The Annex by Collab Design Studio

Toronto’s sophisticated neighbourhood, The Annex, is a palimpsest of Victorian architecture, characterised by semi-detached heritage homes, each providing a brilliant glimpse into the past.

Among these, one stands out as an exception to the standard blueprint, offering as much a tribute to history as a vision for the future. Reimagined by Toronto-based design practice Collab Design Studio, The Annex steps into the present while making room for a young, growing family.
Ever since the current owners bought the home in 2021, The Annex has undergone a considered transformation. “[The owners] were engaged at the time and knew the house had a beautiful character and would be the perfect place for them to build their life together. They married later that year and decided to start thinking about renovating,” says Justine Golden of Collab Design Studio. The expectation was to design the home to echo their proclivity for high design and understated elegance. “They wanted it to feel warm and inviting,” she adds.

The design ethos was rooted in a spirit of curvilinearity, with the introduction of curved walls and graceful arches modernising the design and softening the edges.

The challenge of redesigning a late 1800s home was compounded by small rooms and pinched layouts. “They love to entertain and felt limited by the space the house originally possessed,” says Golden. Using the high ceilings as the lodestar, Collab Design Studio removed some walls to create large, open spaces and evoke an airiness atypical of a classic Victorian build. The design ethos was rooted in a spirit of curvilinearity, with the introduction of curved walls and graceful arches modernising the design and softening the edges.

The practice took strides to preserve pieces of the past while setting the stage for the future. “The key was to design the home in layers,” says Golden. Additions include new herringbone oak floors, curved entryways, staircases, statement niches, sculptural lights and Venetian plaster walls – the last of which helps create a warm, cocooning effect that guides the eye across thresholds without allowing it to register the end of one space and the beginning of another. As Golden explains, the selection of stone had become a refined art. “We used travertines in multiple ways and colours to add dimension, along with other unique Arabescato marbles.” A similar approach was applied to furnishings, with old and new styles juxtaposed to achieve both an old-world soul and a modern character.

Reimagined by Toronto-based design practice Collab Design Studio, The Annex steps into the present while making room for a young, growing family.

As is commonplace with heritage homes, the renovation came with its challenges. “We were limited by the width of the property and really needed to plan the space carefully to achieve great flow and fit everything we needed,” says Golden. As to whether the effort paid off, the designer says, “with [the client’s] new, open space, they are well and truly ready to welcome a new addition to their family this spring.”

Interior design by Collab Design Studio.