Transforming a Victorian Home in Toronto with Custom Millwork
Hello!
It's Jack here from Jack Creasy Design, and I'm thrilled to walk you through one of our latest transformations in the heart of Toronto. Over the past decade, we've carved out a niche in the residential interior design space, with a special focus on custom millwork and colour. Today, we're shining the spotlight on a home that captures the essence of our work.
The Backstory
Situated in the vibrant neighbourhood of Riverdale South, our clients approached us with a desire to revamp their home. They had lived in their charming Toronto Victorian home for a few years, initially doing a cosmetic refresh with a whole lot of paint but now it was time for a full renovation to meet both their aesthetic and functional needs.
Our clients wished to infuse their home with personality and South Asian influences while preserving the timeless charm of their historic Victorian era home.
Before the Transformation
As you can see, the kitchen was a spacious galley style kitchen but the room felt disconnected from the rest of the home, with outdated fixtures that didn't reflect the homeowners' style. And the layout was HORRIFIC!
The range, fridge and prep counter space were previously all clustered right outside the powder room door, in the narrowest part of the kitchen, with a whole lot of wasted space at the back of the kitchen, near the light filled patio doors to the rear terrace deck. Sounds like a missed opportunity right?!
The Millwork Magic
Enter custom millwork. At Jack Creasy Design, we believe custom millwork is the backbone of any design project. It's not just about aesthetics; it's about functionality, durability, and creating a cohesive flow throughout the home.
Would you look at that transformation?
Without changing the physical size of the kitchen, no walls where removed, our millwork design seamlessly integrates new appliances and fixtures, culminating in a harmonious blend of old-world charm and contemporary flair.
Lining both sides of the kitchen with floor-to-ceiling cabinetry maximizes storage in a galley kitchen. And by shifting the kitchen work triangle away from the narrow hallway outside the powder room door, we improved the traffic flow throughout the space.
Beyond the kitchen cabinetry, our soft furnishings and decorating services ensured that every nook and cranny of the home was curated to perfection. From sourcing unique furniture pieces to selecting the perfect accessories, we ensured a cohesive design through and through.
After the Transformation | Green with Envy for this Kitchen
The Impact of Custom Millwork
It's not just about a visual upgrade. Custom millwork can enhance the functionality of a space, adding storage, improving flow, and maximizing every inch.
Hidden behind custom cabinet doors are two full size integrated fridge/freezers flanking either side of the range, for dual fridge capacity and double ice makers during parties - cocktail anyone?! In a small space like a galley kitchen, the ability to conceal appliances allows your eye to explore the space, uninterrupted by the abrupt contrast of stainless steel appliances against furniture style cabinetry.
We also packed a lot of clever storage into this kitchen! Oil and spice pullouts beside the Lacanche range, peg drawers for dishes, pullout garbage/recycling centre, hidden breakfast cabinet with microwave, coffee maker and toaster, as well as a broom/vacuum cabinet and pantry fitted with rollout shelves for easy access. But can you spot any of this? No and that's the point! All of the daily essentials are close at hand, but concealed out of sight when not in use.
The Impact of Colour
The deep green hue, paired with aged brass accents, brings warmth and luxury to the Queen Lewis kitchen. The moody shade also serves a design purpose besides just being gorgeously dramatic!
We carried this stunning green colour onto the walls and up onto the ceiling to completely envelope the space in one glorious shade of green. Why? To disguising a 2ft difference in ceiling height between the front and back of this kitchen!
The rear half of the kitchen had a lowered ceiling due to the second floor deck above, which could not be removed. A structural eyesore, highlighted in the Before kitchen by tin metal accent tiles, drawing your eye directly to this unsightly architectural feature - scroll back up to the Before photos to see what I'm talking about.
We decided to get creative and work with this obstacle rather than against it. By wrapping the entire space in one colour (this is also known as Colour Drenching), the harmonious space now disguises the ceiling height difference, drawing your eye to the contrast with the light Arabescato porcelain countertops and herringbone white oak floors - rather than towards the ceiling drop. Clever right?
Why Choose Jack Creasy Design
Our expertise in millwork design, spanning beyond kitchens into the entire home, is rooted in functionality. Understanding function and flow of the entire home is paramount to all of our projects. Our team brings over a decade of experience to the table when designing homes for our clients - homes that functions as effortlessly and efficiently as they are beautiful.
I always say, "if its going to be beautiful, it first needs to be functional!"
Let's Chat About Your Home
Considering a renovation or about to embark on building your dream home? The first step of any remodel, new build or design project is always a Design Discovery call with myself and our team to ensure your project starts off on the right foot.
Whether you're in the heart of Toronto, the sprawling suburbs of Oakville, Mississauga, and King City, or planning a vacation retreat in Muskoka or Kawartha Lakes, we're here to bring your vision to life.
Let's collaborate and together create spaces that not only reflect who you are but are filled with functionality and designed to stand the test of time.
Until next time, stay inspired and consider the transformative power of custom millwork!
Warmly,
-Jack
