Interior Designer Leaside
Design-Build Home Renovation for Leaside’s Tudors, Semis & Bungalows, from Bayview to Bennington Heights
As an interior designer in Leaside, BiglarKinyan Design Planning Inc. (BKDP) brings 20+ years of design-build experience to the neighbourhood’s 1930s–40s Tudor-style homes, brick semis and bungalows. We plan kitchens, primary suites, rear additions and second storeys that keep the wood trim, hardwood floors and fireplaces worth keeping. One integrated team handles design, permits and construction, and stays accountable for your Leaside home renovation from the first sketch to the final styling.
A Leaside Interior Designer Who Knows the Housing Stock
Leaside was planned by Frederick Todd in 1912 and incorporated as a town in 1913. It joined East York in 1967 and Toronto in 1998, and it runs from Bayview Avenue east to the Don Valley. Its streets hold brick two-storey houses, semis and bungalows. A building boom ran from 1929 to 1939, and many Tudor-style homes date from the 1930s and 1940s. Bennington Heights sits beside the Moore Park Ravine.
Toronto's Most Trusted Interior Design Firm
Best of Houzz
13 Consecutive Years
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Serving Greater Toronto
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Interior Design & Home Renovation Services in Leaside
BKDP combines architectural training, interior design and construction management under one roof. A 13-time Best of Houzz winner, BKDP plans each Leaside renovation around what the house already does well, whether that’s the brick and trim of a 1930s Tudor or the compact plan of a Leaside semi, and adds the space and function today’s families need.
Leaside Tudor & Arts and Crafts Homes
Update 1930s–40s brick homes with new kitchens, baths and rear additions that respect the original detailing.
- Rear addition design
- Original wood trim and millwork restoration
- Kitchen and family room layouts
- Electrical and mechanical upgrades
Bungalow Second Storeys & Custom Rebuilds
Add a second storey to a Leaside bungalow, or plan the interiors of a custom rebuild from the ground up.
- Second-storey additions
- Custom home interiors
- Zoning and variance planning
- Primary suite design
Leaside Semis
Make the most of brick semis with open main floors, better kitchens and finished basements.
- Open-concept conversions
- Basement underpinning coordination
- Basement finishing
- Custom storage and built-ins
Bennington Heights & Ravine-Edge Homes
Plan renovations and additions on lots near the Moore Park Ravine and the Don Valley, where ravine rules can apply.
- Ravine-lot renovation planning
- TRCA and ravine permit coordination
- Rear addition design
- Layouts that frame the view
Complete Interior Design & Build Services for Leaside
Interior Design Services
- Full Home Interior Design
- Condo Interior Design
- Space Planning
- Lighting Design
- Custom Millwork
- Kitchen Design
- Bathroom Design
- Furniture & Finish Selection
Leaside Specializations
- Tudor Home Updates
- Bungalow Second-Storey Additions
- Rear Addition Design
- Semi-Detached Renovations
- Basement Underpinning & Finishing
- Ravine-Lot Projects
- Custom Rebuild Interiors
- Original Trim & Fireplace Restoration
Construction & Renovation
- Full Home Renovations
- Kitchen Renovations
- Bathroom Renovations
- Rear and Side Additions
- Basement Finishing
- Custom Built-ins
- Electrical Upgrades
- Plumbing Updates
Project Management
- Design-Build Integration
- Permit Coordination
- Contractor Management
- Timeline Management
- Budget Control
- Quality Assurance
Local Knowledge for Leaside Renovations
Leaside isn’t a Heritage Conservation District. It was nominated in 2014, and in 2018 City Council chose a cultural heritage resource assessment instead, so interior work and additions generally don’t need heritage approval. A few buildings are designated on their own, such as Howard Talbot’s 1936–37 Tudor Revival fourplexes on Bayview. Zoning is the bigger factor. Bungalow second storeys and custom rebuilds can need a minor variance from the Committee of Adjustment, and larger rebuilds here have been disputed at the Committee and the Toronto Local Appeal Body.
We plan Leaside projects to keep what makes these houses worth owning: wood trim, hardwood floors and a working fireplace. For a sense of how we handle a Tudor, see Modern Classic Home, where side additions kept a 1908 Forest Hill Tudor’s form as it grew from 3,500 to 7,400 sq ft. Lots near the Moore Park Ravine and the Don Valley may also fall under the City’s ravine by-law and Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) regulation, so we check a property’s status early.
Transparent Pricing for Leaside Projects
We believe in honest, upfront pricing so you can plan your investment with confidence.
Condo Design Packages
Design only, for condos and townhouses on Bayview and Leaside’s edges: space planning, custom storage design, finish selection and complete styling. A full condo renovation runs $80K–$250K+.
