Rooftop Retreat Addition in Toronto

Rooftop Retreat Addition in Toronto

Rooftop Retreat Addition in Toronto

With two children and a need for more living space, architect Wanda Ely and her husband, John, needed to go out or build up. The choice was easy. They loved their home and desired to stay steps from Toronto’s brilliant Queen West and Dundas West neighborhoods, therefore Wanda put about designing a thoughtful and contemporary timber rooftop addition.

at a Glance
Who lives here: Wanda and John Ely and their two children
Location: Toronto, Canada
Size: 1,750 square feet; 3 bedrooms, two baths

Andrew Snow Photography

The original house was extensively renovated by the previous owners and has been already featureworthy, but the sun-drenched rooftop addition makes guests feel as though they’re leaving the town behind. Air and light sweep into the distance, as a wall of floor-to-ceiling operable windows blurs the line between indoors and outside.

On warm days, the couple opens up the rooftop distance to the surrounding views and relaxes on the outdoor sectional, created by Toronto’s Andrew Richard Designs. The inventive java table lends an industrial touch and intriguing feel to the space. John, who also holds an architecture degree, designed and built the very low table as an anniversary gift for Wanda. It’s composed of multiple parts of plywood clamped together with threaded rods and castors.

Andrew Snow Photography

The addition is a genuine hybrid of spaces: bedroom, bath, living area and private outdoor deck. It almosts seems like a boutique resort room in relation to a residence. Since the home is child focused, the third floor makes it possible for the couple to enjoy a few much-needed time for themselves. The children will occasionally venture upstairs to see a movie or hang out, but they visit the distance as more of an adult’s escape.

Sofa: Jane Loveseat, by Gus; custom dividers: Bauhaus; tub: Kohler; table: made by Wanda Ely, made by Rodrigues Art and Steel

Andrew Snow Photography

A 50-inch plasma TV on a swiveling mount allows the couple to select between the couch, the bed or the tub when watching movies. The rest of the media hardware rests to a walnut credenza bought at a local 20th-century-modern furniture store. In the corner are a couple design classics: a Flos lamp by Philippe Starck and a Borsani P40 sofa chair. The seat is Wanda’s favorite piece at the house, not just for the layout but also for a sentimental aspect: It was originally owned by her parents, and she grew up with it.

Floor lamp: Flos Rosy Angelis, Philippe Starck; seat: P40 lounge chair, Borsani

Andrew Snow Photography

The custom mahogany millwork was constructed by Gibson Greenwood and consists of 2 wardrobes plus a headboard with built-in publication storage. The headboard is slightly recessed, supplying a market for your own bed to take a seat. One-of-a-kind cast aluminum door pulls were sourced from DuVerre Hardware, and the plush gray carpet is out of Lanart.

Andrew Snow Photography

The exterior wall of plantings offers privacy from neighbors, and bathing is a light-filled, soothing experience. To keep a direct indoor-outdoor relationship, Wanda went to great lengths to make sure that clutter was minimal. The blinds to the windows are recessed into the ceiling, and towels are stored in a wood-lined cavity from the countertop.

Andrew Snow Photography

Clever storage options such as these recessed pullouts are overriding in an open space like this. Wanda ingeniously uses the minimum space beneath the tub to store deck and lace shoes.

Andrew Snow Photography

Except for the little bathroom room, the toilet is contained in a single big piece of custom molding millwork. The sink countertop wraps down to form the tub surround. This design theory is carried throughout the addition, by the third floor staircase to the outside elevations.

Millwork: Gibson Greenwood; sink and taps: American Standard; photograph: Stephen Chung Photography

Andrew Snow Photography

The Elys didn’t want to have an insect display covering the big sliding window, so they installed this door to the right. Hidden from the wall behind the tub is a display that slides out to pay for the door. On warm summer days when mosquitos are from the air, the sliding window remains closed and breezes enter through the open door instead. When winter comes along with the temperatures plummet, heated travertine floors make sure that the family may enjoy the light and views without worrying about the cold.

Andrew Snow Photography

The east-facing roof deck has a memorable view of the downtown Toronto skyline. Due to the deck’s orientation, the family can watch the sun rise in the daytime and glance the light displays of this iconic CN Tower at night.

Andrew Snow Photography

One narrative below the rooftop escape is the children’s floor, which comprises both of their children’s bedrooms. The open space near the top of the staircase was among the key selling features for Wanda and John, as the area could serve many different functions. It’s naturally evolved to become a communal play area to its 2 children. Being in a position to include the merry clutter of toys to the second floor also ensures that the downstairs living space is kept clean.

Andrew Snow Photography

An Ikea Expedit bookcase slots neatly into a wall market, making an instant reading nook when paired with the Eames chair. Splashes of bright crimson give the space some kid credibility, observable in the seat and children’s table in addition to the paint finish on the north wall. The photograph on the right is from internationally famous Toronto photographer Edward Burtynsky.

Andrew Snow Photography

Alluding to the darkened and elegant upstairs palette of floor finishes, the staircase are created from travertine and dark-stained yellow birch. The staircase provide a material counterpoint to the light finishes in the rest of the space and continue the wrapping notion seen in a lot of Wanda’s detailing.

Andrew Snow Photography

The former homeowners had renovated the second-floor toilet, and the Elys furnished it to engage with the remainder of the home. A sheer custom window covering allows for privacy while still letting light pour into the south-facing space.

Andrew Snow Photography

Though the couple will often attract friends upstairs to relax on the private deck, the heart of the home is the open-plan downstairs living space. The dining room, living and kitchen spaces all flow into one another. The only partition is an essential column where painted portraits of those 2 children are displayed.

The expansive feeling of this floor is helped by big windows on either side, mirrored back walls and exposed ceiling joists. All are painted white to add to the feeling of height. Quirky classic furniture, including reupholstered dining chairs from Craigslist along with a teak table rescued in the trash, adds a playful touch.

Andrew Snow Photography

John designed and built this custom made cabinetry with the help of a friend, architect Jason Smirnis. It retains the couple’s extensive music collection, in addition to a TV for the whole family to enjoy movies. Beveled edges help to give the non-toxic counter minimal edge expression. The piece also has wraparound detailing, similar to the upstairs addition. The 1960s floor lamp at the corner is just another thing from Wanda’s parents’ house.

Andrew Snow Photography

The prior owners had made the custom kitchen, which has maple cabinets and stainless steel counter tops. The textural exposed ceiling and industrial pendant lighting help offset the sleekness.

Andrew Snow Photography

A stainless steel countertop wraps to make a smooth farmhouse sink, anchoring the drawers in place. Though the kitchen has been set up ahead of the couple moving, they’ve made it their own by leaving a lot of their kitchen tools exposed. The wall-mounted spice rack has been designed and made by Wanda.

Andrew Snow Photography

The Ely family’s property was initially the garage of an adjoining home. After the whole lot was severed in 1939, a brick duplex has been erected. The house is located at the end of a driveway, slightly removed from the neighbors’ residences. Due to this, the family is provided with both privacy and unparalleled views of the city.

Though uncompromisingly contemporary in form, the addition is clad in rough-sawn cedar, and portions of it are painted black. Left untreated, the siding has weathered quickly, allowing the box to appear as though it may have always been there.

Andrew Snow Photography

Wanda says the renovation was a fantastic choice. She appreciates the liberty to have made all the choices and learn from the building process by being intimately involved. “It’s altered our standard of living, as we built exactly what we desired to live in,” she states.

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