Victorian Facade Restoration in Little Portugal

Written By Diana Atvars

In spring 2025, our team had the privilege of restoring the front facade of this stunning 1890s Toronto home. After years of hiding behind a 1980s veneer, this house was ready for revitalization and a return to its rightful Victorian-era glory.

Front facade of a heritage masonry home in Torontos, split to show before restoration on the left and after restoration on the right. Text labels read before, after, and Arcana Heritage Masonry with Arcana Restoration group logo

OUR SCOPE:

Demolition of 1980s (non-original) brick veneer, installing new moisture barrier, design & rebuild of Victorian-style brick facade, Gable carpentry restoration & paint

TEAM:

This home was built around 1890, and its first owner in 1892 was Lewis Wickett, a drover by occupation, with a rented room to a City Hall license inspector. At this time, this neighbourhood (also known as Beaconsfield Village) was within the city limits but still relatively far from the built density of downtown; however, it had the advantage of easy transport from the nearby train station at Queen Street & Gladstone Avenue.

Although many of the homes in this neighbourhood have been renovated or replaced by apartments over the last century, there are still quite a few small Victorian-row houses like this one that were built in the 1880s and 1890s, especially on nearby Beaconsfield Avenue, known for its heritage properties.

Because this was a full rebuild of the facade, we had the opportunity to work with the homeowners to enhance the brick design, using neighbourhood homes of the same era as inspiration. We provided sketches and detailed schematics of the arch design options, including the incorporation of buff bricks to highlight the geometry.

Once the design was finalized and new moisture barrier installed, our masons expertly reconstructed the facade from the foundation up, using a combination of reclaimed Victorian era brick and new heritage match brick.

Finished with revitalized carpentry with stunning green paint, and roofing and aluminum improvements, this transformation is a great example of using traditional techniques and designs to revitalize Toronto’s vibrant heritage neighbourhoods, built to last for decades to come.

Before and after heritage masonry restoration by Arcana Restoration

 
Diana Atvars