Interior Designer Leslieville
Design-Build Home Renovation for Leslieville Cottages, Row Houses, Semis & Carlaw Lofts
As an interior designer in Leslieville, BiglarKinyan Design Planning Inc. (BKDP) brings 20+ years of design-build experience to the neighbourhood’s Ontario cottages, Victorian row houses and early-1900s semis. These small homes bring their own puzzles: shared party walls, tight floor plans, basements that need underpinning and wiring that may still be knob-and-tube. In Leslieville, we added an ensuite and a small walk-in closet for first-time buyers. One integrated team handles design, permits and construction, and stays accountable for your Leslieville home renovation from the first sketch to the final styling.
A Leslieville Interior Designer Who Knows Its Cottages and Rows
Leslieville grew in the 1850s around George Leslie’s Toronto Nurseries, a village of market gardeners and brickworks labourers. Between Queen Street East and Eastern Avenue you’ll find late-1800s Ontario cottages, Second Empire row houses and Victorians. North of Queen, the houses shift to early-1900s detached homes, semis and some very small bungalows, while former industrial buildings on Carlaw now hold lofts and condos. Each type needs its own renovation plan, and we start on it at the first visit.
Toronto's Most Trusted Interior Design Firm
Best of Houzz
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Interior Design & Home Renovation Services in Leslieville
BKDP combines architectural training, interior design and construction management under one roof. A 13-time Best of Houzz winner, BKDP plans each Leslieville renovation around the space you actually have, whether that’s a compact Victorian cottage south of Queen or a converted loft on Carlaw, and finds room for the kitchens, bathrooms and storage that families and young professionals need.
Ontario Cottages & Victorians South of Queen
Rework late-1800s cottages and Victorians between Queen St E and Eastern Ave with layouts that make the most of a compact floor plan.
- Main-floor layout redesign
- Kitchen and bath renovations
- Original trim and detail restoration
- Electrical and mechanical upgrades
Second Empire & Victorian Row Houses
Open up and extend row houses that share party walls, with structural and engineering work planned in from the start.
- Rear addition design
- Basement underpinning and finishing
- Ensuite and walk-in closet additions
- Custom storage and built-ins
Early-1900s Semis & Bungalows North of Queen
Update the detached homes, semis and very small bungalows built north of Queen in the early 1900s for the way families live now.
- Whole-home interior redesign
- Kitchen and family room layouts
- Second-storey additions
- Open-concept conversions
Carlaw Lofts & Condos
Efficient, well-finished interiors for the lofts and condos in Leslieville’s converted industrial buildings along Carlaw.
- Loft interior design
- Custom storage solutions
- Kitchen and bath updates
- Condo board approval support
Complete Interior Design & Build Services for Leslieville
Interior Design Services
- Full Home Interior Design
- Condo Interior Design
- Space Planning
- Lighting Design
- Custom Millwork
- Kitchen Design
- Bathroom Design
- Furniture & Finish Selection
Leslieville Specializations
- Row House Renovations
- Victorian Cottage Updates
- Rear Addition Design
- Basement Underpinning & Finishing
- Ensuite & Closet Additions
- Open Concept Conversions
- Electrical & Mechanical Upgrades
- Loft & Condo Interiors
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 Leslieville Renovations
Leslieville isn’t a Heritage Conservation District, so most interior renovations here don’t need heritage approval. The City’s 2014 Queen Street East/Leslieville Planning Study did set urban design guidelines and identify 56 properties of heritage interest, so we check a home’s status early. The bigger questions are usually structural. Underpinning a basement needs a building permit, and when new footings go below the house next door, as they can in a semi or row house, the City requires an engineer’s design and review.
In Leslieville, we added an ensuite and a small walk-in closet to a first home for clients who had heard their share of renovation horror stories. For a larger project on a comparable house, see Eclectic Haven, a Victorian row house in Cabbagetown that we extended and modernized around open gathering spaces and an outdoor family room built for entertaining.
Transparent Pricing for Leslieville Projects
We believe in honest, upfront pricing so you can plan your investment with confidence.
Condo & Loft Design Packages
Design only, for Carlaw lofts and Leslieville condos: space planning, custom storage design, finish selection and complete styling. A full condo renovation runs $80K–$250K+.
Cottage & Row House Renovations
Kitchens, bathrooms, ensuite additions and basement finishing for Leslieville cottages, row houses and semis.
Additions & Luxury Renovations
Rear and second-storey additions, underpinning, custom millwork and premium finishes for Leslieville’s Victorian and early-1900s 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 Leslieville home to understand how you live, what you want to change, and what the structure, party walls and zoning allow.
Design Development
Using 3D visualization, we develop detailed design concepts so you can see your finished Leslieville interior before construction starts.
Project Coordination
Our project management team handles permit applications, engineering, 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 Leslieville 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 Leslieville does BKDP serve?
BKDP works across Leslieville, from Queen Street East and the Studio District up to the Gerrard India Bazaar, on streets like Carlaw, Jones, Connaught, Laing, Woodfield Road and Blong Avenue. Our Leslieville work includes an ensuite and walk-in closet addition, and a comparable Victorian row house project is Eclectic Haven in Cabbagetown.
Is Leslieville a heritage district?
No. Leslieville isn’t a Heritage Conservation District, and none is under study, so interior renovations generally don’t need a heritage permit. The City’s 2014 Queen Street East/Leslieville Planning Study did set urban design guidelines and identify 56 properties of heritage interest, so we confirm a property’s status at the first visit. A building permit is still required for structural work, additions and underpinning.
Can you underpin the basement of a Leslieville semi or row house?
Often, yes. Underpinning always needs a building permit, and a professional engineer must test and report at the first and last stages. When the new foundation goes below the footings of the house next door, as it can with a shared party wall, or the unsupported height is over 1200 mm, the City also requires an engineer’s design and review. We bring the engineer in at the design stage and plan the work with your neighbour’s wall in mind.
How much does a home renovation in Leslieville 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 with additions. 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 Leslieville 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. Underpinning adds engineering and permit review before construction starts, so we plan for it from the beginning.
Should I replace old wiring when I renovate a Leslieville home?
It’s worth checking. Knob-and-tube wiring was used from the early 1900s to the 1940s, and many Leslieville homes date from that period or earlier. Some insurers refuse to cover it or require it to be replaced, and the Electrical Safety Authority recommends an inspection. Replacing it is easiest while walls are already open, so we assess the wiring at the first visit.
“When purchasing our first home we realized there was an opportunity to add an ensuite and small walk in closet. … They took care of every detail, have excellent people working for them, and went above and beyond to deliver a final product that we are extremely satisfied with.”— Amy, Leslieville — bathroom addition