lyonsgate

Contractor: Norex Construction Ltd.

Structural: Kieffer Structural Engineering

Photos: Nanne Springer

Bursting at the seams in their existing 1950s tract home in uptown Toronto, a busy family of five needed more space for entertaining, day-to-day life and for the stuff that comes along with having three kids (hello bulk shopping and sports equipment!). While the design considers functionality a top priority, space has been carved out to bring light into the centre of the home with a two-storey atrium bisecting the living room and the kitchen-dining area. It’s often difficult to forego potential ‘usable’ square footage in favour of something less directly quantifiable, but we think this decisive architectural feature is what makes the home special. 

The atrium has become the heart of the home. It connects the upstairs and downstairs with parents calling up to kids to come down for dinner.

Modern open-concept kitchen with light wood floors and white cabinetry, with a child standing on the upper floor railing near a skylight.
Children playing outside a modern gray house with a wooden deck and large windows, during early evening.
Modern dining area with a wooden table and six black chairs, adjacent to a sliding glass door. A built-in wooden shelf displays a framed abstract artwork and three white vases. A hanging light fixture with multiple white shades is above the table.
Modern kitchen with white cabinets, a kitchen island with three bar stools, black chairs around a wooden dining table, and appliances built into the cabinetry.
Bright, modern interior with high white walls, skylight, large windows, and light wood flooring; a person standing outside visible through sliding glass door.
Interior view of a modern, minimalistic staircase landing with natural wood railing, white walls, large skylights, and a window showing greenery outside.
A modern two-story house with a white brick exterior, black accents, and large windows. Two women are outside; one is sitting on the front steps with a black shirt and shorts, and the other is standing with a dog near her. There are trees in the yard and neighboring houses visible.
Modern bathroom with a built-in bathtub, terrazzo tiles, a skylight, and a glass-enclosed shower.
Minimalist bedroom with white bed, light wood headboard, black wall lamp, white curtains, and a window overlooking green trees.
A minimalist bedroom with a white wardrobe, a wooden headboard with a black wall-mounted reading light, a bedside table with a glass vase of green flowers, and white bedding.
Woman walking on a wooden balcony or loft area with a staircase below, in a bright, modern, white-walled interior.
Modern bathroom with a white countertop vanity with pink cabinets, a large mirror, hanging pendant lights, a pink towel, a small vase with white flowers, and a window.
Modern bathroom with a bathtub, a glass-enclosed shower, a plant, and beige tiled surfaces.
Modern living room corner with a wall-mounted flat-screen TV, a built-in marble and gray panel, and a gray bookshelf with decorative vases, books, a plant, and a bowl, next to a gray sofa and a small round wooden side table.
Minimalist kitchen with white cabinets, a wooden island, and built-in stainless steel appliances, illuminated by natural light from a skylight.
From an elevated angle, a person with bare feet walks past a white table with a bowl of assorted apples on it, positioned against a light wood floor in a minimalistic room.
Interior view of a modern entrance area with a wooden chest of drawers topped with a potted plant and sunglasses, reflected in a large mirror on the wall, with a sliding glass door to the right and a glimpse of a staircase on the left.
Modern minimalist living room and kitchen area with white walls, light wood flooring, a large potted plant, a wall-mounted TV, and a kitchen island with two white bar stools.
A dog sitting in a modern home entryway with light wood cabinets and beige tiles.
Modern dining room with black chairs, wooden table, built-in wooden cabinets, and decorative vases with abstract artwork on a shelf.