Wedgwood Project: Transforming a Toronto Bungalow Into a Modern Two-Storey Home

Project Status: Under DesignProject Type: Second-Storey Addition + Major Home RenovationLocation: Toronto, Ontario

At Cadaxx Design, one of our current residential projects on Wedgwood Avenue in Toronto explores how an existing bungalow can be transformed into a spacious, contemporary two-storey family home.

Rather than starting with demolition and a completely new house, the project looks at the potential of the existing property and how a carefully designed addition can dramatically change both the appearance and functionality of the home.

Starting With the Existing House

The existing house is a traditional Toronto bungalow with a relatively simple footprint and established landscaping. While the home has served its purpose for many years, the owners are looking for considerably more living space and a more contemporary architectural character.

The design process begins by documenting the existing conditions and studying how the current structure can be incorporated into the proposed renovation.

From there, we can determine how the second floor, interior layout and exterior composition can work together as one cohesive design.

Exploring Different Design Options

An important part of the Cadaxx design process is exploring alternatives before committing to a final architectural direction.

For the Wedgwood project, we developed multiple exterior concepts, each showing a different interpretation of a modern two-storey home.

Some options emphasize darker materials and strong horizontal roof lines, creating a bold contemporary appearance. Others introduce lighter finishes, warmer wood elements and larger areas of glazing for a softer modern character.

The purpose of these options is not simply to change colours or finishes. Each concept helps us study the proportions of the house, window locations, entrance treatment, garage composition, roof lines and relationship between the first and second floors.

Designing the Second-Storey Addition

Adding a second floor to an existing bungalow requires much more than placing another level on top of the existing house.

The new floor has to work with the existing structure while creating an efficient interior layout and maintaining balanced exterior proportions.

During the design stage, Cadaxx reviews items such as the existing building footprint, proposed floor areas, stair location, ceiling heights, structural requirements, zoning limitations and the overall massing of the renovated home.

Large windows are being incorporated into the concepts to bring more natural light into the house and give the elevations a more open, contemporary appearance.

Creating a Stronger Front Elevation

One of the biggest changes will be the transformation of the front façade.

The existing bungalow has a modest residential appearance. The proposed concepts introduce a much stronger architectural presence through larger windows, defined horizontal elements, contemporary cladding and a redesigned entrance.

The garage is integrated into the overall composition rather than appearing as a separate element. Warm wood accents are also being explored to provide contrast against lighter or darker exterior finishes.

Landscaping, the driveway and the front walkway are considered as part of the overall presentation of the house rather than as afterthoughts.

From Existing Conditions to Final Design

The renderings shown here represent the design-development stage, not the final constructed house.

This is an important part of our residential design process. Before permit drawings are completed, we use drawings and 3D visualization to study different possibilities and help the homeowners understand how each option will look.

The preferred concept can then be refined based on the owners' feedback, zoning requirements, structural considerations and project budget.

Once the architectural direction is finalized, the project can move into detailed permit drawings and engineering coordination.

A Home in Transformation

The Wedgwood project demonstrates the potential hidden within many of Toronto's existing bungalows.

With the right approach, an older one-storey house can become a substantially larger and more contemporary home while taking advantage of the existing property and established neighbourhood.

This project is currently under design, and we look forward to sharing the final concept—and eventually the construction progress—as the transformation moves forward.

Cadaxx Design provides residential design, additions, renovations, second-storey additions, zoning review, permit drawings and building permit coordination throughout Toronto and the GTA.