Modern living: The coolest aging-in-place home in town

Striking and sinewy, ribbed marble makes up the base of the island and the backsplash, while a raised Caesarstone section offers added dimension.  Photo by Younes Bounhar, Doublespace Photography. Styling by Kaela Shaw, No.2 Collection

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If you’re over 60, you don’t have to downsize.   

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You can, in fact, upsize. Or upstyle, if you will. Your house can be avant-garde even, designed to hold a lifetime of memories, from collected-over-time Persian rugs and overscale artwork to framed family photos.  

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It can have sneaky senior-friendly specifications — a tucked-away elevator, sections of enclosed staircase, a knockout island with comfy chairs instead of stools that rarely cut it.    

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That scenario describes this pair of empty nesters, both doctors (she’s retired, he’s still working) who have three grown sons and grandkids.  

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The kitchen, breakfast area and family room form a connected daily hub. Louvred partitions — in fluted glass — provide subtle separation. Photo by Younes Bounhar, Doublespace Photography. Styling by Kaela Shaw, No.2 Collection

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After raising their family in a typical developer home in Richmond Hill, they decided to find the perfect forever home; something snazzy and multi-generational for family gatherings and overnight visits.  

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They bought a bungalow near Hillcrest Mall. It was crummy, but the leafy lot and location was fantastic. And so they built a 4,600-square-foot dwelling with a dishy basement (think black quartzite bar and trendy oak gym with a walkout to a pool) and two upper floors that look pulled from the pages of Architectural Digest.   

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“Our process is so detailed,” says Sally Kassar, the Toronto-based architect behind the firm, Architecture Riot, who designed the home.  At the time of the project, she worked alongside fellow architect Ava Nourbaran, who has since relocated to New York City. 

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Construction was in full swing by the time Kassar and Nourbaran got on site, and the structure was a shell of studs. (The builder was Ziad Killu of Buildcrest, the millwork is by The Wooden Tradition and the stone fabrication by Azul Granite.) 

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The wood panel was designed to hold the massive painting by Erin Armstrong. Meanwhile, a floor-to-ceiling window pulls the leafy outdoors inside, and lets in the light. Photo by Younes Bounhar, Doublespace Photography. Styling by Kaela Shaw, No.2 Collection 

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A friendly interrogation of the homeowners revealed “they leaned towards warm spaces,” says Kassar. “They didn’t want walls panelled in wood, but they liked wood touches — that was a driving force.” 

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Instead of blowing open the main floor, which would have been about as cozy as a cafeteria, the architects designed what Kassar calls “layered thresholds and oak portals that keep spaces connected but distinct, allowing the home to work equally well on a quiet Tuesday morning as it does for a full family dinner on the weekend.” 

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The portals are essentially floor-to-ceiling planks inset with glass. They create an airy vibe, instead of a solid, dividing wall. There’s also a wooden “spine,” as Kassar calls the chunky wall with its elegant wood jambs, that runs along the main floor hiding unsightly ductwork and venting as stylishly as possible. 

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Custom curved millwork with integrated marble side tables make up the bed in the primary bedroom, where recycled felt trims the headboard. Photo by Younes Bounhar, Doublespace Photography. Styling by Kaela Shaw, No.2 Collection 

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“You can see the grilles underneath the artwork,” points out Kassar, referring to a giant, splashy painting by the artist Erin Armstrong.  

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“The wall panels [or the raised millwork] were dedicated to the art,” adds Kassar. A beautiful brass library light spotlights the piece. Nearby, open shelves mean a lifetime of doodads, including personal photos, can be displayed. “The clients also collect Persian rugs,” she says.