Jamey and Gabrielle bought 281 Lisgar in 2022. It was a 150-year-old Victorian that needed everything — crawl space basement, janky layout, zero AC. They saw past all of it. What they saw was solid bones, a west-facing bend that locals know by name, and a neighbourhood where the butcher knows your order. What they built is something else entirely — a house that maximizes every square inch, where life feels decadent and effortless at the same time. We sat down with them to talk about the house, the reno, and what they'll miss the most.
Everything. We started with the underpin — all new foundation, dug down 13 feet to get almost 8ft ceilings in the basement and replaced all major systems. The main floor was restructured with new LVL beams to open up the space and increase ceiling height. It went from a closed, dated layout to something completely open and functional.
Upstairs, we reworked rather than rebuilt — but the transformation is still dramatic. The bathroom is completely unrecognizable from what it was before, and the second and third floors were redesigned to be far more flexible and livable, while still keeping the character of the home.
It's still a Victorian, but fundamentally, it's an entirely different house now.
Mini rainbows all over the main floor before dinner. It has a way of reminding you that this is a Victorian home in the modern era.
— Jamey & Gabrielle, on the Schoenbeck chandelierAs soon as you walk in, you're greeted by custom penny-tile, French bistro-style flooring in the vestibule and a proper front closet. The space opens into the living and dining areas, with a built-in banquette along the bay windows. The window opens out fully so you can sit there, lean out, have a glass of wine. It gives you this connection to the neighbourhood that feels very European, very lived-in.
The dining area is anchored by a whitewashed brick fireplace, and the chandelier above throws subtle rainbow reflections across the room in the late afternoon. The living room is open but comfortable, with a second banquette that doubles as a breakfast nook and adds extra storage.
And just off the main space, we added a powder room — something you rarely find in a Victorian, but that completely changes how the house lives.
You wonder if you're in a swanky resto-bar supper club in New York. Every single person who comes in comments.
— on the powder roomThe kitchen was designed so that no one is ever removed from the moment. It anchors everything — it's where people gather, where conversations start and stretch. It's an L-shaped layout with an opposing counter, inset areas for the coffee machine and microwave, a massive new fridge, a huge gas line for the range and the BBQ outside. The range is dual — gas cooktop, electric oven. And the stone is the centrepiece: black waterfall with veining that lines up perfectly from one end all the way through the counter, around the window, and across the backsplash to the opposite corner. And then there are the details you don't immediately clock: a pot-filler, a restaurant-grade sprayer faucet, speakers in the ceiling, and large bay sliding doors.
No one expects a powder room like that. It's a pièce-de-résistance in an otherwise white-washed living space. Black walls, a black toilet, a massive vintage gold-trimmed mirror above a gold-bowl sink with a gold faucet.
We thought a lot about flexibility. There are three bedrooms on the second floor, plus the attic, which easily functions as a fourth. Whether you need kids' rooms, offices, or guest space, it adapts. Two of the three bedrooms upstairs also have closet space, which is actually quite rare for a Victorian.
The bathroom was completely reworked and split into two rooms — a bathroom and a bedroom. The bathroom was designed to feel like a retreat, with blue tiling, brass accents, white marble, and two inset cabinets with built-in lighting.
The shower was something our designer came up with — a combined soaker tub and wet-area that makes the space feel spa like. And then there are those small indulgences: a Japanese-style toilet with bidet, self-cleaning, drying, and heating. Nobody expects it, and once you use it, it's hard to go back.
When they took down the walls, they found what many century homes have — newspaper insulation. But Jamey put a hand through one of the walls being opened up and pulled out an entire newspaper from October 13, 1910. Sofas advertised for under $10. They framed the pages — they hang above one of the banquettes on the main floor, a conversation piece that grounds the room in history. The rest still lives in a box in the attic.
150 years of history, and a newspaper from 1910 to prove it. Framed on the wall. When sofas were under ten dollars.
— The walls rememberWe list it on Airbnb and get about $165 a night or more. We're a Superhost with a five-star rating — everyone absolutely loves the space. It's quiet, safe, and close to the best bars and restaurants in the city. For a long-term tenant, it would rent for about $2,000 a month.
The walkout is fully separate — there's no shared space except the backyard. Guests have a walkway between the houses to access it, so they never need to interact with us. The unit is about 500–600 square feet: a bedroom with closet, a bathroom with a rain shower, brand new appliances, a large storage unit, and a full kitchen that's the same footprint as our main kitchen above. It's a proper one-bedroom apartment, completely code-approved.
We keep the whole walkout area lit with garden Edison lights and motion lights so it feels safe when they rent it out.
— on the basement walkoutDown in the basement, there's a walk-in canteen that stays with the main house — a huge pantry with a deep freeze, an inset tool storage cabinet, a wine fridge, and alcohol storage. Nobody else in the city has this kind of tool space and food storage in a Victorian home. It's a Chef's dream. Storage for all your power tools and your cult wine bottles. Maybe age your own — that was the original vision.
We face west, on the middle of the Lisgar bend — which has a bit of a cult following. We didn't even know it was a thing until people kept saying "wait, you're on the Lisgar bend? I love that spot!" Being on that curve means there are no houses directly in front of us, so we get uninterrupted afternoon and sunset light on the front walkway and the second-floor balcony, perfect for a coffee or a glass of wine.
In the back, a massive maple tree canopies over the back deck with BBQ, and over the attic deck too. The attic deck has CN Tower views over the adjoining backyards. The backyard is great for hosting — quaint but big enough for activities. There's a small shed for outdoor tools and bikes.
