Do you have adult children who are ready to leave the nest, but can’t yet afford their own home? Do you want to live in a particular area of Toronto, but find the costs too prohibitive? Do you want to set up a home office or entertainment centre in a uniquely separate space? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you may want to embrace living Laneway Style!

The Laneway home or “suite” is defined as a self-contained residence on the same property as a house, semi-detached or townhouse, and generally located in the vicinity of a rear yard or laneway. It is an entirely stand-alone home, complete with bedroom(s), bathroom, kitchen and living area. And though most laneway homes are small, they can vary in size from 500 to 2,500 square feet. A right-of-way or easement ensures access, and of course all local rules including zoning, by-laws and permit requirements must be sought prior to purchase.

While laneway housing has been around for many years, most were situated in a bordered area of downtown Toronto, until 2018 when the ‘Changing Lanes Policy’ came into effect. The new by-law reduced costs and expedited the approval process, giving way to a new kind of housing resurgence. Today, Laneway suites are popping up all over Toronto and periphery regions, close to parks, schools and community centres. Typically built atop an already existing garage, the suite can be one or two stories, some with beautiful staircases leading to green space rooftops.

There is quite a bit of fervor from Toronto’s architect community. While main property homes are limited in terms of gross floor area or lot coverage, laneway suites are exempt from traditional density restrictions. “It makes for some really interesting design choices,” says Tony Cunha, Architect and Senior Manager at Lanescape Inc., one of Toronto’s leading Laneway housing design practices. “Though the by-laws are flexible, the six metre height requirement often results in a flat roof lending itself well to a modern design language,” he says. “One of the more delightful architectural aspects is working with the full width of the lot, the ability to achieve floor to ceiling windows and using skylights to fill the rooms with light, making these modest spaces appear bigger and brighter.”

As condo developments and basement apartments mount, the laneway suite has swooped in to help solve Toronto’s shrinking land availability and soaring housing costs. As a new home owner, you may be looking to add a source of income to offset the mortgage, while at the same time offering a prospective renter a chance to live in the downtown core. Additionally, multigenerational families, or those with alternate living arrangements, can now live where they want and how they want.

With “open eyes,” first time home buyer Jill Pearson foresaw the benefits and opportunities when she and her partner David purchased a property with a laneway garage in the trendy Trinity Bellwoods area. “The world is ever-changing right now and this gives us the opportunity to evolve with it. Whether it be a studio to rent, workplace office, or a future space for our parents to live, the possibilities helped drive our decision. We didn’t just buy a house – we bought choices – and that was very important to us, particularly in our current climate.”

The ongoing Pandemic has made us notice the limitations in our own homes. Often with two parents working, and children in school, the need for alternative space has never been greater. “The Pandemic has certainly triggered an uptick in demand for laneway housing,” says Cunha. “While about half of our clientele are investors, at least 20-25% of all suites are now ‘homeaway-from-home office’ spaces – that is, they are being converted into work spaces, hobby, or entertainment spaces used by the primary home owners.” Furthermore, laneway suites are often constructed with acoustic insulation and drywall, mitigating outside sound and vibration - perfect for the home office!

So, whether you’re looking to buy a property with a laneway suite, or build one on your existing property, you will be joining a new and burgeoning movement in Toronto – living Laneway Style!

Are you a country mouse or a city mouse? The referenced childhood tale brings together cousin mice who offer each other the foods and charms of their individual dwellings – respectively vying to impress the other. With much reflection, the city mouse contemplates the humble and peaceful country lifestyle of his earthy cousin.

With the current environment as it is, you may be looking to become a country mouse. The summer of 2020 experienced an unprecedented wave of demand for Ontario cottage country properties as vacationing close to home became the norm. As that trend continues, especially for lake front properties, you may be considering downsizing your city home, or simply making a change in lifestyle - an investment in the country life.

While Covid may have been the primary driving force behind the uptake in cottage sales, other motivating factors such as spending quality time with family, a quiet place to ‘work from home’ or simply a more leisurely existence, have all influenced the current market. Since cottages come in all shapes and sizes as well as price points, it has now become easier for you to make that lifestyle transition that perhaps, you’ve always dreamed about.

It used to be that cottages housed old furniture dragged up from the city, or purchased cheaply at garage sales. Mismatched lamps and frumpy rugs were conventional. Today, whether it be a cottage or a condo investment in Ontario’s beautiful and scenic landscape, décor and styles have added indulgence to their repertoire.It used to be that cottages housed old furniture dragged up from the city, or purchased cheaply at garage sales. Mismatched lamps and frumpy rugs were conventional. Today, whether it be a cottage or a condo investment in Ontario’s beautiful and scenic landscape, décor and styles have added indulgence to their repertoire.

“People want their creature comforts,” says award winning Interior Designer Tara Fingold. “Spa showers, heated floors, walk-in fridge/freezer and laundry rooms with multiple machines are commonplace. The cottage has become a place of gathering, a place to entertain,” she says. “Many have even made it their primary residence. Gone are the days where cottages are just a rustic retreat.”

Builder John Schmalz of J.S. Custom Builders agrees. “While the higher end cottages are including many of the bells and whistles, ALL are being built to live in. These are second homes so they must be livable. Home offices and gyms are typical.”

There are plenty of options when it comes to design, using natural woods, large bay windows and sleek white and black accents. “The trend is to present clean lines. People want fresh, bright space. Design and architecture have come together,” says Tara. “Alternatively, there’s the Hampton style Beach House look -- mostly white, combined with soft ocean colours of blue and green. Big tall windows are everywhere.”

Both Tara and John have borne witness to this striking new movement toward the country life. “While the areas in Muskoka and Port Carling are still quite popular, regions surrounding the smaller lakes are blowing up,” says John. “People are going farther north, places like Parry Sound or Georgian Bay, in order to afford a country home. In fact, the market for rural properties – some not even lakefront – have just exploded in the last year and a half.”

While the moral of the fabled Country Mouse and the City Mouse suggests it is better to live a humble life than one of luxury, today’s cottagers are looking for both, knowing they can be attainable and affordable. The cottage is just that – a home away from home.