House in the Annex.
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Built in 1893, this semi-detached house is a notable example of the Annex Style, a distinctly Toronto house type that blends the weight and arched forms of Richardsonian Romanesque with the variety and decorative richness of Queen Anne Revival.
Over time, the carefully composed Victorian rooms had been divided, adapted, and worn thin by decades of use as student apartments. When a failed radiator sent water through the house during the ice storm of 2013, the damage created an opportunity to read the house anew: to restore its character, clarify its plan, and adapt it for contemporary life.
The renovation followed a deliberate strategy: restore the front of the house to its original Victorian dignity, and allow the rear to become more open, contemporary, and connected to the garden.
At the west-facing front of the house, the original Victorian room structure was largely preserved. Damaged or missing plaster ornament was faithfully repaired or recreated, wood casings were restored and finishes were kept quiet, subtle and dignified.
The more significant transformation occured at the rear, where an aging brick porch was removed and replaced with a three-storey glass wall cut into the brick facade. This opened the house toward the redesigned garden, bringing morning light deep into the interior.
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