Heaps Estrin's Blog - Beyond Magazine

Have Agent, Will Travel

Features | Have Agent, Will Travel 

Anyone can book a flight online. But if you’re looking for an unforgettable experience complete with a once-in-a-lifetime itinerary, customized accommodations and foolproof support, you’ll need a travel agent. Yes, they still exist, and no, you can’t do it without one.

Words by Leah Rumack

Maryann Gaskin, owner of the luxury travel agency Gaskin Travel Inc., had to jump through a few hoops to hide a photographer in the woods in France. But when he captured the exact moment her client proposed to his girlfriend on their vacation, it was worth it. She had also arranged for a post-proposal picnic with a bottle of the couple’s favourite champagne and had framed photos of the pair placed in their hotel room. “It’s…

460 Views, 0 Comments

The Sandwich Generation

Features | The Sandwich Generation

Caught between caring simultaneously for aging parents and children or grandchildren, a growing group of Canadians is making up the so-called Sandwich Generation that’s straddling two generations in need. And the double-layered financial, physical and emotional pressures are spreading them too thin. 

Words by Alex Cyr

When Jane Allin retired in 2014 after a 30-year career in education—most recently as a high school principal in Toronto—she had grand plans for her golden years. She and her husband, Stephen, a retired entrepreneur who once helmed the largest garden furniture manufacturing company in North America, had mapped it all out: they would travel, get in shape and settle into a slower pace of life. And…

625 Views, 0 Comments

Building A City of Culture

Features | Building A City of Culture

There’s no shortage of high-profile art fairs or heritage institutions in Toronto, but pushing the city into capital-C culture takes more than a checklist of museums and international exhibitions. It involves giving space to diverse initiatives, providing fertile ground for burgeoning artists and getting financial backing from City Hall. The good news? Toronto is well on its way.  

Words by Maryam Siddiqi

Passing through the intersection of Lake Shore Boulevard and York Street, you might spot an odd sight: three boom lifts (construction equipment often found at the side of the road for perpetual repairs to the underside of the Gardiner Expressway) wrapped in bright blue, purple, green and red vinyl with…

452 Views, 0 Comments

Back In Black

Features | Back In Black

Moody, dramatic and luxe, black is appearing more frequently in interiors to elevate spaces from the expected to the utterly chic. Here, four designers speak to how they used inky shades of black to create inviting spaces that will stand the test of style. 

Words by Alicia Cox Thomson

Fashionable folks know that if it’s an effortlessly chic look you’re going for, always bet on black. And as it turns out, this applies to interiors, too. Elegant, cool and mysterious, it’s a surprisingly hardworking neutral with unending possibilities. Depending on how and where you’re using it, much like its snowy counterpart, black can vibe with a variety of styles and aesthetics, whether you’re looking to modernize a space or infuse it…

160 Views, 0 Comments

The Lobby

The Lobby | Elemental Metaphors

Sandy Middleton’s show at The Lobby draws from the elements of sky, water and land to tell a story of personal and global transformation.  

Words by Marilisa Racco

“An artist’s journey is never a straight line,” says Sandy Middleton, a St. Catharines-based artist who uses her technical training in photography to create an inventive medium she calls photo encaustic paper sculpture, which will be on display at The Lobby by Heaps Estrin through the fall.

The medium came to her when, during the pandemic, she was cleaning out her basement and came upon 30 years’ worth of photography, prompting her to think about what she could do with it. It began by cutting up the photographs, painting over them with encaustic…

141 Views, 0 Comments

The Bain House

Storied Homes | The Bain House 

A historic residential landmark in our city that speaks to a quiet reverence for Toronto’s past.

Words by Alex Corey,  Heaps Estrin Real Estate Agent and Architectural Historian

Riverdale, perched above the Don River, has been a bustling residential neighbourhood almost since its annexation in 1889. One of Toronto’s early streetcar suburbs, its streets are now lined by brick bay-and-gables and single-family houses, leaving few traces of its earlier rural past, thus making the home at 14 Dingwall Ave. a truly special property.

Dubbed the Bain House, it is a rare remaining example of a Georgian Revival farmhouse, constructed around 1860 for Robert Sargant, a dry goods merchant. The house was sold in 1869 to…

346 Views, 0 Comments

Success Stories: The Touch of Gold

The Touch of Gold: A Heaps Estrin Success Story 

When Heaps Estrin brought 11 Thornwood Road to market, the goal was simple: showcase a landmark Rosedale residence with the same care and intentionality that shaped its creation. Listed by Cailey Heaps and Martha Grant, the process began long before the sign went up - starting with a deep understanding of the homeowners’ goals, lifestyle, and preferences, and then crafting a listing strategy that honoured both the home’s uniqueness and the priorities of those who cherished it most.

Designed by award-winning architect Marianne McKenna, Thornwood House was envisioned as a family residence and a striking canvas for contemporary art. Its sculptural lines, soaring interior spaces, and seamless…

179 Views, 0 Comments

In the Six

Our sixth edition of BEYOND is here. As always, this edition is designed to inform and inspire – highlighting the culture, trends, and market insights that continue to shape life in Toronto.

Inside, we explore the complex reality of the Sandwich Generation and the balancing act of caring for both children and aging parents. We shine a spotlight on the vibrant community of Leslieville and share a few of our latest local obsessions. We also delve into the role of art in shaping our city’s evolving urban landscape.

For those with an eye for interiors, we explore moody, dramatic spaces that make a lasting impression, and we sit down with celebrated designer Tommy Smythe for his take on Toronto’s design and cultural identity.

Discover more inside…

421 Views, 0 Comments

Big Little Spaces

Big Little Spaces

FOUR INTERIOR DESIGNERS SHARE CREATIVE INSIGHTS FOR MAKING THE MOST OUT OF TIGHT SPOTS.

Every home, regardless of size, has at least one of those spots that seems too small to do anything with. Maybe you’ve considered putting in a table habillée with a vase of flowers and calling it a day. But there are big opportunities in small places — just ask anyone who’s joined the tiny house movement. And while it’s unlikely that downsizing to that point will have broad appeal, there’s a lesson to be learned in looking to those who live in more constrained square footage, which is that small spaces can be the ideal spot for big design ideas. “Small spaces are often underutilized, particularly in Canada and the U.S.,” says Nicci Harrison,…

340 Views, 0 Comments

Toronto’s AI-powered future

From the new smart home to autonomous cars and optimized traffic flow, artificial intelligence promises to transform Canada’s largest city.

Words by Nicolle Weeks

Toronto, the perennial darling of global livability rankings, is attracting international residents from all walks of life. But the city’s rapid growth has taken a toll on infrastructure, leaving us straining to keep up with our global counterparts.

Cue AI. As Canada’s undeniable tech hub, Toronto is ready to harness AI to reinvent itself. From managing traffic to streamlining daily routines, AI can help optimize and transform our bustling metropolis into (dare we say) the world’s most desirable and livable city.

HERE’S HOW AI IS POISED TO TRANSFORM TORONTO INTO A SMARTER, GREENER AND…

680 Views, 0 Comments