Residential

Master Oak adds softness to a home with a story

February 2, 2026 2 min read
Can you renovate a 100-year-old home without losing its soul? Studio Lau does it time and again. It’s what the Canadian architecture practice is known for. For Riverdale House, a compact family home in the heart of Toronto, they avoided a sterile, minimalist look. Instead, they created a house that welcomes you the moment you step inside. Warm wood, gentle lines, and a layout that moves with the rhythm of young family life. The secret weapon? Master Oak.

Project details

Location: Toronto
Country: Canada
Architect: Studio Lau
Installer: Webb & Lashbrook
Photographer: Nanne Springer

The brief was clear. Design a home that grows with a young family. And respect the building’s historic character. No clean break from the past, but rather some smart interventions that create space – literally and figuratively – for everyday family life.

Softness shaped the entire design. Hard corners and sharp lines made way for rounded forms. Forms that invite movement and let rooms flow naturally into one another. In a compact home, that choice changes everything. And Master Oak made it possible. The material bends smoothly with every curve and adds a sense of calm and warmth at the same time.

Discover Master Oak

Rounded forms were essential to the design. Master Oak allowed us to execute them exactly as intended."

Winda LauFounder of Studio Lau
A young family also needs materials that can handle real life. Spills, scratches, sticky fingers. They come with the territory. Master Oak is ready for it. The surface stays easy to clean, colourfast and resistant to scratches and stains, without sacrificing looks. Quite the opposite: the wood decor mirrors real oak almost perfectly. You get the look you love, without the upkeep.

Panels used in this project: