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On Geary Avenue, AB+ZU bring warmth and wit to a family home
There is an alchemy to a well-designed home, a delicate balance of form and function, of personality and practicality. Toronto-based design studio AB+ZU found that balance in the studio’s latest project—a thoughtful reinvention of a 1,500-square-foot semi-detached home for a family of four. Nestled in the heart of Toronto’s evolving Geary Avenue—a pocket of the city where workshops, indie music venues and design studios share space—this home reflects the same raw energy and creative spirit that defines its surroundings.
For studio co-founders Jeremy Caulfield and Kyla Boyle, the project was deeply personal. “This is my cousin’s home,” Boyle shares. “We had been living abroad for years, and it was a wonderful surprise to see that she chose this neighbourhood—a place we connect with so much.” Their design, then, became a conversation between the home and its environment, embracing the avenue’s grit and dynamism without defaulting to the polished minimalism so often seen in the city’s contemporary interiors.
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“I always wanted a place in nature, away from city life,” says Vikram. He had looked at many properties before this rocky, picturesque landscape caught his eye and he imagined the potential of this diamond in the rough. “I stood on a large rock and looked out at the lake. I loved it and envisioned what it could be, it just resonated with me.” Aside from the exquisite panorama of water and woods, the property — west of Ottawa in the Addington Highlands — had practical amenities such as an access road, hydro and a nearby cellular tower.
Vikram and Asmita researched building options and chose a package from True North Log Homes. “True North gave us the structure and we had the flexibility to do what we wanted with the inside,” says Vikram. A contractor finished the interior and family friend Tim Kueper put the final touches on the build. “He takes a lot of pride in his work and treated the cottage like his own,” says Asmita.
The couple decided to alter the original floor plans and entrusted the modifications to Kyla Boyle and Jeremy Caulfield, owners of AB+ZU Design Studio. “They were renovating my uncle’s home in Markham, and we loved the aesthetics they incorporated,” says Asmita. “They were flexible, willing to work with us and good with budgets and timelines.”
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LEFT: Vikram and Asmita’s serene cottage location west of Ottawa features stunning views of the lake beyond.
RIGHT: The couple’s A-frame cottage by True North Log Homes offers oversize windows that bring the outdoors in. A coffee table made from salvaged barn beams was sourced from Legacy Vintage Building Materials & Antiques.