Home again after a quiet sojourn to Ottawa, this couple needed to bring the slower pace of the nation’s capital with them to the hustle of Toronto. This was the second phase of a renovation to an existing semi-detached in the city’s leafy, sought-after Annex neighbourhood. The couple wanted an airy feel to the home. The solution was a high ceiling paired with a sunken living room. That offered maximum light and a view to the garden, along with the built-in option to “seal” the area from the main house to reduce noise. They wanted a refuge in the heart of the city, and they got it.