How A Raised Kitchen And Open Staircase Shape This Home

A modern kitchen sits two steps above the dining area in this Toronto home, with a large wood-framed opening, white kitchen island, and hanging greenery creating an open connection between the spaces.

A change of just two steps separates the kitchen from the living and dining areas at Woodycrest Residence, a contemporary home in Toronto’s east end designed by VFA Architecture + Design. The raised kitchen is part of an interior where changes in floor level, open spaces, and a long skylight create interesting connections between rooms.

A Contemporary Brick House Among Older Neighbors

The homeowners wanted a modern house that would still fit into a neighborhood of homes more than 100 years old. The architects responded with a red brick exterior that shares a familiar material with neighboring houses, while the flat roof, large windows, and projecting black entrance canopy give the home its contemporary appearance.

A contemporary red brick house in Toronto sits among older neighborhood homes, with a flat roof, large black-framed windows, and landscaped front garden.

A modern brick house exterior at dusk, featuring a projecting black entrance canopy, warm wood front door, large windows, and recessed lighting beneath the overhang.

A Raised Kitchen Creates a Subtle Separation

Inside, the kitchen sits two steps above the adjacent dining and living areas. This small change in height creates a distinction between the spaces without closing them off from one another. A large opening framed in warm wood further defines the transition, allowing the kitchen to remain fully visible from the dining table.

A raised kitchen is framed by a large wood opening, with two concrete steps separating it from the dining room. The modern interior also features an open wood staircase and hanging greenery.

A modern kitchen with light wood cabinets, white countertops, open shelving, and stainless steel appliances. A raised concrete floor creates a subtle separation from the adjacent dining space.

The arrangement also creates different views of the interior depending on where you stand. From the living room, the steps lead upward toward the kitchen, while the nearby wood staircase continues the movement between levels. The open design allows the different areas to feel separate while remaining part of a larger shared space.

A contemporary living room with built-in wood shelving, a curved sofa, and a view toward the raised kitchen, where two steps lead up to a central island with bar stools.

A modern living room combines built-in wood cabinetry, a television wall, and a neutral sofa with concrete floors. A nearby wood staircase connects the living area with the upper level.

A 24-Foot Skylight Brings Light Into the Center of the Home

One of the home’s most interesting architectural features is its 24-foot-long skylight, which spans the width of the house. Positioned above an opening over the centrally located kitchen, it allows natural light to reach a part of the home that would otherwise depend more heavily on surrounding windows.

A modern kitchen with a large white island, light wood cabinetry, and hanging plants sits beside an open wood staircase. The upper-floor opening introduces natural light into the space.

The connection between floors becomes clearer around the staircase, where slender wood railings border the open space. Upstairs, the hallway runs alongside the skylight, with daylight illuminating the white walls, wood shelving, and the stairwell below. The opening also creates a visual connection between the different levels of the house.

A modern upstairs hallway features a long overhead skylight, white walls, built-in wood shelving, and slender wood railings overlooking the staircase below.

A contemporary upstairs hallway with a large skylight, built-in wood bookshelves, a slatted wood sliding door, and an open stairwell with matching wood railings.

Warm Wood Balances the Concrete Floors

Wood plays an important role throughout the interior, appearing in the kitchen cabinets, staircase, built-in shelving, and ceiling finishes. These warmer surfaces contrast with the heated concrete floors found throughout the house.

A modern kitchen viewed from above, featuring a long white island with an integrated sink, light wood cabinets, and hanging greenery. Wood stair railings and a ceiling opening connect the kitchen to the upper floor.

A Connection to the Outdoors

At the back of the house, large glass doors open toward a paved terrace and swimming pool. The rear exterior continues the brickwork seen at the front, while the generous windows provide views into the living spaces and the illuminated interior beyond.

A modern red brick house opens onto a backyard swimming pool and paved terrace. Large glass doors, an upper balcony, and warm interior lighting define the rear exterior at sunset.

Although the home has a contemporary appearance, its most interesting qualities come from the way the interior spaces work together. The raised kitchen gives the main living areas a change in perspective, while the open staircase and overhead skylight allow light and views to move between floors.

Photography by Doublespace Photography | Design: VFA Architecture + Design | Structural Engineer: Blackwell Structural Engineers | Mechanical Consultant: McCallum HVAC Design Inc. | Contractor: Walden Homes | Stylist: Cameron Bird Designs