HOME OF THE WEEK
Walls were taken down and original brick restored during recent expansion
A character home in Little Italy is listed for $1,275,000. This three-plus-one bedroom, four bathroom, semi-detached home has been gutted and restored to feature ultra-modern updates, exposed red brick and stylish design. Hardwood floors throughout, the inner city abode has brand-new steel stairs with metal handrails and 3⁄4- inch glass from floor to ceiling on the main and second levels. The house also features a backyard with patio.
Location: 638 Euclid Ave., Bloor St. W. and Bathurst St. Asking price: $1,275,000; conditional offer made Size: over 2,300 sq. ft. of living space Lot: 14 by 125 feet, no garage, lane drive, two parking spaces Taxes: $4,700 (2015) Bedrooms: 3 plus 1 Bathrooms: 4
In the heart of Toronto’s trendy Little Italy, just blocks from the urban intersection of Bathurst and Bloor Sts., this three-storey, semi-detached home has undergone a transformation — recently fully gutted, redesigned and restored.
“When my partner, Jason Caron, and I came to look at the property it was an estate sale,” says owner John Durbano. “The home was built in 1900. The rooms were small and the stairways very narrow. We saw a lot of potential with this property, and decided it would make for a great renovation project.”
Durbano goes on to explain how he and Caron knocked out walls and the original staircase and underpinned the basement so that the ceilings are now nine feet high.
They installed a staircase with open risers to further the airy esthetic, adding steel stairs with metal handrails and 3⁄4- inch glass from the floor to ceiling on the main and second levels, and waist-high glass railings on the third floor.
“From the outside it looks narrow but once you open the door, the home completely opens up and you have a clear view to the back of the home,” Durbano says.
While removing plaster on the walls they discovered the original vintage red brick.
“Exposed brick on all three storeys is rare around this area. Open stairs and glass hallway walls make the exposed brick walls seem like a back- drop to the house,” listing agent Lucais Shepherd says. “The home is warm, shouts historic and it’s superbly done.”
An original, refinished wood door, a brass bell-ringer and brass mailbox give guests a feel for the historical significance of the home, Shepherd adds.
Every washroom has heated floors, and the entire house has a built-in audio system and speakers. The home is also feng shui-certified.
With an eye-catching touch of elegance, yet blending in perfectly with the surrounding homes, this semi has a brick facade, flagstone stairs and a porch with a wrought-iron rail and a wood panelled ceiling with pot lights. On all levels, the home boasts 5- 1⁄
4 inch Canadian hardwood floors.
The front door opens to the living room, which features a hardwood floor, pot lights, crown moulding and a gas fireplace with a rustic wood mantle.
Open to the dining room, the living room has a hardwood floor, pot lights and a moulded ceiling. There is a double-door coat closet off the dining room and steps that lead to the lower level.
The dining room is open to the galley kitchen. Highlights of the kitchen include granite counters with a rain- fall feature at both ends, stainless steel appliances, a built-in second oven, under-counter lighting, subway tile backsplash, pot lights, crown moulding, a window above the double sink and a built-in desk area with an exposed brick wall above. The kitchen includes plenty of counter space and cupboards — some with modern doors with frosted glass inserts.
Just off the kitchen is a powder room.
Floating stairs from the living room lead to the second floor. Equal in size, there are two bedrooms on the second level.
Both have double closets, and one also has a protruding bay window. Off the second bedroom is a cosy den with two large windows, a hardwood floor, pot lights and glass doors, ideal as a small, private work space.
There is a second-floor laundry room with a marble floor and a fourpiece bathroom with a heated marble floor.
The third floor is devoted to the master bedroom suite, with an exposed brick wall, pot lights, a small nook with a picture window and a three-piece ensuite with a heated marble floor and an oversized shower stall with a glass door.
With nine-foot ceilings, the professionally finished lower level features a recreation room with built-in cupboard and shelf space, pot lights and wood framing on part of the walls and ceiling.
There is another three-piece bathroom in the basement with a glass door shower stall and a heated floor.
The backyard is fully fenced with a smooth concrete patio, pathway and some green space.
To have a look at this property contact Lucais Shepherd, Orange Square Realty Inc., Brokerage, 416-805-3900; lucais.com. Although we try to provide the most up-to-date information available, we cannot guarantee features as listed. Please contact the realtor for latest details. To make a submission to Home of the Week, email soldhome@rogers.com.