Nature in the heart of the city
Backing onto the Don Valley ravine, house redesigned as a family home
“We moved here in 2015, and throughout the years we’ve loved exploring the neighbourhood, our property, and its beautiful natural setting. Perched above the Don River Valley we’re surrounded by woodlands and wildlife,” says homeowner Shannon Austin.
Backing onto the Don Valley ravine and sitting on a private cul-desac, the fully renovated bungalow boasts an open-concept main floor with soaring ceilings and built-in speakers, and a finished above-grade basement, complete with a walkout to a scenic, secluded backyard.
“Our home feels like a cottage in the city and we’ve enjoyed a lot of time in our yard: morning coffees on the balcony, soaking up the afternoon sun stretched out in the backyard, or hosting friends and family for barbecues and special celebrations. The abundance of outdoor space, three parking spaces, and the flow of our house makes this an ideal place for entertaining,” says Austin.
“We’ve spent many hours walking the Don River Valley trail system, which is less than a five-minute stroll from our house. We also loved walking to all the cafés and restaurants in Pape Village and on Danforth Avenue, plus the convenience of being just a quick drive to Leaside for big-box shopping.
“We renovated the house from top-to-bottom to modernize it, but we did keep a few … nods to its period charm, such as the dining room chandelier and original front door, which we repurposed to fit the entryway to the under-the-stairs area in the basement. With no buildings in front or behind us, we get lots of natural light. The downstairs recreation room with its wet bar and room for an 82-inch TV is one of our favourite spots to hang out in,” adds Austin.
The home is close to the TTC, schools, including Centennial College, Story Arts Centre campus. It has easy access to the Don Valley Parkway.
Says listing agent Scott Hanton: “This home is much more than meets the eye; from the front, it looks like a typical two-bedroom bungalow, but inside it’s a gutted open-concept main level with 12foot ceiling. It’s rare to find a home like this on a hidden cul-de-sac surrounded by nature, but still in the heart of Toronto. This was originally a solidly built 1940s bungalow that the current owners did an incredible job reimagining as a contemporary small-family home.”
This all-brick bungalow has a sloping roofline over the attached garage, a long drive, brick accents around the door and under a bay window, and a manicured front lawn.
The front door features a wrought-iron window insert and opens to the foyer with a hardwood floor and a double closet.
Partially open to the foyer, the living room is appointed with a hardwood floor, pot lights and a bay window.
The open concept dining room contains a hardwood floor, a crystal chandelier, and a window.
The kitchen overlooks the dining room, and highlights include a centre island with pendant lights above, quartz counters, ceramic tile backsplash, an integrated basin sink with a window above, and built-in appliances.
At the back of the home, the main bedroom is outfitted with a hardwood floor, a double closet, and a sliding door walkout to a private balcony.
The second bedroom is equipped with a hardwood floor, a closet, and a Murphy bed. A four-piece bathroom finishes this floor.
Between levels is a side door that opens to a large deck with space enough for a picnic table and a barbecue.
The above-grade lower-level showcases a recreation room with pot lights, a carpeted floor, a wet bar against a plank wood back wall, a three-piece bathroom, and a sliding-glass door walkout to a large patio and the rest of the backyard.