Before & After: A Toronto Couple Level Up Their Dingy Attic Into a Spa-Like Suite

When Toronto-based couple Carla and Chris found out they were having their third child, they decided to transform the third floor of their 100-year-old Parkdale home into a principal suite to free up bedroom space on the second floor. This was easier said than done, however. The attic was divided into small rooms for accommodating guests, working from home, and storage, with little access to natural light.

Thankfully, their neighbor is an architect. "Knowing Carla and Chris’s house and their style ahead of time helped with envisioning the right space for them," explains Nova Tayona. "They wanted it to be an open, light-filled retreat with a Scandinavian feeling to reflect Carla’s Icelandic background."

The result is a spectacular suite that plays with contrasting materials and opens up the previously compartmentalized floor plan. One bedroom has been transformed into a large dressing room with dark timber joinery and forest-green walls, while the guest bedroom/office is now a primary bedroom with light timber and bright-white walls. Most impressively, a former closet has been opened up into a light-filled bathroom with clever joinery that separates it from the bedroom while maintaining a visual connection.

Before: Guest Bedroom/Office

The third floor is accessed via a switchback stair, and the original plan had full-height walls and separate rooms. This limited access to natural light and made the rooms feel smaller than they actually were.

"The main design challenge was to open up the floor plan, while still providing privacy from the floor below, and to allow the various spaces to function," says Tayona.