Before and After: How a $1-million reno gave this High Park semi a second life

The Place

A four-bedroom, five-bathroom duplex in the High Park-Swansea neighbourhood.

The History

In April of 2020, the current owners of this High Park century home set out on their top-to-bottom reno. The vision was to create two separate, modern units united by a common area in the basement that would be equipped with a gym and a steam room. They reinforced the floor joists, widened the water pipes and underpinned the basement. Floor plans were completely reconfigured, and the couple managed to add two bathrooms and roughly 820 square feet. The entire project took four years to complete.

Related: How a $90,000 DIY reno brought Parisian style to a cookie-cutter loft on Queen West

Originally, the owners planned to live on the upper two floors, leaving the lower unit for a family member—but life threw a curveball and they ended up having to sell. Their real estate agent, Rachel Levy, says the intriguing thing about the property is its layout, ideal for buyers in the market for multigenerational living or those looking for rental income. “Even though it’s not a single-family home, it has many possibilities,” she says.

The Tour

Other than the porch—which was repaired and streamlined—the owners preserved the façade to honour the neighbourhood’s aesthetic.

They replaced the original door with an aluminum one and traded the iron railings for a more gentle hardwood.

In the foyer, the couple kept the stained-glass window but went to town on everything else. The old three-inch wooden floors were replaced with wide-plank Canadian hickory throughout.

Exposing brick was a priority in the main-floor living room, along with ditching the boxed-in fireplace for a sleek storage insert.

The main-floor bedroom turned into the bright and airy kitchen, fitted with laminate cabinets, quartz counters and a porcelain backsplash.

The couple added a bedroom at the back of the house, where the kitchen used to be.

Now for the stairs leading to the second floor. They’re unrecognizable thanks to glass railings and the jettisoning of the carpet. A multi-light chandelier adds a little something extra above.

What used to be a cramped sunroom is today the designated dining area.

The property now has two separate HVAC systems, which explains the new bulkhead along the exposed brick in the second-floor living room (they had to run it along the joists). Like downstairs, the fireplace here has also been converted into cabinetry.

For the second-floor kitchen, the couple incorporated familiar design along with soft-close cabinets and new stainless steel appliances.

The owners replaced the upstairs bathroom with a minimalist powder room.

And to maximize space, they swapped the third-floor closet with a shared bathroom, which anchors the floor. It comes with a custom glass shower, a super-wide vanity and a skylight.

This third-floor bedroom used to be completely in the dark. A new walkout terrace and some overhead lighting gave it a whole new vibe.

Now we move down to the basement. The pink carpet was immediately, mercifully ripped out.

The basement was underpinned and gutted to the studs. Those are polished concrete floors.

As for the basement bathroom, the team moved it to the other end of the level and added a steam room. The site where it once sat has been transformed into the laundry zone.

Finally, here’s a look at the rear upgrades. Handsome wood composite currently lines the back wall and extends all the way to the new 115-square-foot rooftop patio.

Stoked about your staging? Recently finished a renovation? Send your story to realestate@torontolife.com.