_{Photos courtesy of borXu Design}

For 20 years, Heather’s Hotel has serviced visitors from far and wide as a place of residence, great cooking, family gatherings, and hospitality. Heather Lang, the owner, imagined a space similar to an open-plan New York style loft in her condominium in Thornhill, Ontario. She wanted to maintain the function as a warm gathering place while improving the overall mood of the space. Rzlbd took the challenge and intervened the space by brightening up and improving the environment.

_{Photos courtesy of borXu Design}

Rzlbd started by stripping away the unnecessary partition walls in the space and building back up from the bones and skeletons. The focal point of the intervention was to invite as much natural light from the south and west walls into the space. In Toronto, southern light is a very pivotal exposure for real estate. Having south natural light reach the depth of the space uplifts the mood of the space elegantly. The walls of the long dark corridor that connected the rooms were replaced with millwork and operable translucent panels to bring natural light into the corridor. Furthermore the kitchen was also opened to provide natural light and connect Lang with her guests.

_{Image courtesy of borXu Design}

The flexible bedrooms accommodate many overnight guests but can also be used as office spaces. The master suite and bathroom were upgraded to embue a more luxurious environment. The chic modern furnishings elevate the space, while the dark wood flooring contrasts with crisp white, sharp walls. With all the new improvements, Rzlbd was very successful in upgrading Heather’s Hotel into an elegant Lang Loft!

_{Photos courtesy of borXu Design}

Here’s some ‘Before’ photos:

_{Before Intervention, photos courtesy of borXu Design}

Design: Reza Aliabadi [Rzlbd]
Project team: Ehsan Zareian, Bahar Joshanpoosh
Construction: Royal Falcon
Architectural Photography: borXu Design
Location: Thornhill
Area: 1270 sqft
Design: Winter 2014
Completion: Summer 2014

See more of Rzlbd’s work here!

Researched and written by Jay Namkung, Environmental Design Major at OCAD University.