As partners Fran Miller and Jackie McKeown started to see some traction in their respective careers, it became apparent that the one-bedroom West-end loft they shared with their dog, Bagel, was no longer cutting it. Miller’s burgeoning eponymous skin care line had outgrown the living room, and McKeown’s expanding styling business was rapidly eating up more and more of the property’s already limited square footage. They needed more space, and fast.
It was time for a house. Thanks to a hot residential market in 2017, the couple made out well on the sale of their condo, and after some nosing about to see what was available within their budget, they settled on a cosy, semi-detached home on a quiet, tree-lined street in their favourite neighbourhood, Roncesvalles. “We were just sort of drawn to it in a weird way,” says McKeown, sipping her morning coffee.
“It was very well maintained, but it probably hadn’t been touched since the ’50s. The basement was fully wood-panelled; there was teal carpet in the living room. Even though we wanted to change everything, we knew it was the one when we first saw it.
” While McKeown made sure to immortalize the existing decor in some fashion photo shoots, a full overhaul was definitely in order for the long, narrow space that was broken up into a number of small, dark rooms. The couple’s instructions to the contractor were simple: open it up. “With the layout of the space, we felt it was best to keep it simple and just try an.
