City Homes
May 8, 2024
A Designer’s Heritage House Is Reborn As A Contemporary Setting For Her Young Family
It’s a dilemma many owners grapple with when renovating their Victorian houses. How do you reconcile original heritage quirks — which often include small rooms and scant storage — with contemporary life? When Jaime Polan Zimmerman and her husband, real-estate agent Matthew Zimmerman, bought this 3,000-square-foot century home in Toronto’s Annex neighborhood in 2022, it had been sliced and diced over the years, and included a separate apartment on the third floor. They needed more space to accommodate their work-from-home lifestyle and an open-concept family room and kitchen that would make spending time with their sons, Otis and Penn, easier.
“I could see the beauty in this house,” says Jaime, principal designer of JPZ Interiors. She was charmed by the grand ceiling height and the original fireplace and stained glass windows, but the interiors desperately needed updating — the layout didn’t make sense and the floors were sloped. She embarked on a full-gut reno. “The family room was closed off from the kitchen, so we opened the whole back area, and added archways as a design motif.” Jaime retained the original stained glass windows in the kitchen, foyer and office, then designed interiors that blended traditional and contemporary styles.
Scroll down for a look into this renovated heritage house!
Designer Jaime Polan Zimmerman beside the main stairway, here applied mouldings mimic Victorian details and white oak handrail and treads are a modern update. New white oak flooring throughout fits the blond wood theme.
Jaime drenched the mudroom in an oxblood hue.
The family room’s oversized pendant doesn’t obscure the view, and a framed blanket above the sofa is elegant — and budget-friendly — art.
In the kitchen, statement Arabescato Corchia marble is on the counters, plus there’s a full-height application on the walls. “The stone has a cream base to go with the cabinet color, and it has consistent movement in the veining throughout,” says Jaime. She added clever storage elements, such as a concealed appliance garage and a pantry that’s tucked into an archway leading to the dining room.
Jaime incorporated curves as a counterpoint to the kitchen’s abundant angles, with a stepped-profile island counter and swooping vent hood.
A compact banquette in the corner of the kitchen is the perfect spot for breakfast.
Open shelving in the dining area displays books and vessels. The custom dining table has a durable Taj Mahal quartzite top.
Jaime’s design office now sits at the front of the house with reeded glass bifold doors that separate it from the dining room. “The doors can also be opened to make a larger entertaining space when needed,” she says.
The original brick wall was painted white in the powder room, highlighting its authentic character.
In the Victorian era, it was suggested that children should be seen and not heard, but this updated Victorian doesn’t subscribe to that thinking in the slightest. The main floor’s open spaces allow Jaime and Matthew to keep an eye on the kids, and they can easily shift from work to family time. The light-filled reading nook in the hallway has an original brick feature wall. Jaime’s childhood table and chairs were re-stained to match the new oak floor.
And on the third floor is a luxurious principal retreat with angled walls and a balcony. Jaime amped up two structural beams with faux versions to bring character to the principal bedroom.
Jaime moved this vintage mantel from the living room to the principal bedroom and outfitted the firebox with a gas insert.
In the principal ensuite, an Emerald Green quartzite backsplash is a striking backdrop for the tub. “In our previous house, we shared our main bathroom with the kids, so having our own ensuite was priority one,” says Jaime.
Caned panels add coy texture to the cabinet doors in the principal closet, which includes a dressing table.
A bouclé armchair and luxe drapes are sophisticated accents that can grow with son Penn.
Watch the full makeover of this Victorian home here!
Lauren Miller
House & Home
Jaime Polan Zimmerman