Great Spaces: transforming an East York bungalow into a series of welcoming cubes
An actor and a TV writer create a dramatic turning point for their mid-century bungalow
Before Yannick and Shantelle Bisson moved into their three-bedroom East York bungalow in 2007, Shantelle was a freelance writer, and Yannick was a gigging actor booking the occasional movie of the week. With three daughters to support, Yannick would often turn to contracting to help pay the bills. The couple’s luck changed that year when Yannick landed the lead role on CBC’s popular detective series Murdoch Mysteries. A few years later, feeling squeezed for space (and a little more flush), the Bissons went hunting for a bigger house, setting their sights on Rosedale. But the more they looked, the more they realized how much they loved their little cul-de-sac overlooking the Taylor Creek ravine and wanted to stay put. They hired the architect Gordon Ridgely who, along with Upside Developments, transformed their bungalow into a series of interlocking cubes. Yannick pitched in, too: he crafted the fireside bench out of pine beams salvaged from a 200-year-old barn used on his show. In more ways than one, this is the house that Murdoch built.
