Jesse Sahlani’s latest design is a contemporary take on the classic French row house. Soon to be built in the prestigious node of Queen West, the front facade of this home utilizes a limestone cladding that has been sourced from a quarry in France and was custom fabricated to create a smooth, refined and cohesively designed exterior that extends to the limestone planter boxes lining the front lawn. The dramatic mansard roof, an inherent characterizing feature of this historic design style, is clad in heavy gauge metal and features a steep slope and dormers to provide interior functionality to the house design.
The rear of the home is centered around the creation of a contemporary and classic entertainment space featuring large windows with custom-designed mullion proportions paired with aluminum panel inlays, a curtain wall of glass, and large panel sliding doors, that all together provide a more outwardly contemporary look than the historic styling of the front. The use of a basement light well, designed to ensure the basement space felt like it was above grade, acts as the main source of both direct and ambient light for the basement. To achieve the connection to the exterior, floor-to-ceiling windows looking into the light well are included, as well as low-maintenance shrubbery and garden lighting at the base of the light well for ambiance during all times of the day.
To create a sense of secluded lushness, the entire backyard is lined with cedar trees, while a bonded pea gravel floor was used to reduce maintenance requirements. The space is also host to both a fire pit lounge area, as well as a dining area that makes it functional for three-season entertaining and cozy backyard parties for our client’s growing family.
French Manor (In Construction)
French Manor (In Construction)