Shaftesbury: A 3-storey townhome reno

What was the challenge?

Since the homeowners’ townhouse was a 3-storey end unit on a corner lot, all changes had to be limited to the interior and be as least disruptive as possible to neighbouring units. All structural and mechanical changes also had to be minimized and executed within their condo board’s strict guidelines.  

The clients’ main goals for their whole home renovation was to create a more functional floor plan and to modernize the unit’s original tired, outdated finishes. They wished the entire third floor to become their exclusive, private sanctuary while adding space and amenities for family members and guests on the lower levels. 

A large, multi-windowed hexagonal room on the main floor, open on the second and extending to the third, provided a special challenge in making the space more functional while maintaining natural light and outdoor views. Working within the interior confines and relocating water and electrical lines were challenging enough, yet the team’s most daunting challenge proved to be dealing with the condo board’s restrictions and continual intervention.  

What was delivered?

MGB Building Group removed walls on the first and third levels, reconfiguring rooms and building new walls as needed. On the first floor, they relocated an existing main floor powder room and removed a wall that separated the living and dining area to create an open concept space. Relocating the kitchen from one side of the house to the other expanded the available space to make the newly defined dining area more spacious for family gatherings and more gracious for sophisticated entertaining.  

The hexagonal room at the front, which enjoys lots of natural light and a commanding street view, became the clients’ living room. They replaced its existing fireplace with a zero-tolerance gas fireplace, giving the room a cozy warmth and intimate feel despite it being open up to the third floor. 

On the second floor, they kept the original one-bedroom and common area but renovated the bathroom and updated the décor to match the rest of the home’s new aesthetic. 

The third floor was transformed to create the clients’ desired personal and private sanctuary. They added extra closet and storage space to the master bedroom which occupied the hexagonal room. The master ensuite bathroom was renovated so that the same space could accommodate the opposite needs and preferences the couple had for light and bathing.  

Having no ensuite bathroom of its own, a third-floor bedroom served the clients better as a home gym. To take full advantage of the floor’s available space, they added the much sought-after feature and modern convenience of a third-floor laundry with stacked washer/dryer. 

All in all, the homeowners were delighted with how the high-end luxe finishes, redesigned traffic patterns and neutral colour palette they had requested throughout were so organically and beautifully integrated on every floor and among all the rooms on each level.