# Reimagined Traditional Edwardian Homes Reign Architects Upgrades a House near High Park in Toronto By Kalin Ned | Published 2026-05-24 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/traditional-edwardian-home References: [instagram](https://www.instagram.com/p/DXq2dt0lIsd/)  Reign Architects has reimagined the traditional Edwardian home through a residential renovation project named House High Park. Located in Toronto, this venture transforms a formerly fragmented and dim main floor into an open, light-filled sequence of living spaces that establishes a deliberate and seamless connection to the garden. Reign Architects made a couple of decisions that opened up the traditional Edwardian home and made its layout more contemporary. For instance, by strategically removing a load-bearing brick wall and relocating the kitchen to the rear, the design prioritizes daily activities where natural light is most abundant. The use of natural materials like charcoal-stained oak, wide-plank white oak flooring, and quartzite stone offers a low-maintenance yet aesthetically rich solution that ages gracefully. Image Credit: Riley Snelling ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 6.8/10 - Popularity: 64% | Activity: 62% | Freshness: 77% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/design) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Open-plan Heritage Integration:** A move toward removing compartmentalized interiors in period homes highlights opportunities for solutions that maintain historic fabric while creating continuous contemporary living sequences. - **Light-centric Residential Retrofit:** Prioritizing natural light through reconfigured room placement and structural openings points to innovations in daylighting strategies tailored to retrofit contexts. - **Material-forward Aging Design:** The use of low-maintenance, naturally aging materials such as stained oak and quartzite underscores demand for finish systems that express patina and longevity. ### Who This Affects Most - **Residential Renovation:** Renovation firms focused on heritage homes may see shifts toward integrated structural interventions and design approaches that reconcile preservation with contemporary spatial needs. - **Architectural Materials Manufacturing:** Producers of engineered wood, stone surfaces, and durable finishes could benefit from tailored product lines that emphasize aging behavior and minimal upkeep for retrofit projects. - **Smart Home Lighting and Controls:** Lighting and control technologies that augment natural light and adapt interior illumination patterns to reconfigured open plans become increasingly relevant in light-first renovations. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Adaptive Family Residences](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/no-ordinary-house.md) - [Renewed Heritage Estates](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kilmory-house.md) - [Eclectic Terraced Residences](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/druid-grove-house.md) - [Reimagined Edwardian Homes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/gunter-and-co.md) - [House Renovation Projects](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hearth-house.md) - [Textured Mid-Century Houses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/highland-park-residence.md) - [Sleek Garden-Edge Renovations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/waverley-house.md) - [Rosedale Renovated Townhouses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mathersfield-project.md) - [Minimalist London Homes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/158-purley-downs-road.md)