Inside a sloped two-storey Danforth garden suite with cathedral ceilings

Neighbourhood: The Danforth
Size: 1,100 square feet Bedrooms: 2 Bathrooms: 2 Builder: Lanescape

The Place

A two-storey, two-bedroom, two-bathroom garden suite near Greenwood. It stands behind the single-family home of Bill and Mary Harrison, who have lived in the neighbourhood for almost 40 years. An open-concept living and dining area, plus a powder room, occupy the main level, which is crowned by vaulted ceilings. The main floor also comes with a three-panel sliding glass door to a balcony overlooking the backyard. The bedrooms (one of which doubles as a TV room) and the bathroom, meanwhile, are downstairs.

The home is within walking distance of multiple stations on Line 2, Monarch Park, and the many bars and restaurants along Danforth. And motorists are a short drive from both the DVP and Kingston Road.

Related: This Riverdale laneway suite has a rental unit up top and a carport down below

The History

The Harrisons wanted to build this garden suite for their retirement, thus allowing their daughter, son-in-law and two young grandchildren to occupy the original, street-facing house. Finding a design that would provide enough space while blending in with the neighbourhood was a challenge, so they hired Lanescape, which mapped out the two-storey structure. The company’s architects developed a plan based on the uniquely sloped lot. The team began construction in May of 2024, and the Bill and Mary moved in the following June. Today, they couldn’t be happier with the result—and they love walking their grandchildren to school.

The Tour

Here’s the suite’s façade, which faces the rear of the main house. The owners wanted to make sure their grandkids had plenty of green space to run around with their friends.

A closer look at the moody entrance.

In the kitchen: funky lighting, a large island with built-in storage, and marble counters and backsplash. The dining area has a view of the neighbourhood. That table is custom from Toronto cabinetmaker Rich Eng.

This is the living space, equipped with cathedral ceilings, motorized blinds and a bespoke oak-slat feature wall to allow natural light to flood the space.

A built-in closet and bookshelf offer compact storage for this mini house.

Now let’s move downstairs to the main bedroom, with a closet wall and heated oak floors.

Residents can reach the backyard via the lower level’s sliding doors. Note the handsome stone patio under the cantilevered roof.

Finally, here’s a look at the suite’s barn-like rear—an ideal spot to host family and friends while appreciating the neighbourhood’s many wild bunnies.

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