Stunning Urban Oasis in the Heart of The City

Pinned on June 18, 2012 at 12:10 pm by cipher

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Stunning Urban Oasis in the Heart of The City

Set on the site of an old steel shop, this Stunning Urban Oasis in the Heart of Toronto, is an unexpected retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city. Although the house is on a busy semi-industrial stretch of street, its design creates a buffer from the outside noise. Honoring the steel shop’s legacy, the owner and her partner, kept the original shop at the back of the site and crafted a new home clad in weathered steel, one of the shop owner’s favorite materials.

 

A white oak slatted staircase cuts through the ground floor, creating a partial divide between the kitchen and the living room. The red Saarinen mid-century Womb Chair is the owner’s favorite piece of furniture — it’s where she spends many winter days curled up reading.

The house has a limited material palette, so the focus is on texture and detailing and the  gorgeous joinery was done by the owner’s partner. Almost all the built-in millwork is crafted from walnut with a complex grain pattern. The millwork in this shot conceals ducts, columns, wine storage and even the front door. One section of open storage provides a focal point for the living room, holding books and other objets.

 

The eclectic furniture mixes midcentury design classics through to Ikea. Even so, a cohesive theme emerges: Mostly black and white pieces are offset by pops of red and chrome.

Bisecting the house, the stairwell acts as a light box for the ground floor, pulling sun into the middle of a long floor plan. The central stair makes access to the upper rooms easy and it maximizes the home’s small footprint.

The second-floor bedroom faces the old steel shop and an alleyway. The location gives it some privacy while still including the floor-to-ceiling windows found throughout the house. All of the rooms on this floor feel very removed from the street, and the beautifully framed windows are filled with the skies of Toronto’s changing seasons.

The owners’s favorite room in the house is the library. Walnut shelving holds most of her large literature collection. A view of the trees outside gives the room a soothing feel.

The beautifully engineered doors slide open to bring light and air through the entire house.

All photography by Andrew Snow Photography

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