Railcar House: How to Make the Most of Your Home’s Footprint

Post Architecture takes cues from railcars to reconfigure a home in Little Italy

In one of Toronto’s most storied and culturally rich neighbourhoods, a century-old semi-detached house has undergone an ambitious transformation. Designed by Post Architecture, the newly minted Railcar House is a study in spatial ingenuity, proving that even Toronto’s most narrow of footprints can be expanded in ways that feel both generous and seamlessly functional.

The home’s original layout was a challenge: small, compartmentalized rooms made the space feel tight, while narrow hallways impeded the natural flow of movement. The homeowners, who love to entertain, struggled with constrained living areas and found that their extensive art collection was lost in dim corners. With a mere 14-foot width, the house required a bold reimagining to maximize its potential.

Post Architecture approached the renovation with a conceptual framework that rethinks circulation. Inspired by the layout of luxury passenger trains, the home was redesigned as a series of connected ‘cars,’ each stretching to the full width of the house. The approach creates a sense of expansion while minimizing dead space. “I think the analogy of the rail car is applicable to many Toronto homes,” says studio principal Gloria Apostolou. “They’re narrow and long, and we wanted to make sure each space took full advantage of the width while using the length efficiently.”

The first major intervention was the relocation of the entry vestibule. By adding 80 square feet to the front of the house, the architects created a defined entryway, preventing the living space from being compromised. “Most houses have the front door opening straight into the living room,” says Apostolou. “By moving the entry sequence forward, we preserved the full width of the living area, which allowed it to feel much more generous.”

Similarly, a modest two-foot kitchen bump-out to the side significantly improved circulation. “That small change was key,” Apostolou notes. “It shifted the kitchen from a galley format to one with an island, separating cooking and traffic flow zones.”

Beyond maximizing room sizes, the Railcar House’s most impactful intervention was its reconfigured staircase. “Circulation space is often wasted in narrow homes,” Apostolou explains. “We placed the stair centrally in a switchback configuration to eliminate unnecessary hallways and make each landing a natural access point to adjacent rooms.”

The design strategy ensured that every room could stretch across the full width of the house, making spaces feel larger than their actual square footage. “The idea was to minimize wasted space on circulation,” Apostolou continues. “Now, each floor lands on a generous landing where you can go left or right, rather than being funnelled through hallways.”

This approach also played a role in preserving ceiling height and avoiding obtrusive structural elements. “To keep the switchback stair visually clean, we suspended the second-floor landing from the roof rafters rather than supporting it from below,” Apostolou explains. “This eliminated the need for a post in the middle of the staircase, making it feel open rather than obstructive.”

As much as the Railcar House is an exercise in spatial efficiency, it’s equally about ambiance and art. The homeowners’ extensive collection was a major consideration throughout the design process. “We spent many hours moving art around in planning,” Apostolou recalls. “We cataloged each piece, tested different arrangements and refined the lighting plan to ensure everything was properly highlighted.”

The colour palette was carefully curated to complement the artwork. “Dark walls can make certain pieces pop just as well as light ones,” Apostolou explains. “It really depends on the composition of the artwork. We played with deep green tones to add mood and create contrast while keeping the main walls lighter.” Oak paneling in two-tone finishes adds warmth and depth, reinforcing the home’s layered aesthetic. Metallic accents subtly enhance the material palette, acting as neutral yet reflective elements that catch and distribute light dynamically throughout the space.

Post Architecture extended their meticulous approach to the home’s outdoor areas, designing them as intentional extensions of the interior. “The landscape was treated like another ‘room’ in the house,” Apostolou says. “We carefully considered sightlines from every major living space, ensuring that each view framed something meaningful.”

One such focal point is a Japanese maple tree, salvaged and strategically replanted to create a striking view from the living room. “Instead of looking out at a blank fence, the homeowners now see this beautiful, sculptural tree—it makes the space feel more dynamic and alive,” says Apostolou.

With strategic spatial planning, a cohesive design philosophy, and an emphasis on integrating art and function, Post Architecture has transformed a once-cramped semi into a space that feels expansive, elegant, and intuitive—proving how thoughtful architectural intervention can completely redefine a home’s livability.

For the homeowners—avid art collectors and frequent entertainers—their once-constrained home is now a fluid, adaptable space where every inch has been carefully considered, and where movement through the house is as seamless as stepping from one train car to the next. In every sense, the transformation is a resounding success.