A historic & cozy family home

SHILPI CHAKRAVARTY SHILPI CHAKRAVARTY
Bickford Park, Solares Architecture Solares Architecture Modern Houses
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Today’s homify story takes us into an old Victorian brick house that is located in Bickford Park,  a Toronto neighborhood that has a convenient & enriching environment for raising a family. In want of a complete interior remodeling, this dwelling was given a major retrofit. Entrusted with this renovation project were the architects from SOLARES ARCHITECTURE, who through their architectural design brought together the multiple interior units into a single family home and augmented the backyard space.

In this home, optimal insulation for the retrofit has been introduced onto the exterior using a lightweight wall cladding with integrated insulation so as to maximize interior space while creating a super efficient, air-tight family home. The structural elements of this home have been re-enforced, and its energy efficiency has been enhanced while keeping its appealingly historic exterior & original charm intact.

Sounds interesting? Take a peek!

Hearty & modern.

Hearty & modern.

This modern kitchen is roomy and well equipped with all the modular appliances. Well lighted, it offers convenient working space and generous storage facility. Not to be missed is the granite-top kitchen table that doubles up as a chic breakfast bar with those high chairs. Wholesome with a lavish contemporary touch, this kitchen has a really smart concept underlying its design.

Dining on visual appeal.

Moving inside, we can see this dining area separated partially from the mudroom through a rustic brick wall. Part of the significantly de-compartmentalized ground level with an open plan layout, the dining room celebrates winsome woody elegance in a modish yet quaint manner. Did you notice that dining set?

Lounging in comfy style.

Next to the kitchen in this open plan layout is the lounge area with a cushy couch, ample natural light & dollops of restful accents to serve as the perfect social space.

Stairway.

Flanked by the rusticity of a brick wall, this staircase celebrates the winning combo of wood & white. 

Equipped study.

Situated on the upper floor is the bright study room with built-in wall storage bearing open racks and closed cabinets for stationery & other knick-knacks. Simple accents in wood & white and the black glass paneled door convey a tastefully restrained design.

Washing room.

This modern washing room with the bold checkered floor, oodles of white & jazzy suggestions of black sits upstairs.

Minimalistic master bedroom.

The radiant master bedroom bathes in natural light & tranquil essence of its white details. Offering a wonderful contrast is the warm wooden floor. As you can see in this image, the master bedroom is loaded with minimalist grace, the wide horizontal window lets in ample natural light & fresh air, and white storage cabinets covering the wall from floor to ceiling help keep the room clutter-free. Note the lovely chandelier!

Kiddie zone.

This endearing kids’ playroom radiates cheery innocence, and the adorable elements of this bright room ooze a playful charm.

Nursery niceness.

The colorful & cute details of this nursery captivate you right away as you peep in. The artificial lighting, large windows, soft
ambiance, engaging furnishings & vibrant decor ensure that your tot’s stylish little world is full of comfort.

Bathroom flair.

The washing, bathing & toilet spaces of this dwelling shout thoughtful design, contemporary essence, smart utility of available space, a visually sound palette and practical poise.

Picturesque facade.

This Victorian home boasts of a charming exterior fitting quite snugly into this neighborhood. Nevertheless, this historic home had its fair share of problems prior to the renovation. The bricks constituting the foundation were practically crumbling away, a sinking rear addition was adding to its woes, absolutely poor insulation was making matters worse and sagging, lopsided floors did the rest.

Although housing multiple problems, the architect team chose to revamp the existing house as demolishing & rebuilding a semi-attached home like this one would not have been advisable architecturally. Moreover, the resident family wished to preserve the original Victorian charm as much as possible.

What vintage charm does your comfy home boast of?

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