Narrow Victorian Residence in Toronto Revitalized with a Practical Modern Makeover

ByMyProperty Life

Giving old homes a new lease of life means transforming both the interior of the house and the exterior a swell. At times, architects and homeowners want to leave the street façade untouched while it is the rear section that is drastically changed. Nestled in a busy neighborhood of Toronto, Canada, the Northcote Renovation by VFA Architecture is one in which the overall footprint of a narrow Victorian residence is unaltered even as the interior gets a whole new look. Instead of the traditional rear section, there is now a wood and glass wall that connects the kitchen, dining area and a reading room with the rear garden. This section also ushers in ample natural light.

Glass windows and doors connect the interior with the new rear yard








Practicality was the key constraint that defined every aspect of the renovation as all unnecessary partitions were removed to create a new open plan living. Wooden walls, cabinets and storage units in the living area, kitchen and dining make the biggest impact in here as every nook and corner is completely utilized. Wood and white is the color scheme of choice on the lower level living area, kitchen and dining space and this continues in the more traditional bedrooms as well.

Classic and narrow Victorian House in Toronto gets a lovely modern makeover
Combination of closed and open wooden shelves in the modern kitchen
Large floor-to-ceiling glass wall connects the new interior with the backyard while bringing in ample natural light
Moving away internal partitions and clearing space for a more modern interior
Revamped floor plan of the Toronto house with wooden shelves and platform
Small tea station in the kitchen with bookshelf underneath
Read another article:Design Trends for Creating a Vacation Vibe at Home

We love the use of dark wooden cabinets and open shelves in the kitchen and bookshelves in the loving area and niches used for decoration also add to the overall woodsy charm. Custom lighting solutions and adaptive design solutions complete the sensible transformation.

Spacious modern kitchen of the home with ample natural lighting coupled with recessed lights
Wood and white kitchen of the Toronto home with a modern traditional style
Wooden walls and cabinets reshape the interior of the house in Toronto
Bookshelf and lovely reading space with a view of the backyard

You’re reading Narrow Victorian Residence in Toronto Revitalized with a Practical Modern Makeover, originally posted on Decoist. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Decoist on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

Similar Posts

  • Villa Kivi

    VILLA KIVI Villa Kivi is a new generation log home on a tiny island in Finnish archipelago designed for himself by Finnish designer Vertti Kivi. Polar Life Haus, a Finnish wooden house manufacturer, was quick to pick it up for their collection. ‘The whole development process of the house was guided by our goal to bring the interior of the house together with the spectacular surroundings. We wanted to be part of sunset, snowstorm and even autumn storm on his tiny island in Finnish archipelago’, tells designer Vertti Kivi, the head of dSign Vertti Kivi & Co. ‘The starting point was a clear glass cube but we ended up creating glass walls reaching from the floor level up to the ceiling only to three sides of the structure. The north side with its separate sleeping rooms and bathroom is constructed of massive black wood beams that are in clear contrast to the glass and create feeling of cosyness and safety. Large terraces in one level create a sense of continuity between inside and outside. The floor plan is defined by Scandinavian clearness. The heart of the villa is the kitchen, located next to the entrance, and from there you can see the entire open interior and the surrounding sea. We like to think the kitchen island is like a DJ’s desk – the atmosphere of the whole interior space is created right there with the remote controlled lighting system. To guarantee the privacy of the bedrooms, they are located in the outermost corners of the villa, separate from each other. They too have one wall completely made of glass. An extra attention is paid on the details of the villa. Not a single molding can be found in the entire building. The doors have a hidden frame and they too reach from the floor to the ceiling. Drama and strong feeling are created by massive wooden surfaces and their color choices – snow white lacquer on the floor creates a contrast to the dark walls. To make the battened external walls coal black, we developed a special technique based on hundreds of years old Japanese traditions. In the evening, the atmosphere changes with different lighting schemes that can be timed to be in sync with nature. The end result is a clean-lined building in Scandinavian style which can be adapted to different needs and locations. It has a strong Finnish presence.

  • 12 Kitchens with Small Herb Gardens: Green Freshness Indoors

    Spending days together indoors as you wait out the current global pandemic can be a really difficult thing to do; even if it is the correct way forward. This is especially true for many who cannot work from home anymore and have to suddenly adjust to a whole new lifestyle. Obvious ideas like turning towards […]

    You’re reading 12 Kitchens with Small Herb Gardens: Green Freshness Indoors, originally posted on Decoist. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Decoist on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.