See How a New Layout Completely Transforms This Toronto Home

The flow of this semi-detached home didn’t really work. So, contractor Sebastian Clovis and designer Sabrina Smelko rolled up their sleeves on Save My Reno to rework the main-floor plan – with fabulous results.

A chic kitchen with black cabinets, a large centre island with a quartz countertop, four bar stools and a black and white tiled backsplash

HGTV Canada

1 / 10

Flip It and Reverse It

Sebastian and Sabrina decided the best way to get the most out of the main floor’s square footage was to flip the kitchen and the living room to opposing ends of the house. A dramatic reversal with outstanding results!

A crowded living area is stuffed full with a large wooden dining table, six resin dining chairs and two black sofas

HGTV Canada

2 / 10

Dream Weavers

Homeowners Jen and Phil have an eye for great furniture and are full of fun décor ideas, but the halting layout of the main floor of their home was keeping them from fully realizing their dream-home aspirations.

Chic dining nooks sits beside a modern kitchen with black cabinets and a large centre island

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3 / 10

Out With the Old

Removing an unusable 100-year-old fireplace from the front of the house created enough space to install a wall of beautiful black cabinets and a handy corner-bench seating area.

A chic dining nook featuring a round tulip table and two mid century modern chairs

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4 / 10

All About That Base

While Jen and Phil used to have a stunning antique harvest table, its length overwhelmed this narrow semi-detached home. Finding a slab of dark quartz at an off-cut yard, Sabrina mounted it onto a found tulip-table base to create a new piece that fits with the home’s proportions – and the couple’s budget!

A green chair, console table and palm plant sit in front of a large red brick wall

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5 / 10

Stylish Contrast

Since Jen knew her way around power tools (her dad’s a contractor), Sebastian set her to work installing new ornate white baseboards around the main floor and up the stairs. Their traditional profile provides a stylish contrast to the modern white-oak herringbone floors.

A small home office consists of a tiny antique table, old metal office chair and a laptop

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6 / 10

Move It or Lose It

Originally, the couple wanted to move the awkwardly-located power room to the other side of the room under the stairs. Rejigging plumbing can be extremely expensive, so they opted to move the room’s door to the other wall to create separation from the dining area.

A hip white powder room features black and white floor tile, a large fern and a live edge vanity top

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7 / 10

Polly Pocket

Now the power room has a pocket door facing the living room (rather than the dining table and kitchen) and features an eye-catching black-and-white hexagon floor tile and a salvaged live-edge vanity top.

A keyboard sits between a set of stairs and a wall mounted shelving unit

HGTV Canada

8 / 10

Keys to Happiness

Phil plays his keyboard every day, so having it close at hand was important to him. Combining it with a flip-up desk top – made from the old kitchen countertops and barn boards from the living room – and tucking it under the stairs was a huge space saver.

An old white kitchen with black painted floors and red door opening to the backyard

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9 / 10

Reduce, Recycle, Relocate

Jen and Phil’s old kitchen lacked counterspace and adequate cabinets – plus, the door to the backyard fit so badly ice would form along the frame each winter. Salvaging and reselling the stainless steel cabinets helped to offset the costs of relocating the whole room.

A modern bohemian living room with an orange leather couch, green ottoman stools and a patterned rug

HGTV Canada

10 / 10

You’re In and You’re Out

Now that the living room is at the back of the house – and the ice-encrusted door was replaced by a slick sliding version – Jen and Phil have easy access to their back patio, making this a true indoor/outdoor entertaining space.