A Home With a Heart
In Toronto, this sophisticated and inviting family-centred home is all about creating the perfect balance.
By Rosie Prata | Photography by Linya Studios
For a home that is at once timeless and contemporary, stately and playful, look no further than the residence created by architectural designer Contempo Studio on Government Road in Toronto. Here, grandeur and sophistication coexist in harmony with intimacy and warmth.
For principal Marin Zabzuni, the vision was to create a home with soul for his clients. “The look they wanted was almost farmhouse-style, with peak gables, lots of brick and windows,” he says. “It’s a very charming home—one meant for a family to enjoy and feel the warmth of.”
The story of this Kingsway residence begins with a family relocating to Toronto from Saskatchewan. The owners purchased the property without ever even setting foot inside it, based on Contempo Studio’s reputation alone. For Zabzuni, this leap of faith was both humbling and motivating. “It was a great fit,” he says. “We collaborated closely throughout, and they still live here happily. It’s a true family home.”
Designed between 2020 and 2021, the house was conceived as a long-term residence for a young family with children. Its facade of classic gabled peaks and handsome brickwork casts a striking silhouette against the tree-lined road. Inside, light pours through copious windows, softening the transitional architecture. “The way we designed the proportions and layouts, it feels very comfortable, with just enough space for every room,” Zabzuni says. “It’s not too big, not too small, but a really great use of space.”
That balance carries through the interiors, where clean, contemporary lines are paired with idiosyncratic touches that speak to the family’s personality. Step into the powder room and you’ll encounter a bold, monkey-patterned tile, one of several unexpected, playful and delightful details throughout the property. “They wanted something fun,” says Zabzuni of his clients’ willingness to take a chance on whimsy. “Guests see it; the kids love it. It adds personality and makes the home unique.”
Elsewhere, elements such as wallpaper adorned with animal motifs and printed-cowhide ottomans infuse the home with a sense of approachable elegance. The heart of the home beats strongest in the kitchen, where warm wood cabinetry and white porcelain surfaces create a clean, simple canvas for everyday dining and entertaining. Subtle architectural details, such as arched entryways in the pantry and bar area, soften the geometry and connect the spaces with a sense of rhythm. “Wherever we could, we added warmth with arches, with wood, with proportion,” Zabzuni says.
Upstairs, the primary bedroom is a serene retreat. A soaring vaulted ceiling reaches upward, capped by a panelled feature wall that draws the eye and accentuates the gabled form. The effect is almost cathedral-like, but toned down for daily living. “That vaulted ceiling is the biggest feature,” Zabzuni says. “It feels incredible—warm and inviting, exactly what the clients wanted from day one.”
Light, both natural and artificial, was handled with reverence throughout the design. Skylights brighten hallways, large windows invite in views of greenery, and sunlight spills across a long, charcoal-coloured breakfast bench where the family gathers to dine. For a family accustomed to Saskatchewan’s endless skies, an abundance of natural light was essential. “Natural light always makes a home feel more inviting,” Zabzuni notes. “It was part of the design from the beginning.”
"The heart of the home beats strongest in the kitchen, where warm wood cabinetry and white porcelain surfaces create a clean, simple canvas for everyday dining and entertaining."
Behind the home, the property offers a generous backyard, with plenty of seating and a verdant lawn that provides ample space for the children to play and explore. Trees were planted for privacy, creating a green cocoon where family life unfolds. With a basement playroom and walk-out access, the outdoors feels seamlessly tied to the indoors.
It’s difficult to choose a favourite feature from Contempo Studio’s Government Road home—the monkey-tiled powder room, the vaulted ceiling in the primary bedroom and the cozy bar nook all compete for first place—but it's clear that the residence’s cumulative effect is wonderfully captivating.
The family’s trust in Contempo Studio, given before a single wall was raised, was repaid with a home that feels authentically theirs. “We still keep in touch with them,” says Zabzuni of the home’s residents. “They often host family and friends, and the house really shines in those moments. It was designed for living, for warmth, for connection.”