Sansa Interiors transforms a nunnery into a modern family home in Toronto
What was once home to six nuns, this young family wanted to transform their traditional Etobicoke home into an updated open concept house. Sansa Interiors knew that the best approach was to open up the interior to take full advantage of all the space they had available. Through this full home renovation in the heart of the Junction, we maximised their living space and gave their home a modern and timeless design. Like with any full house renovation, they encountered some of the challenges that arise when dealing with unique buildings and site conditions.
Since this home was built prior to 1979, the team prepared and the contractors for possible asbestos. After getting samples tested, waiting for the results, finding out that all the drywall samples tested positive for asbestos, and getting all of it professionally removed from the home – the team was finally able to break ground on this full house renovation. The space also needed a proper HVAC system in place and Sansa Interiors worked on this aspect as well.
The clients wanted to transform what used to be an outdated 1970’s Etobicoke nunnery to an open and inviting family home. Jude Kamal, founder of Sansa Interiors and her team thought that the best approach was to open up the interior to take full advantage of all the space they had available. As a young family, maximising their living space while delivering a clean and modern look, was a top priority.
With this modern, Scandinavian-like design, they were able to bring the fresh yet functional look that our clients were seeking and make this open space feel closer to the outdoors by using natural materials and earthy tones and finishes. The goal was to bring nature in and allow for an indoor-outdoor space that allows our client to expand their space beyond traditional boundaries. Having a cohesive concept, enabled us to bring a fresh yet functional home that our clients were seeking.
The very special consideration to this design was clients’ desire to create a space to honour their 9-year-old daughter who had passed away from a rare blood disorder. They designed a picture ledge to display all of Abbey’s adventures as a special way to remember the great memories that they shared.
In the living room, they built the fireplace wall to be the central statement piece – something you could immediately notice when you first walk in. The slatted wall acts as both a sculptural piece while also concealing the TV – creating depth and a three-dimensional area of focus.
At the staircase, we kept one of the original stained glass windows as a nod to the former design of the house. It now serves as a beautiful piece of art that brings in light and creates fun shadows on the steps on those sunnier days.
The team’s favourite part was creating grand moments like a large kitchen island, an open concept that makes the main level feel so fast, a custom fireplace feature wall with shelving, and lastly the large shower that has an ultra spa-feel.
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A four-bedroom home in midtown Toronto designed by Dubbeldam Architecture + Design, Garden Circle House is a response to the client’s desire for a sustainable home inspired by nature, connected to the outdoors and awash in daylight.
The house is imbued with wellness features, including a palette of natural materials, lush landscaping, and water features that offer both visual and auditory effects to enhance a sense of calmness. It also uses spatial strategies to maximise natural light and to visually connect to the outdoors through ample fenestration and elevated vantage points. Upon entry into the house, a direct view to the backyard lap pool and landscaping is visible through a tall, narrow window on-axis.
Looking back toward the front entry, a double-height space dramatically showcases the home’s dynamic spatial qualities, enhanced by the light that pours in from the tall windows and the abstracted shadows cast by the triangular light fixtures overhead. Views are primarily oriented to the rear yard, with access through wall-to-wall sliding doors in the kitchen. A hot tub built into the hard-wearing Cumaru outdoor decking and firepit on the small patio transforms the backyard into a relaxing oasis for three out of four seasons.
Inspired by the client’s love for Prairie Style architecture, the exterior of the house incorporates horizontal planes and overhangs, and an earthy, natural material palette of brick, wood, and stone. Buff and grey-toned brick convey a sense of solidity while Western red cedar boards and mahogany-framed windows complement the warmth of wood. Green roofs are integrated into each of the overlapping roof planes on the front and back of the house, while their soffits are detailed with Brazilian massaranduba. Integral to the front of the house is the pear tree that was retained on-site; located in front of the large dining-room window, its foliage casts an animated play of shadow and light year-round, while the scent of blossoms in spring and ripe fruit in autumn wafts through the open window.
Complementing the home’s biophilic design strategy is the prioritization of sustainability approaches and systems such as radiant in-floor heating, efficient high-velocity cooling, thermally superior wall assemblies, operable windows and skylights for natural ventilation and daylighting, LED light fixtures, low-flow plumbing fixtures, and durable, hard-wearing and low-VOC materials.
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