Boswell
The design by Lynn Appleby is contemporary, but the plan behind the glass and steel is actually traditional. The centre hall runs from the front entry to the back garden, leading to a four-storey glass and aluminum tower, which contains the staircase of steel and limestone. The staircase leads to the second floor and its rolled steel and limestone catwalk. The catwalk, set on steel girders, floats above the main floor and gives access to the rooms on the second floor. "It's a classic Georgian home – though it's a modern loft version of it," says the homeowner, standing in the foyer and pointing out the centre hall plan. "You walk in and you're invited all the way to the backyard." The family decided that the interior of the 6,000-square-foot house would provide the perfect backdrop for their art collection. "It's a real house for art lovers," says real estate agent Jimmy Molloy of Chestnut Park Real Estate Ltd.

The Globe and Mail, Home of the Week:
Dinner for 45, with an orchestra in the loft July 4, 2013

Brynhurst
John and Patsy Bell found a three-storey 1,800 square foot home on a leafy cul-de-sac. Next they turned to Lynn Appleby to do a complete architectural transformation of the house.

On a search uptown, they found a three-storey, 1,800-square-foot home. With three bedrooms, five bathrooms and a leafy cul-de-sac location, it had immense potential, and they b ought it for what it could be, rather than what it was: a boxy 1970s structure. "Everything we need is within walking distance or a subway ride away," says John. Next, they turned to Lynn Appleby to do a complete architectural transformation of the house that reflected their notion of sustainability: open concept with tons of natural light and a visual connection to the outdoors from all angles. "We love how soothing it is to bring the outdoors in," says Patsy.

The reno involved 18 months of chasing down permits, followed by eight months of construction before move-in day. "We didn't gut the house; we blew it apart," says Appleby. John and his team of builders from Kinswater lifted off the original mansard roof to make way for a flat one that could hold six solar panels, then punched outside of the original box to add a glass • stair tower that brings in light and fresh air through long casement windows. (This bumped up the home's size to 2,600 square feet.)

House & Home, May 2013

As Bell puts it, "It's exactly the kind of home we've always wanted to live in."

John Bell, Toronto

Studio
"Working with Lynn Appleby is to stroll down a path with unexpected turns and wonderful discoveries only to later realize that the whole time she has been measuring your pulse and listening to your audible and inaudible desires while crafting a place made for you in her mind. She offers you spaces and surfaces and things that come from a deep understanding of aesthetic and functional ergonomics without the ego of the imposed. With her there is truly a chance to cocreate a space that has the richness of the architect's touch and the personality and value of the client equally present. I have never tired of my office after five years of enjoying it because she understood how to wrap a space around me."

Edward Burtynsky, Toronto

Quote from from Toronto Life - April 12, 2012
The List: 10 things celebrated photographer Edward Burtynsky can't live without.

My library: There's a floor to ceiling bookcase in my office for my photo books.

My giant magnet: Lynn Appleby and David Didur designed and built a magnetic wall in my studio that can hold large prints under different lights. It's become the pivotal place where all the decisions about the colour, the density, the contrast and the size of a print are determined.




Walnut
"Lynn brought a sense of space and light that created a unique living environment. As the square footage is large, we didn't want to have any feeling of isolation and Lynn's powerful vision addressed this with a design that opened up the space in a way that from all angles we have a sense of each room. She found ways to interconnect the living space with both sight and light. We are extremely happy with the results, the process and the team that Lynn put together to build our live/work space."

Kari Skogland, Toronto

Washington
"Lynn Appleby is a joy to work with, combining an enthusiasts' love of materials, space, and design while intimately addressing the goals of the people who will eventually live in the house. She has great willingness to reach into a client's frame of mind while at the same time suggesting bold new ways of thinking about the space, to create an environment that is vibrant, accessible and reflective of a person's way of seeing and living." As I write this, light morning sun is streaming in through a bank of floor-to-ceiling of windows, bathing the house in midwinter morning light .From my vantage point in the kitchen, every detail of the house design comes into play: The openness to nature, the pouring in of natural light, the feeling of quiet, cozy comfort -- all amidst a bustling suburban neighborhood. The sense of space, materials, and attention to design makes living in this house a pleasure, and not a day goes by when I don't pause a brief moment to admire the view."

William Allman, Washington

Hoggs Hollow
"I found working with Lynn to be a real pleasure, from both a professional and personal perspective. She has a marvelous sense of space, understands and plays with light and takes particular care to incorporate the context within which the building is being built. She listened to us, understood and delivered what we wanted. She has exquisite taste, and also provided beautifully creative options when required. She has a wonderful sense of style, is meticulous with her work and marries the various materials and textures better than anything I've seen in Architectural Digest."

Martha Fusca, Toronto