So many of us get caught in the debate: Do I want to live in the city or the suburbs? In the city, we have easy access to fine dining, art museums, theater, business, local cafes, and nightlife. But too often we’re returning home to cramped apartments, lugging our laundry down the street to the nearest Laundromat, and struggling to create space where the kids can play.
In the suburbs, we can find the space we need, with a bedroom for each child, a kitchen large enough to host a holiday meal, and a backyard to enjoy the fresh air and let the kids burn off some energy. But we might have long commutes to work or stop taking in the arts and culture we used to love because going into the city is too much of a hassle.
But what if we didn’t have to choose between the comforts of suburban living and the culture of the city? What if we could create a family-friendly home right in the heart of downtown? This is the story of Gianpiero Pugliese’s new home in Toronto’s Little Italy.
Gianpiero Pugliese knew it was time for a change. With a wife and two children, Gianpiero knew they were growing out of their downtown Toronto abode.
The family could move into a suburban home to find the space they needed. But Gianpiero and his wife did not want to give up their downtown lifestyle; they wanted to think bigger, rather than settling for the standard Toronto house for their growing family.
As Principal of Audax, Gianpiero knew the possibilities for his family’s new home were endless. Audax is a Tonto-based architecture and interior design firm seeking to integrate the technical and aesthetic goals of every project. Gianpiero developed the concept of Human Architecture, which Audax uses as the foundation of all their work. Human Architecture is an approach to design combining traditional architecture with modern sensibilities. Gianpiero himself founded Audax and frequently speaks in the design community on rediscovering lost techniques from traditional architecture.
Gianpiero was not afraid of a challenge and knew his family could have their dream home in their dream neighborhood. So Gianpiero invested in an exciting new project: he purchased a full floor of a commercial building in Little Italy. This would become his family’s home. His work was clearly cut out for him.
“This design provides us with all of the amenities of a house while offering all of the conveniences of an apartment,” says Gianpiero.
Gianpiero used his expert eye to transform the commercial space into a home with all the comforts his family needs. The interior layout is modeled after apartments in New York City, where apartment homes are quite common. Gianpiero’s home includes a formal foyer, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, an open-concept living, kitchen, and dining room, and a spacious laundry room. The living and dining space is situated next to floor-to-ceiling windows, flooding this open space with natural light.
Audax’s Human Architecture approach is clearly seen in how Gianpiero and his team designed the space. There are more traditional design choices, such as the herringbone wood floor for the cozy living room, and the marble stone setting up the elegant foyer. The door casing, trim, and hardware are traditional as well.
The design has modern elements as well, especially in the contemporary-styled kitchen, with brushed oak veneer cabinets and a sleek, spacious approach. The furniture is inspired by modern Italian design, sporting bold colors in the blue velvet sofas, and emerald green Raphael dining chairs. Many of these gorgeous pieces are from Audax’s own furniture collection.
But what about a backyard? Surely this is something only the suburbs can provide? Gianpiero’s team has a city-dweller’s solution for that, too: a winter garden. In the summer, this living space turns into a covered terrace, with large windows on two sides that can be fully opened. In the winter, it can still be used as a living room with a gorgeous view. This is a highly unique and coveted feature for city apartments and gives the family a private outdoor space that can still be used and enjoyed in the colder months.
To top it all off, the home includes a private elevator to the street. Gianpiero’s family has easy access to all that Toronto’s Little Italy has to offer: fresh markets, pizzerias, concert halls, and gelato shops. The culture of the city can’t get more accessible than that!
With the combination of architectural and interior design expertise, Gianpiero and Audax was able to create a home that has it all: the space and comforts of the suburbs, the lifestyle of downtown, and the seamless blend of traditional and contemporary design that gives the space a sense of elegance and warmth.
So, to the question, “Do I want the culture of the city or the comfort of the suburbs?”, Gianpiero’s family was able to answer: “Both!”
