Interior Designer The Annex
Design-Build Renovation for East Annex Victorians, West Annex Semis & Converted Annex Houses
As an interior designer in the Annex, BiglarKinyan Design Planning Inc. (BKDP) brings 20+ years of design-build experience to the area’s Victorian and Edwardian houses, Georgian Revival semis and apartment suites. Parts of the Annex sit in Heritage Conservation Districts, and many of its large houses were divided into units over the years. One integrated team handles design, permits and construction, and stays accountable for your Annex home renovation from the first sketch to the final styling.
An Annex Interior Designer Who Knows the Housing Stock
The Annex’s large Victorian and Edwardian houses went up between about 1880 and the early 1900s. Its best-known houses combine Richardsonian Romanesque arches with Queen Anne turrets in brick, the look known as the “Annex style.” Howland Avenue has Georgian Revival semis, Spadina Gardens dates from 1906, and International-style apartment buildings followed in the 1950s and 60s. Many of the large houses were later carved into units, which gives a renovation the chance to restore or rethink the plan.
Toronto's Most Trusted Interior Design Firm
Best of Houzz
13 Consecutive Years
Years Experience
Serving Greater Toronto
ARIDO/IDC Affiliated
Professional Credentials
Client Satisfaction
Verified Reviews
Interior Design & Home Renovation Services in The Annex
BKDP’s founders, Fardid Biglar and Kenneth Ho, trained in architecture at the University of Toronto. A 13-time Best of Houzz winner, BKDP combines architectural training, interior design and construction management under one roof, and plans each Annex renovation around what the house already does well, whether that’s a Romanesque arch, a turret room or the original stair of a Georgian Revival semi.
East Annex Victorian Houses
Renovate the large brick Victorian and Edwardian houses of the East Annex Heritage Conservation District, inside and out.
- Kitchen and family room layouts
- Original millwork and trim restoration
- Rear addition design
- Heritage permit coordination
Georgian Revival & West Annex Semis
Update semi-detached homes, such as the Georgian Revival semis on Howland Avenue, with shared party walls and underpinning planned from the start.
- Party wall and structural planning
- Underpinning coordination
- Open-concept conversions
- Kitchen and bath renovations
Converted Houses, Restored or Reconfigured
Rework large houses that were divided into units, whether you want one family home again or a better multi-unit layout.
- Whole-home layout redesign
- Unit-to-single-family conversions
- Knob-and-tube wiring replacement
- Electrical and mechanical upgrades
Annex Apartment & Condo Suites
Efficient, well-finished interiors for suites in the Annex’s 1950s–60s apartment buildings and other multi-unit buildings.
- Condo interior design
- Custom storage solutions
- Kitchen and bath updates
- Condo board approval support
Complete Interior Design & Build Services for The Annex
Interior Design Services
- Full Home Interior Design
- Condo Interior Design
- Space Planning
- Lighting Design
- Custom Millwork
- Kitchen Design
- Bathroom Design
- Furniture & Finish Selection
The Annex Specializations
- Victorian & Edwardian Home Renovation
- Heritage District Projects
- Semi-Detached Renovations
- Underpinning & Basement Planning
- Multi-Unit to Single-Family Conversions
- Kitchen Design-Build
- Century Wiring & Systems Upgrades
- Custom Millwork & Built-ins
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 Annex Renovations
Two heritage districts cover parts of the Annex. The East Annex Heritage Conservation District, set by by-law in 1994 and approved by the OMB in 1995, covers 256 properties. The Madison Avenue HCD (By-law 553-2019) is the first phase of the West Annex, and the City is studying a second West Annex phase between Bedford Road and Bathurst Street. Interior work generally doesn’t need a heritage permit, but changes to the outside of a house may, and heritage review is folded into the building permit when one is needed.
Annex houses also share practical issues. Semis share a party wall, and the City’s underpinning guidance calls for engineered design and field review when new footings go below a neighbour’s, more than 1200 mm is left unsupported, or the soil is clay or silt. Original knob-and-tube wiring can be safe if maintained, but insurers often require inspection or replacement. For a comparable house, see Classic Minimalist, a century home in Lawrence Park South where we kept the original facade and fully reworked the interior.
Transparent Pricing for The Annex Projects
We believe in honest, upfront pricing so you can plan your investment with confidence.
Condo Design Packages
Design only, for Annex apartment and condo suites: space planning, custom storage design, finish selection and complete styling. A full condo renovation runs $80K–$250K+.
Kitchen, Bath & Semi Renovations
Kitchens, bathrooms and main-floor reworks for Annex semis and Victorian houses.
Additions & Major Renovations
Rear additions, underpinning, custom millwork and premium finishes for larger Annex houses.
Full Home Design-Build
End-to-end design and construction management for complete home transformations, including returning a divided house to one family home. One integrated team, one accountable process.
Our Proven Design Process
Discovery & Planning
An in-depth consultation at your Annex home to understand how you live, what you want to change, and what the structure and heritage rules allow.
Design Development
Using 3D visualization, we develop detailed design concepts so you can see your finished Annex interior before construction starts.
Project Coordination
Our project management team handles permit and heritage 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 Annex 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 the Annex does BKDP serve?
BKDP works across the Annex, from Bloor Street north to Dupont Street and from Avenue Road west to Bathurst Street. That includes the East Annex and West Annex, on streets such as Admiral Road, Lowther Avenue, Brunswick Avenue, Bernard Avenue, Albany Avenue, Madison Avenue, Bedford Road and Howland Avenue. Our Annex work includes a kitchen design-build for a family in a turn-of-the-century home; their review is below.
Do I need a heritage permit to renovate in the East Annex or on Madison Avenue?
Usually not for interior work. The Ontario Heritage Act requires a permit to alter any part of a property in a Heritage Conservation District other than the interior, so a new kitchen or bathroom generally needs no heritage approval. An addition is reviewed as part of the building permit, and street-visible work such as window replacement, skylights or AC units may need a heritage permit from City staff. We check which district, if any, your house is in before design starts.
Can I lower the basement of an Annex semi?
Often, yes, but it takes engineering. Lowering a basement generally means underpinning the foundation, and in a semi that work runs along the shared party wall. The City’s guidance calls for engineered design and field review if new footings go below a neighbour’s, if more than 1200 mm is left unsupported, or if the soil is clay or silt. We bring the structural engineer in at the design stage.
How much does a home renovation in the Annex 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 an Annex 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 heritage review or structural engineering for underpinning, that adds time before construction starts, so we plan for it from the beginning.
Can you convert a divided Annex house back to a single-family home?
Yes. Many large Annex houses were carved into units, and a renovation can return one to a single family home or rework it into a better multi-unit layout. We’ve done this before: we converted a triplex on Summerhill Avenue into a single family home. On eligible lots, a laneway suite (allowed since 2018) or garden suite (allowed since 2022) can also add space without changing the main house.
“We live in a large, open concept turn of the century Annex home … the kitchen was dated and poorly designed for a multi-cook family like ours. … In the design phase, they spent several hours with us in our existing kitchen to understand what we wanted, came up with an excellent concept for re-orienting the space, and took detailed notes on the look, feel and materials we liked.”— J + C, The Annex — kitchen renovation