Bay Street Townhouse

Toronto, ON

2022

A four-storey downtown Toronto townhouse renovated floor by floor — bright, functional interiors, a stone-wrapped fireplace with integrated storage, reconfigured bedrooms, and a fourth-floor flex space that gives a young family room to actually live.

Featured on Designlines Magazine

Living room with a black fireplace, large framed art piece above it, a black armchair, a small side table with a candle, and a man in black shirt and shorts standing near white built-in shelves.
Modern living room corner with a black fireplace, large framed artwork with stairs and a door, a black cabinet holding two vases, a chair with a metal frame, a light-colored rug, and sheer curtains at the window.
Modern minimalist kitchen with white cabinets, marble countertops, and a small dining table with chairs. A blurred person is in the background, and there are decorative vases and books on the open shelf.
Modern white kitchen with marble countertops, stainless steel refrigerator, oven, and a plant in a white pot.
Open kitchen drawer containing gold-colored forks and spoons, with a wooden section holding matching utensils.
Minimalist home office with a black desk, a gray chair, a laptop, potted plants, and framed artwork on a shelf above the desk.
Minimalist living space with white cabinetry, a dining table with four chairs, artwork above the fireplace, and a modern fireplace on a white wall.
Close-up of a white dining table with a gray upholstered chair and a white cabinet in the background, which has a ceramic jug and four glasses on a shelf.
A minimalist entryway with white cabinetry, black hooks on the wall, a tan bag hanging from a hook, and a floral scarf. Part of a staircase with wooden stairs is visible on the right.
A woman opening a large beige closet door in a modern, minimalistic room with white walls, wooden flooring, and a woven chair on a white rug.

Project
Description

A four-storey downtown Toronto townhouse, fully renovated for a young family of four who wanted a clean, considered home they could actually live in — not a showpiece, but a space that could absorb the reality of two children, a busy household, and a life being built floor by floor. The clients had a maximalist lifestyle and a minimalist aesthetic. The architecture had to hold both.

The ground floor was converted into a pair of his-and-hers home offices with direct views to the park, and a proper entry sequence from the street — a built-in bench and integrated storage marking the transition from outside to in. The second floor was the heart of the renovation: the kitchen, powder room, and dining and living spaces redesigned around a muted monochromatic palette, bright white walls, and cove lighting that brings light to every corner. The fireplace was updated and wrapped in stone, with storage below and extending to the right into the dining room. Full-height pantries conceal tech and utilities throughout, keeping the surfaces clear. The existing hardwood floors were resanded and refinished across all four levels, unifying the home from top to bottom.

The third floor was reorganized around the family's growing needs — a primary suite with walk-in and ensuite alongside a dedicated bedroom and bathroom for their first child. The fourth floor, previously a single open primary suite, was divided with precision: a third bedroom with ensuite for their second child on one side, and on the other, the room the family didn't know they needed. A flex space — part family room, part guest room, part storage — with full-height closets that house an impressive sneaker collection, a pull-out sofa, and enough room for toys, movie nights, and daily life to happen without touching the floors below. The second floor stays composed. The fourth floor absorbs everything else.

Featured on Designlines Magazine

Project
Credits

Interior Design | Architecture Riot
Ava Nourbaran, Sally Kassar

Contractor | Heidman Construction
Millwork | Studio Hand
Stone & Tiles | Stone Tile Canada
Photography | Riley Snelling