A Fresh Face with Curb Appeal: How We Transformed This Toronto Home’s Exterior
Everyone loves a great before-and-after moment, but not every makeover needs to involve major structural changes. At Studio Ha/Wa, we believe thoughtful design can create powerful impact, even through simple yet thoughtful updates to the home’s exterior form and finish.
For our Beaches Residence project in Toronto, we worked closely with the homeowners to elevate the exterior design of their home, creating a more seamless connection to the contemporary aesthetic of their newly renovated interior. The result? A complete transformation that significantly enhanced the home's curb appeal, functionality, and visual cohesion, all without altering its existing footprint or extensive structural alterations. Scroll to the bottom to see the before-and-after transformation.
Here’s how we approached this modern exterior home renovation, step by step:
After
1. Replacing the Siding for a Lighter, More Contemporary Look
We began by replacing the existing siding with concrete board-style cladding in a soft, modern grey. This not only brightened the entire façade, but also brought the exterior in line with the clean, minimal palette used throughout the home’s interior. A fresh exterior colour scheme is often one of the most effective ways to instantly modernize a home’s look, even on a budget.
2. Refining the Roofline Details
To streamline the architectural language of the home, we removed the small, decorative mini dormer, which felt out of proportion with the rest of the structure. We then re-clad the larger dormer in shake-style siding to add subtle texture and visual interest, while maintaining a cohesive style overall and a nod to the home's proximity to the beach.
3. Introducing a Larger Main-Floor Window to Balance the Façade
We added a new, larger window to the main floor living space, carefully selected to match the home's existing black-framed windows. This small but impactful change allowed more natural light to enter the interior, while enhancing the hierarchy and proportion of the home’s front facade.
4. Replacing Heavy Railings with Frameless Glass
The former dark-framed porch railings were replaced with frameless glass guardrails, helping open up both the upper and lower levels visually. This contemporary detail allows for better sightlines and a cleaner, lighter feeling overall, which is especially important in smaller front yards or narrow lots common to urban neighbourhoods.
5. Adding Warmth with Wood Accents
To soften the clean lines and neutral palette, we added wood panelling to the underside of both porch roofs. These natural accents bring a sense of warmth and texture, which helps balance out the harder materials and cooler tones used elsewhere on the exterior.
Natural wood tones balance the the cool grey tones of the homes siding and stone.
6. Updating the Lighting and Architectural Finishes
We replaced the porch pendant lights with surface-mounted light fixtures to declutter and create a more streamlined profile, while still providing the practical illumination required for the functionality of the front porch entryway. The columns and fascia were painted a couple of shades lighter (than the siding) to brighten and match the rest of the façade, contributing to the home’s newly cohesive appearance.
7. Reimagining the Landscape Design
With the architectural improvements complete, we collaborated with a local landscape architect to freshen up the front landscaping. A new stone pathway and garden beds with seasonal greenery were installed to define the approach to the home, while keeping it low-maintenance. The updated landscape design not only enhances curb appeal but also helps ground the home in its surroundings by balancing the hard elements of the architecture with the softness of natural vegetation.
A mix of textures and minimal colour pallet adds softness to contemporary landscape design.
8. Finishing Touches: Teak Furniture and Planters
To complete the transformation, we styled both levels of the porch with teak-framed outdoor furniture and modern planters. These finishing touches make each level feel functional and inviting, encouraging the homeowners to fully enjoy their outdoor space, whether it’s morning coffee or evening conversations.
Upholstered cushions were added to the outdoor teak lounge chairs for additional comfort. While terrazzo side table adds a subtle texture and pattern to the refined palette.
“We consider your home as a whole—every detail, inside and out.” – Studio Ha/Wa
Final Thoughts
This project is a beautiful example of how subtle, well-considered design interventions can dramatically elevate a home’s exterior without the need for major construction or an extensive budget. By refining proportions, updating materials, and thoughtfully layering finishes, we helped bring the exterior of this urban family home into alignment with its newly updated interior while enhancing curb appeal, functionality, and the overall sense of cohesion.
At Studio Ha/Wa, we consider your home as a whole—every detail, inside and out. Whether it’s the façade, landscape, layout, or finishes, we approach each element as part of a unified vision tailored to how you live.
Explore the full Beaches Residence here.
Contact us to find out how we can help bring your vision to life—whether you’re planning a residential or commercial project. Or explore our services to learn more about our approach to thoughtful, design-led spaces.