City Homes
A Minimalist Finds His Zen In A Pared-back Loft
Updated on January 8, 2024
Projects have a way of snowballing, no matter the size. For Glen Hunt, a business coach–consultant, what started as painting and swapping out some cabinets escalated into a total reno after he consulted his ex-wife, designer Stephanie Houghton. Then Glen and a friend got to work. “I started demo and was surprised at just how much damage one could do with a sledgehammer and crowbar,” says Glen. “I woke up in a daze surrounded by rubble thinking, ‘What the hell did we just do!?’”
Longing for a relaxing space rather than a construction zone, he didn’t think twice about his choice of designer. “I knew Stephanie was the right person,” he says. “She has this ability to make the extremely difficult seem effortless. She’s part designer, part project manager and the daughter of an architect.” Stephanie is a partner along with Emily Griffin at the Toronto firm Griffin Houghton.“He talked about how his kitchen needed a facelift and, from there, we pulled that dangling thread on the proverbial hem,” says Stephanie. “Then, we discussed replacing the tile in the principal bathroom, working on the overall layout and the lack of natural light… soon, we were renovating the whole 1,000-square-foot loft.”
Scroll down to see inside Glen’s cool and collected condo!
Glen’s two-storey loft is in a century-old, New York–style building in Toronto’s Riverdale neighborhood.
The spare, open-concept kitchen–dining area is warm yet airy. “Small spaces feel more personal and manageable. You own them; they don’t own you,” says Glen.
“Larger pieces like rugs and sofas can help expand spaces visually,” says Stephanie of the compact living room. The hidden cabinets under the stairs house pantry items, as well as a microwave, toaster and pullout counter for extra prep space.
The pair spent months obsessing over wood cuts, grades and finishes for the flooring that runs throughout and partially up some walls. “Quartersawn, rift-cut — I didn’t even know these words existed before,” says Glen, a reformed tchotchke collector. “But I do now, and it was so worth it.”
A floating vanity gives Glen’s ensuite a spa-like serenity. A year-long renovation later, the one-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bathroom loft has the Japandi aesthetic Glen was looking for; it’s sleek but warm, and totally zen. As he likes to say, “Now everything has its place. Including me.”
Replacing a wall with glass transformed the dark principal bathroom into a light-filled retreat.
Keep scrolling for our Q&A with Glen!
H&H: What area do you gravitate to in your home?
GH: “The comfortable leather club chair, where I gaze out at the changing seasons.”
H&H: What’s the biggest plus to small-space living?
GH: “It removes the noise from my life, and I use everything that I have.”
H&H: If you could add one thing to your space, what would it be?
GH: “A wabi-sabi water feature on the terrace.”
H&H: How do you keep clutter at bay?
GH: “I used to collect all kinds of pieces, but I sold a lot and it was like a huge psychic weight was lifted.”
H&H: What was at the top of your reno wish list?
GH: “A calm, relaxing space to come home to, and an escape from the confusion of everyday life.”
Ashley Capp
Stephanie Houghton