OCTOBER 29, 2024

Dear reader,

As an adult, I’ve only ever lived in small apartments. A basement bunker in Cabbagetown, a bachelor by Trinity-Bellwoods, a one-bedroom perched atop a Parkdale shawarma shop—and it’s suited me just fine. The cafés were my living rooms, the libraries my offices, the parks my backyards. Having been lucky enough to live in great neighbourhoods with great neighbours, I’ve never coveted more space, just clever ways to maximize what I already had. 

One couple in Dovercourt Village has taken that ethos to the extreme with an elegant mix of style and precision. Curb Appeal’s top post this week tells the story of architect Joanne Lam and designer Eric Martin. Determined to make their 1,100-square-foot half-semi work for their family of four, they introduced a suite of quirky solutions, including storage in the staircase, a fold-out workstation and an adorably compartmentalized kids’ zone. 

Also in today’s newsletter: how a $1-million reno gave a High Park semi a second life. Plus, a Cape Cod manor in Oakville with a waterfall transported from Muskoka. And a peek inside a Gothic church conversion near Dufferin station. Visit torontolife.com or subscribe to our print edition for all of our real estate coverage and more.

—Barry Jordan Chong, city and real estate editor

Transforming cramped quarters into beautiful living spaces comes naturally to Eric Martin and Joanne Lam, the husband-and-wife team behind Picnic Design. Eric spent many of his childhood summers travelling across Canada in camping trailers with his father. And Joanne grew up in Hong Kong, one of the most densely populated cities in the world, where limited space is the norm. So, when it came to designing a space-saving 1,100-square-foot half-semi for their growing family of four, the couple was completely in their element. See how they made it happen. 

For $1 million, the owners of this High Park century home traded their faux fireplace, creepy corners and sad sunroom for sleek storage, a crystalline staircase and a rooftop patio. 

Here’s a $9.9-million mansion right on Oakville’s waterfront. At 10,000 square feet, it comes with an old-timey vault, nine bathrooms, a putting green, a wood-fired oven, a nanny suite fit for a country club and a waterfall literally transported from cottage country. 

This two-bedroom, three-bathroom, four-storey townhouse was carved out of a former Gothic church steps from Bloor. It comes with original arches, underground parking and a load-bearing angel. 

In the latest issue: 20 Torontonians doing big things with small footprints. Plus, the ugly truth about Ontario’s reform schools, a Q&A with the city’s traffic czar, vintage cars retrofitted for the electric age and more. Still not receiving Toronto Life at home? Subscribe today.

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