The attic balcony is the bonus — it has a full wet bar and kitchenette inside, with a refrigerator, sink, and oven/stove. Sun-soaked and flowing out onto the brand-new deck with CN Tower views.
You turn off a bustling street, and then immediately you hear the birds chirping and it's soft and quiet. The confluence is magic.
— Jamey & GabrielleThere's something about having everything you need. Salad and steak for dinner? One-minute walk to Nosso Talho — the Portuguese butcher with incredible meats, great produce, and staff who know your name. A bottle of wine? Four-minute walk to Grape Witches or the LCBO. Your favourite coffee? Larry's Back Pocket — they know your order after the first week. Pizza? Pizza Badiali, the most sought-after slice in the city, with lines that wrap the block. Breakfast? The Federal — arguably the best breakfast sandwich in Toronto. A French bistro on any day of the week? Milou, two minutes away, always full, always a patio. And Trinity Bellwoods Park — the most popular park in the city — ten minutes away, and the brand-new Osler Park, perfect for kids, just six.
- Nosso Talho 1 min walk
- Milou 2 min walk
- Larry's Back Pocket 3 min walk
- The Federal / Gold Standard 3 min walk
- Grape Witches / LCBO 4 min walk
- Pizza Badiali 5 min walk
- Osler Park 6 min walk
- Trinity Bellwoods Park 10 min walk
The vibe is so neighbourhoody, but you're in this metropolitan megacity. Your kids' classmates are across the street, everyone says good morning, you're friends with your neighbours — in the heart of the biggest city in Canada.
— on the neighbourhoodThe attic might be the most surprising room in the house. You walk up original wood stairs to a space with a vaulted ceiling peaking at ten and a half feet. There's enough space for sofas, a bed set, musical equipment, or a full home office.
And then there's the kitchenette — a full wet bar with a fridge, sink, oven and stove, and a butcherblock counter with a glossy mahogany finish. It's the perfect setup for hosting, with everyone flowing out onto the brand-new deck overlooking the backyard with CN Tower views.
Ten-and-a-half-foot vaulted ceilings. A wet bar with glossy mahogany butcherblock. A deck with CN Tower views. Nothing else in the comps has a third floor like this.
— on the atticA Victorian this age has no business having this much storage. Most century homes force you into creative compromises — shoe racks in hallways, overflow in the basement, seasonal swaps. 281 Lisgar was redesigned so that everything has a place, on every floor.
Basement: Walk-in storage, a small closet in the basement bedroom, and utility room storage. The canteen has inset-in-the-wall cabinetry with pegboard for organized tool storage, shelving for garden supplies and dry goods, a wine fridge, and ample alcohol storage above it.
Main floor: A 6×6 shed in the backyard for bikes, rakes, shovels. The kitchen has floor-to-ceiling cabinetry around the fridge and countertop area — more storage than you'd ever need, even for serious foodies. One large banquette and the front and the second banquette both with storage underneath for kids' toys and more. Front hall closet large enough for many jackets with shelving for hats.
Second floor: IKEA PAX setup in the main suite with shelving. Small closet in the second bedroom. The main bathroom has two inset medicine cabinets, one with lighting, mirrors, and built-in electrical.
Attic: A little washer-dryer closet with shelving. The kitchenette has its own cabinets and drawers. The attic itself is spacious enough to add cabinetry or shelving as needed.
Nobody we know in the city has this kind of tool space and food storage in a Victorian home. It's a Chef's dream.
— on the canteen and storageThe single biggest risk with any century home is what's behind the walls. At 281 Lisgar, that question has been answered — definitively. Everything that matters has been replaced since 2022.
All new electrical. All new plumbing. New washer-dryer. New appliances. All new bathrooms. An entirely new kitchen. New HVAC throughout, with an added air exchanger for power and efficiency. New engineered hardwood on the main floor. New windows. Two AC units — one for basement through second floor, and a ductless unit for the attic.
This is a house where the car is optional — not because you can't have one, but because you don't need one. Street parking with a city permit is cheap and almost always available. But the real story is how close everything is without it.
- Streetcar stop 60 seconds from the door
- Bikeshare pickup same corner as the streetcar
- Child's school walking distance
- Grocery stores 3-minute walk (multiple)
- Pharmacy walking distance
- Street parking permit, always available
We rarely use our car — almost everything we need is walking distance. And we literally have a streetcar stop right at the corner of our street, 60 seconds from our door.
— on transitJamey: The chandelier, the pot-filler, the inset tool pegboard, and the deep freeze in the canteen. The canteen in general is just a game-changer — people don't think about storage and tool space when they're house-hunting, but it changes how you live every single day.
This house was redesigned so that life feels decadent and effortless at the same time. It's a dream for foodies, for entertainers, and for homebodies alike.
— Jamey & GabrielleIt's the magic balance of suburban but in the middle of the city. Connected to the city but also your neighbours. It threads all those needles. You feel safe and it's all just… effortless. You don't just buy the house — you're buying a neighbourhood, you're part of a village.
— Jamey & Gabrielle281 Lisgar Street. A 150-year-old Victorian on the bend where Toronto's grid gives way to something with personality. Renovated from the foundation up. Legal basement apartment with separate walkout. Four outdoor spaces. Kitchen. A powder room that stops people mid-sentence. Mini rainbows before dinner. A neighbourhood where the butcher knows your name and the barista knows your order. A house where life feels decadent and effortless at the same time.