Entryway to a Forever Home

The House

Like many homebuyers with a young family, Ian Hopkins and Sarah Young. bought their house with visions to grow. The Upper Beaches house at 103 Bowmore was ideal because of its location and the overall structure, but the design needed work. Their agent, Cameron Levitt, introduced them to Shannon of East Design House to uncover a diamond in the rough.

The Dream

Shannon recommended that the main floor renovation focus on the kitchen and entryway to better support the needs of a growing family. The entryway featured a long, extremely narrow hallway with a half-wall and no room for storage. The kitchen was awkwardly configured, with a large open space and peninsula. (The best use anyone could guess it served was as a dance floor!)

Because the work involved gutting much of the main floor of the house to studs, Shannon engaged Jonathan Hatch from Hatch Designs to provide architectural support for the project. The team worked collaboratively through four layouts until they landed on a plan that maximized usability and storage while still incorporating room for design features.

The Entryway

Toronto homes are notorious for their awkward entryways — and this one was no exception.

Hatch replaced the front door to create a more contemporary look and filter more light into the entry space.

Once inside, the dividing wall that separated the living room from the entry was removed to provide more room for people to more naturally flow into the home. Custom millwork by Alliance Millwork was installed to maximize space for people entering the house and provide practical storage, like places for backpacks and purses, nooks for keys and mail to avoid creating “drop zones” that get cluttered.

Every family member now has their drawer for seasonal accessories.

The flooring was a major consideration, as it needed to withstand multi-seasonal transitions from snowy boots to muddy shoes. A mid-tone tile floor was installed that would minimize the appearance of sand, salt, and snow.

The Kitchen

When it came to the kitchen redesign, Hatch and East Design House spent considerable time on planning. The big “dance floor” and peninsula were eliminated, and the appliances were relocated to accommodate a pantry with an integrated microwave.

A large island with ample seating is ideal for quick breakfasts and dinners with the kids. But there’s still room for everyone to eat at the dining room table positioned adjacent to the kitchen.

The West Elm dining suite was the perfect solution for a young family. The chairs at the head table support mom and dad, while the plastic scoop back chairs are ideal for kids. The long bench gives the family space to grow into this table.

Every inch must be accounted for when the goal is to optimize storage within a tight kitchen design. The East Design House and Hatch teams focused on balancing each element and moving pieces around at micro-levels to ensure everything fit and the kitchen operated optimally.

The final result of this collaborative effort is a mix of utilitarian elements, like an integrated microwave, pantry, island seating, and design elements like the open shelves. A foliage-inspired paper from Finest Wallpaper applied alongside the staircase gives a busy kitchen a tranquil focal point.