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

The Place

A two-bedroom, one-plus-one-bathroom loft on Queen West.

The History

In 2019, lawyer and fashion writer Natalie Ast was living with her fiancé, Daniel Alksnis, and their little Morkie, Madeline, in a 700-square-foot condo at Yonge and Eglinton. Though Natalie and Daniel enjoyed the neighbourhood, they longed for more space, so they began a house hunt. The couple started with semis and detacheds but soon realized they were all too expensive, and many of them lacked the large kitchen and division of rooms that they craved. Then they came across this loft on Queen West. Even though they would be moving from one condo to another, the loft’s two storeys gave it a bigger feel. So, in 2021, at the peak of lockdowns, they took their chances and bought the property.

Natalie envisioned a bright space with pops of Parisian flair. In its 22 years, the loft had undergone some minor upgrades, but the couple agreed it needed a contemporary facelift. Dated features such as popcorn ceilings and orange engineered hardwood floors had to go. The good news: Natalie and Daniel had each grown up watching their parents design and renovate homes. Demolishing drywall, sourcing materials and applying for building permits all felt like second nature. After many months of waiting for construction approvals and riding out pandemic-related delays, they finished the project in March of 2022. “We managed to accomplish everything we dreamed of,” says Natalie. “We’ll be here for many years.”

Related: How a $1.5-million reno gave this Bellwoods church a modern facelift

The Tour

Beautifying the main bathroom was what inspired the entire reno. “The vinyl flooring and continental hotel vanity made it feel a bit like a nursing home,” says Natalie. So she gave it a complete overhaul with new tiles, a glass shower and brass accents.

There used to be a walled-in washer and dryer unit where the shower is now. The new configuration allowed the bathroom to become an open rectangle and made room for a soaker tub. To bring in natural light, Natalie carved out that narrow frosted window next to the shower.

The couple snagged the bathroom’s marble herringbone tiles from a depot store at a discount. Those marble wall tiles, meanwhile, came from Greece—another warehouse find.

Natalie and Daniel splurged on satin brass hardware from Rubinet, a brand Natalie had in her family home growing up.

The powder room under the staircase went from boring to bold with a simple floral wallpaper installation, which also covers the ceiling.

The couple replaced the black slate tiles with fun terrazzo to brighten up the space. They purchased the shelves from a gift shop near their cottage in the Kawarthas, painted it, then filled it with little knick-knacks: brass figurines, ceramics from Mexico and vintage elephant baskets from Natalie’s mom.

Natalie and Daniel leaned in to sourcing natural stones, woods and traditional metals for a timeless French-farmhouse vibe.

When it came time to replace the staircase’s carpeting, the couple opted to continue the hardwood motif with nosing for a distinguished finish. For the floors, they chose oil-finished engineered wood planks: environmentally friendly (there’s no off-gassing) and sturdy. That glass railing is a nice contemporary touch.

Up on the second-floor landing, they redid the duct work to raise the ceiling by a foot. Goodbye, useless bulkhead.

Here’s a view of the open-concept kitchen, dining and living area from the top of the stairs. The black tiles were the first things to go, followed by the orange-hued wood. Today, white-oak floors run throughout. That gorgeous (and extremely heavy) marble table on the left is from a consignment store in the Design District, and the gilded mirror is from a vintage store on Queen.

The kitchen required less effort as it had been recently renovated—note the white cabinets, new appliances and crisp peninsula. The heavy lift here was getting rid of the massive empty bulkhead. Natalie and Daniel then added pendant lights along with warm LED pot lights. They also removed the microwave above the gas cooktop and replaced it with a range hood.

The popcorn ceilings were also not long for this world. But, instead of just filing down the texture, the couple actually dropped the 10-foot ceilings about three inches, layering them with drywall.

Here’s another overhead view, this time of the living area transformation.

After owning several couches that quickly fell apart, Natalie decided that a custom dog-friendly leather couch from Rawhide International was the way to go.

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