How to Turn a Narrow Semi-Detached Home Into an Expansive Urban Oasis

When cost-conscious contractor Sebastian Clovis and designer Sabrina Smelko walked into this tired Toronto semi-detached house, they were faced with narrow spaces and way too many walls. With a bit of elbow grease and a unique design vision, they managed to create a contemporary-yet-traditional home on Save My Reno.

Chic dining table sits in a newly renovated home with light wood floors and a gold chandelier

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With a Twist

After Sebastian removed a number of sightline-blocking walls, Kim and Kyle’s main-floor living space is now completely open concept and features the traditional-with-a-twist décor the newly married couple craved. Sit back and enjoy the view!

Grey egg chair in an old living room with antique wood floors and shoes in the hallway

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North of the Wall

For too long homeowners Kim and Kyle had lived with the narrow doorways and cumbersome partition walls characteristic of 100-year-old homes in the area. With the help of the Save My Reno team, they turned a cramped 4.7-metre-wide row house into a spacious dream home.

An open concept dining room with large wooden table and six grey upholstered chairs

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See-Through Scene

While the now-contemporary dining area remains in the same spot it was in the original floor plan, it’s no longer enclosed by walls. The new, glass basement-stair railing supports the clean visual lines Sabrina was aiming for in the design concept.

Old fireplace and wood mantel in a messy living room with a grey couch, white coffee table and TV

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Awkward Pauses

While a beautiful relic of the past, the original (unusable) wood-burning fireplace took up major real estate in the living room, leaving Kim and Kyle with only awkward areas to place their TV and speakers.

A chic gas fireplace is surrounded by trendy grey herringbone marble tile and a built in entertainment centre

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A Little to the Left

After finding a great deal on a wholesale gas-fire insert, the Save My Reno team decided to move everything to left to make room for the larger fireplace – surrounded by classic herringbone stone – and a new custom entertainment centre.

Front hall features modern wall panels and a moveable white bench seat and coat rack

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Salvage Yard

Not one to pass up on an upcycling project, Sabrina salvaged the original fireplace mantel and transformed it into a moveable front-hall organizer with plenty of hooks and cubbies for coats, hats and shoes.

Six grey upholstered dining chairs surround a chic wood dining table in an open concept living space

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Woodchuck Would

While the original wood floors had character, they were only present in parts of the house and were too damaged to save after removing all the interior walls. Contemporary wide-planked white oak now runs throughout the home bringing in more light and flow.

Narrow hallway with a white bannister and old wood floors

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Thor’s Hammer

The original entryway was so narrow that Kim and Kyle had to turn sideways to pass each other. “I’ve had dreams of taking a sledge hammer to this wall,” said Kim. And finally, with Sebastian’s guidance, that dream was fulfilled.

An outdated lime green kitchen with mismatched cabinets and quartz countertop

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Buy and Sell

The Save My Reno team always has budget front-of-mind. Sebastian was able to sell the kitchen sink and decided to reuse the cabinets to help offset the costs of a new kitchen.

Resprayed blue kitchen cabinets are a feature in this renovated kitchen with white quartz countertops and two grey bar stools

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Topping It Off

Taking the newly professionally sprayed blue cabinets right to the ceiling with a cornice top draws your eyes upwards and makes the kitchen feel much taller than before. The gold hardware, white quartz countertops and grey-marble herringbone backsplash add layers of luxury.