Thursday, 4 December 2014

The top 10 contemporary homes in Toronto

Posted by Chris Bateman
toronto integral houseThe top contemporary homes in Toronto serve as a reminder that fans of modern architecture are spoiled for choice in this city. Take a stroll around neighbourhoods like Rosedale and Cedarvale (two areas with residents rich enough to hire a designer and build their own homes) will reveal a dramatic modular home that overlooks a steep ravine, a Mad Men-era mansion, a $30 million palace with a 150 seat concert venue, even a home that looks suspiciously like an iPhone.
Here are my picks for the top contemporary homes in Toronto.
194 Roxborough Drive - Integral House
No list of modern Toronto homes would be complete without a mention of the Integral House, concert violinist and mathematics whizz James Stewart's massive Rosedale mansion. It has five floors, a 150-person indoor music hall, numerous gadgets, and reportedly cost in the region of $30 million. The best features, however, are on the outside. The curving glass and wood exterior blends nicely with its bucolic surroundings.
toronto iphone house18 Thelma Avenue (iPhone house)
Ever thought how great it would to live inside a house that looked sort of like a smartphone? It will cost you $3.2 million, but there is an option in Toronto. 18 Thelma Ave., just north of Spadina and St. Clair, is the iPhone house. Its glossy back exterior and window arrangement make the home look like a giant Apple product poking out of the ground.
95 Ardwold95 Ardwold Gate - Richard G.W. Mauran House
One of Toronto classic single dwelling examples of modernist architecture, The Richard G.W. Mauran House at 95 Ardwold Gate was built in 1968 for the founder of restaurant chain Harvey's on the site of an Eaton family mansion. It still manages to look futuristic at almost 50.
toronto cedarvale ravine house207 Ava Road - Cedarvale Ravine House
A descendent of the Richard G. W. Mauran House, 207 Ava Road has a similar appearance to its 1960s counterpart, but with more glass. Built in 2012 out of impressive cantilevering blocks, this house features polished concrete floors and ceiling-height windows that look out over the Cedarvale Ravine.Architecture critic John Bentley Mays calls it "intelligent, deft and refined."
48 Heathdale Road48 Heathdale Road
Another modern Cedarvale abode, 48 Heathdale Rd. appears relatively rustic compared to its stark neighbours. Exterior wood paneling, an earth-toned frame, and an uneven roof line lend the two-storey home, which was completed in 2005, a hint of nature. Like the Ravine House, below, 48 Heathdale appeared in the movie Chloe.
toronto 375 shaw street375 Shaw Street
The exterior of 375 Shaw St., located a short walk north of Trinity-Bellwoods Park, gives away little of the strangeness within. When it was last on the market in April this year, prospective buyers were no doubt confused by the substantial swimming pool that dominates the kitchen and living area. Step straight from the stove to the giant tub, if that's what you're in to.
toronto laneway shaftesbury40R Shaftesbury Avenue - The Laneway House
That any house has been built on a laneway in Toronto is something of a planning miracle, let alone one as aesthetically refined as the Superkül Inc. house. The former blacksmiths workshop on Shaftesbury Ave. has an exterior of artfully rusted metal, a little rooftop patio, and numerous skylights. Amazingly, the footprint is just 83.6 square metres. Perfect for fans of micro living.
toronto ravine house24 Heathdale Road - Ravine House
The impressively sectional Ravine House is one of two homes on this list to have appeared in a Hollywood movie, Atom Egoyan's Chloe. The home, built overlooking the Cedarvale Ravine to designs by Drew Mandel Architects, looks like a space ship that could take off into the night sky at a moment's notice. Inside, the property is lined with mahogany panels and glass walls. There's even a rear terrace and "lookout pavilion."
toronto pachter residence22 Grange Ave - Pachter Residence
Artist and real estate speculator Charles Pachter's house on Grange Ave. stands out among its Victorian neighbours like a spacesuited Neil Armstrong would in a line of chimney sweeps. Built in 2005 in place of a funeral home, the combined residence, gallery, and studio space is a neighbourhood landmark. Pachter described in the Star as "clean, elegant and quiet ... it is an oasis. It's a joyful place -- a serious Pee-wee's Playhouse."
toronto crescent road108 Crescent Road
It takes guts and determination to drop an modern home like 108 Crescent Rd. into a notoriously conservative Victorian neighbourhood like Rosedale. The two-storey brick and wood box wasn't easy to build; neighbourhood and city groups had to be convinced the home would respect its surroundings and, as a result, numerous nods were made to the Rosedale aesthetic, including dark wood cladding and several brick exteriors.
source

Tuesday, 2 December 2014

30 INCREDIBLE SINKS YOU DON’T SEE EVERY DAY


We all want to be creative in our homes but often lack the ideas to make something unique. Have you ever thought about upgrading your bathroom sink into something really amazing? If the answer is yes, then you may well find some inspiration from this collection below. If the answer is no, then the chances are you'll probably change your mind when you see how incredible some of these designs are! Ranging from sleek and sophisticated to practical and eco-friendly, there's bound to be a design to suit every taste.

Water Spray Sink


Glass Trough Sink


LED Sink


Water Jewels Sink


Transparent Sink


Wood Covered Sink


Cuboid Sink


Calla Lilly Sink


Chopping Board Sink


Kaleidoscope Glass Basin


Spoon Sink


Water Stone Faucet Sink


Blue Splash Sink


Cristalplant Sink


Wing Sink


Crashing Waves Sink


Glass Side Sink


Cascading Waterfall From Sink to Bath


Bathtub and Washbasin Fusion


Toilet and Sink Combined



Sink and Toilet: Waste Water Saved for Flush


Marrakesh Design Sink


Low Level Sink


Water Map Sink


Wooden Sink


Faucet-Less Sink


Curved Sink


Glass Sink


Futuristic Wall Sink


Fish Bowl Sink

fish bowl sink

Source 1