Urban style

The cupboards surrounding the built-in ovens and refrigerator are seven feet tall. An exposed steel structural beam, granite counter and dark wood define the kitchen, which is located between the family and living rooms.

When designing the space, Esther and Paul ensured that their new home had lots of natural light and great views from inside - Esther believes you should be able to see outside from wherever you are in the house and that what you see must be pleasing. Not surprisingly, the new studio-like windows are huge. At the front and back of the house, the windows on all three floors are defined by dark wood "picture frames" that shape the exterior view into inviting vistas that are almost painterly.

Esther and Paul chose the double lot for its mature trees and greenery, and changed the triplex's old eyesore of a three-car garage into a cottage-style charmer surrounded by rustic flagstone walks and a garden where an asphalt parking lot once was. The backyard was also excavated to allow direct access to the garden from the home's lower level.