An Architect Couple Turn an Urban Eyesore Into a Home That’s Both Peaceful and Playful
Clean, streamlined spaces with a reverence for the outdoors reflect a Toronto family’s adventurous lifestyle.
![An Architect Couple Turn an Urban Eyesore Into a Home That’s Both Peaceful and Playful](https://images.dwell.com/photos/6676846327473246208/6719011756250714112/small.jpg?#)
Clean, streamlined spaces with a reverence for the outdoors reflect a Toronto family’s adventurous lifestyle.
![](https://images.dwell.com/photos/6676846327473246208/6719011756250714112/large.jpg)
When architect couple Rick Galezowski and Maggie Bennedsen noticed that the house next door—"the ugliest house on the street" and a clear teardown—was on the market, they snapped it up. What came next, they describe, was a design that indulged their "own quirky lifestyle."
![](https://images.dwell.com/photos/6676846327473246208/6719011756007055360/medium.jpg)
Photo: Tom Arban
The outdoorsy, athletic pair wanted a base camp for adventure, but also a private escape that would take advantage of the neighborhood’s canopy of mature oaks and maples. Bellwoods Lodge is just that: a fuss-free home with an easy-access bike prep station on the lower level, and a forested backyard with a picnic bench and fire pit—perfect for at-home camping.
![](https://images.dwell.com/photos/6676846327473246208/6719011759908122624/medium.jpg)
Photo: Tom Arban
![](https://images.dwell.com/photos/6676846327473246208/6719011756950495232/medium.jpg)
Photo: Tom Arban
See the full story on Dwell.com: An Architect Couple Turn an Urban Eyesore Into a Home That’s Both Peaceful and Playful
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