Custom-built Beaches home boasts character
Three-storey detached house has one-of-a-kind features, a master-bedroom retreat
Location: 252 Silver Birch Ave., Victoria Park Ave. and Kingston Rd. Asking price: $1,598,000 Size: about 2,000 square feet, plus a finished basement Lot: 18-by-127 feet, no garage, no drive, street parking available Taxes: N/A (not assessed, new construction) Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 4 This new three-storey detached home has been custom-built by the owner and showcases five walkouts, one-of-a-kind features and a thirdfloor master-bedroom retreat.
“Originally from England, my wife and I fell in love with the Beaches for its quaint and tight-knit sense of community. We love the neighbourhood so much that we decided to build a new house here,” owner and builder Hayden Knibbs says.
“The home has a traditional Beach esthetic from the outside but has modern state-of-the-art finishes throughout,” Knibbs adds. “I took care with every detail of the home. For example, the brick on the exposed living-room wall is from an old factory in Chicago — I reclaimed and hand-cut each one. I built all the exterior doors from scratch, basing them on ones I saw in my travels to the Cayman Islands.”
There is extensive millwork with high baseboards and built-ins throughout the home, which add to the traditional feel and character of the property. Knibbs included a butler’s pantry with a wine fridge and bar sink in the chef’s kitchen.
Close to the many shops on Kingston Rd. to the north, the home is also steps away from schools, a ravine, a large park and public transit. Queen St. E., with its stores and restaurants, is less than a 10-minute walk south. The Boardwalk, Balmy Beach Park and the beach are 15 minutes away.
“This is a rare opportunity to purchase a completely brand new home built from the ground up in the Beaches,” listing agent Andrew Ipekian says. “It is a classic home that fits in seamlessly with the existing architecture in the neighbourhood, but has all the modern amenities and finishes. Unlike many new builds, this home has an abundance of character.”
The exterior of the house features a wood façade, cedar shingles, decorative pillars, large windows, a covered porch and matching Juliette balcony. It also has a stone walkway and front patio. The front door has a large glass insert and a transom window.
Inside, the foyer has pot lights, a hardwood floor and a small double closet. The spacious living room’s focal point is the gas fireplace, which has a marble surround finished flush with a detailed wood wall stretching to the ceiling and exposed brick on both sides. The living room also includes pot lights, a hardwood floor, built-in book shelves and floor-toceiling windows that flank a double garden-door walkout.
The dining room is adjacent to the front entrance and has a gardendoor walkout, bordered by windows, to the front porch. This room also has a hardwood floor and an elegant, modern chandelier-style light.
Sophisticated and contemporary, the designer kitchen includes pot lights, a hardwood floor, black granite counters, lots of cabinetry, builtin stainless-steel appliances and a porcelain-tile backsplash with a herringbone pattern. It also has an Lshaped counter that serves as a breakfast bar, with pendant lights above it and built-in glass shelves.
The second-floor contains three bedrooms, all with hardwood floors, and a four-piece main bathroom. One bedroom has a French-door walkout to the Juliette balcony. Another bedroom has a double gardendoor walkout to a back balcony and a three-piece ensuite.
Agenerous master bedroom claims the third level, highlighted by a curved, vaulted ceiling with a ceiling fan. The room also consists of a hardwood floor, a large walk-in closet, space for a sitting area and a double French-door walkout to a private rooftop terrace that overlooks the backyard and treetops. Floor-to-ceiling windows flank the walkout.
The four-piece master-bedroom ensuite features skylights, a porcelain floor, a stand-alone soaker tub, an open and separate shower area with a rainfall shower head, and twin vanity sinks on opposite walls.
The finished basement consists of a laundry room, three-piece bathroom and an open-concept recreation room. Outside, the fully fenced backyard includes a deck.
To view this property, contact Andrew Ipekian, Keller Williams Referred Urban Realty, Brokerage, 416572-1016; Ipekian.ca 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.