Upstairs, Downstairs
A family with a plastic surgery business discovers the joys of living above the shop
Jamil and Femina Asaria didn’t plan to live above their workplace; it just kind of happened. They bought a two-storey furniture store on Davenport Road in May 2016, thinking they’d transform it into Face Toronto, their boutique plastic surgery clinic, where Jamil performs facial procedures for an upscale clientele and Femina is the director of operations. The space was massive, though—too big, they ultimately decided, for their business. So they wondered, why not live upstairs?
The idea was particularly appealing to Jamil. He gives lectures around the world. When he’s home, he likes to maximize his time with the couple’s kids, 5-year-old Rayn and 2-year-old Kayden. A second-floor residence would reduce his commute time to near zero.
They hired architect Gianpiero Pugliese, of Audax, to lead the renovation on both the clinic and the residence. They gave him a list of wants, including a double-sided granite fireplace, a tucked-away butler’s kitchen, hand-cut tiles in the bathroom, an open-air patio and a walk-in closet. Construction lasted 16 months.
The 3,900-square-foot flat draws its inspiration from Italian design: the entry has Venetian-made door knockers and the bedroom is lined with silk Armani wallpaper. The marble-everything master bathroom was a three-month construction project unto itself.
Now, with their residence completed, the benefits are everything Jamil and Femina had hoped for. Rather than cramming into subway cars or jostling for space on congested highways, they ride a private elevator directly to the office.