Tudor & Semi Renovations
Kitchens, bathrooms, open-concept conversions and basement finishing for Leaside’s brick homes and semis.
Additions & Luxury Renovations
Second-storey and rear additions, custom millwork and premium finishes for Leaside bungalows and Tudor homes.
Full Home Design-Build
End-to-end design and construction management for complete home transformations. One integrated team, one accountable process, from concept to completion.
Our Proven Design Process
Discovery & Planning
An in-depth consultation at your Leaside home to understand how you live, what you want to change, and what the lot and zoning allow.
Design Development
Using 3D visualization, we develop detailed design concepts so you can see your finished Leaside interior before construction starts.
Project Coordination
Our project management team handles permit applications, contractor scheduling and delivery coordination, so you aren’t managing trades yourself.
Seamless Installation
We finish with curated furniture, art placement and styling details that make your Leaside home distinctly yours.
Meet the Award-Winning Founders
Fardid Biglar & Kenneth Ho
Co-Founders & Principal Designers
Fardid Biglar and Kenneth Ho met while studying architecture at the University of Toronto, where they quickly discovered a natural synergy—every time they collaborated, their work consistently earned top marks. After gaining experience across the fields of interior design, architecture, kitchen design, and furniture manufacturing, they decided to team up once again—this time to create something entirely new.
Drawing on their complementary strengths, they co-founded BiglarKinyan Design Planning Inc. (BKDP) in 2005 with a clear vision: to elevate residential design in Toronto through thoughtful architecture, highly personalized interiors, and a more streamlined approach to the design-build process.
Recognizing the complexity and fragmentation of traditional renovation models, they set out to reimagine the client experience—delivering not only exceptional design, but also a simplified, transparent process. Their goal was to bring high design and a sense of everyday luxury to renovation projects grounded in creativity, practicality, collaboration, and execution.
That founding vision continues to shape the firm’s work today, setting BKDP apart as a leader in thoughtful, integrated residential design. Their work has been nationally recognized and widely published, reflecting a partnership built on trust, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to detail. Together, they lead a firm where every space tells a story—and every detail matters.
Fardid Biglar
Co-Founder & Principal 
Kenneth Ho
Co-Founder & Principal Frequently Asked Questions
What areas of Leaside does BKDP serve?
BKDP works across Leaside, from Bayview Avenue east to the Don Valley, including Bennington Heights and the streets around McRae Drive, Sutherland Drive, Hanna Road and Millwood Road. Most homes here are brick two-storey houses, semis and bungalows, many in a 1930s–40s Tudor style.
Is Leaside a heritage district?
No. Leaside was nominated as a Heritage Conservation District in 2014, but in 2018 City Council chose a cultural heritage resource assessment instead. That means interior work and most additions generally don’t need heritage approval. A few buildings are individually designated, such as the 1936–37 Tudor Revival fourplexes at 1755 and 1783–85 Bayview Avenue.
Can you add a second storey to a Leaside bungalow?
Often, yes. Bungalow second storeys and custom rebuilds are common in Leaside. A building permit is always required, and if the design goes past the zoning limits for lot coverage, height or side yards, a minor variance from the Committee of Adjustment is needed first. Larger rebuilds here have drawn appeals, so we design to fit the street and plan for the approval time.
How much does a home renovation in Leaside cost?
It depends on the scope, size and finishes. BKDP’s projects typically range from $25,000 for a design-only condo package and $80,000–$250,000+ for a full condo renovation, to $500,000+ for full home renovations. We provide transparent, fixed-fee quotes upfront so there are no surprises. Book a free consultation for an estimate on your project.
How long does a Leaside renovation take?
A focused kitchen or bathroom renovation typically takes 8–14 weeks from design approval to completion. A full home renovation or addition can take 4–10 months. If the project needs a Committee of Adjustment variance or ravine approvals, that adds time before construction starts, so we plan for it from the beginning.
Can you keep the original features of my Leaside home?
Yes. Wood trim, hardwood floors and a working fireplace are worth keeping, and we plan new kitchens, bathrooms and additions around them. Older homes can also need system updates: knob-and-tube wiring, for example, often has to be inspected or replaced for insurance, and lowering a basement means underpinning, which can need an engineered design, especially beside a neighbour’s footings in a semi. We check for these at the first visit.
“We realized from the start that planning and communication were going to determine the success of the project and BKDP delivered every step along the way, even when hiccups occurred. Our project consisted of electrical, plumbing, structural, waterproofing, flooring, heating, kitchen, bathrooms, and interior painting. The work was done on time (5 months) and within budget…”— T + L, Lytton Park (North Toronto) — total interior renovation of a 90-year-old Georgian home