Urban style

Defined by exposed beams, natural light from two huge front and back windows, and open space, the main floor achieves a minimal loft look without sacrificing the needs of family living. In the spacious dining area, a tempered-glass tabletop and white seats – all on lightweight steel legs – maintain a sense of light and space.

The disparate dreams of two distinct design aesthetics - those of hip downtown loft dwellers and (usually suburban) family types - have both been fulfilled in Esther Cheong and Paul Fantauzzi's home in Toronto's Riverdale neighbourhood. As the owners of Z Axis Design, the husband-and-wife team have transformed a boxy 1950s triplex, creating a new hybrid - the four-bedroom family home that looks and feels like a loft.

Why a triplex? The large footprint and boxy shape were perfect for a loft look. "And at the same time we could get the family stuff - a garden, direct access to outside, a neighbourhood," says Esther. The couple combined their skills and creativity to transform a midcentury ugly duckling into a modern-day swan.