Moving in is usually such a drag, but when Mike Lickver and Robyn Rabinovich relocated to their dream digs, the process was terrifically painless. It helped, of course, that they only had to walk next door. The couple, who met while working in the cannabis industry (he’s an executive in the field; she’s a consultant), were living in Robyn’s small condo in Toronto’s leafy Forest Hill neighborhood, along with their two Pomeranians, Hawk and Dragon. Craving a larger house, they scanned hundreds of listings before they found a contemporary home with super-high ceilings, loft-like black window frames and a magnificent exterior of glass and limestone. The edgy design and entertaining-friendly floor plan immediately appealed to the social couple. It also turned out the house was on the lot directly beside Robyn’s condo.
Designed by Ancerl Studio’s Nicholas Ancerl and Tara Finlay, the 2,800-square-foot new-build was almost finished when Mike and Robyn bought it. “This was a unique situation,” says Tara of the three-year design-build project. “When we started the house, there wasn’t a client yet.” The home’s well-appointed interior is perfectly in sync with the striking exterior. “We kept the finishes neutral with white oak floors, Calacatta marble and limestone that all quietly complement one another,” she adds. “We also incorporated other natural materials such as concrete, cold-rolled black steel and reclaimed wood for texture and interest. Hits of black keep it feeling young.”