

Photographer: Scott Norsworthy / @norsworthyscott

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Before & After: A Toronto Couple Level Up Their Dingy Attic Into a Spa-Like Suite