Trinity Bellwoods
Full Home Renovation — Toronto

Location: Claremont Street, Toronto
Neighbourhood: Trinity Bellwoods
Space: 3,000 sq ft across three levels
Service: Full Home Renovation + Rental Unit Design
Style: Warm Minimalist
Year: 2024

The Challenge

The clients bought a bungalow in Trinity Bellwoods with a specific goal: convert it into a modern family home on the upper floors while building out three self-contained Airbnb rental units in the basement. Two completely different briefs in one structure. The family spaces needed to feel like a home — warm, considered, personal. The rental units needed to be durable, low-maintenance, and visually strong enough to compete in a saturated short-term rental market. The constraint was the same square footage had to serve both, which meant every layout decision carried a cost if it was wrong.

Our Approach

Layout before aesthetics.

The floor plan was restructured first — circulation between the private family levels and the rental entry had to be completely separated before design work began.

Custom millwork drawings, plumbing and electrical packages, and 3D renderings were developed in parallel and handed directly to contractors, eliminating the interpretation gap between design intent and on-site execution.

Material selections were presented in person. Every finish, tile, and hardware choice was signed off before it was ordered. No surprises on delivery.

01 Space Planning

02 Technical Package

Full restructure of the existing bungalow layout — family living separated from three independent rental units, each with its own entry and no shared circulation.

Custom millwork drawings, plumbing, electrical, and construction documentation delivered to contractors. Design intent specified, not assumed.

03 3D Renderings

Full renders of both the family floors and the rental units before any work began. Clients approved the result before a single wall came down.

04 Material Selection

In-person presentation of all finishes — flooring, tile, cabinetry, hardware — across both the family residence and rental units. Warm minimalist palette maintained throughout, with rental-appropriate durability built into every selection.

05 Contractor Coordination

On-site coordination throughout construction to keep design decisions aligned with execution. Changes resolved before they became change orders.

06 Dual-Outcome Delivery

Upper family floors: open-concept living with modern minimalist finishes, fireplace feature wall, and a kitchen that functions for a family. Basement: three self-contained rental units designed to photograph well and hold up to short-term rental use.

The Result

The upper floors read as a complete family home — not a renovation. The basement units have been operating as Airbnb rentals since completion. The bungalow exterior was re-clad with a black façade and arched windows, making it one of the more recognizable properties on the street.