Ellsworth Residence

Our clients on this Toronto renovation and new addition are well-travelled collectors of books and marvellously eclectic things – everything from Barbie paraphernalia to bug sculptures to vintage camera equipment. Many of these beloved objects were stored cheek-by-jowl with shoes and coats in the mudroom, where they could not really be appreciated. PLANT expanded the kitchen of their Edwardian home and added a new mudroom, sitting room, and second-storey office. Integrating the collections into these spaces was a crucial part of project. In the kitchen we consolidated some of the collections into clean-lined, glass-fronted cabinets that keep them dust-free and safely away from vaporized oils from stovetop cooking. We also increased access to natural light in the kitchen and greatly expanded the quantity of displayed storage by inserting bookshelves into “remnant” spaces and at clerestory height. The Barbie-themed bathroom is not to be missed.