Cottage of the Week: $13.9 million for a Caledon forest retreat with six fireplaces and a lookout tower

Neighbourhood: North Caledon Price: $13,900,000 Size: 10,300 square feet Bedrooms: 5 Bathrooms: 6 Agent: Carolyn Scime, Chestnut Park Real Estate

Related: $2.5 million for a high-tech Scandinavian farmhouse in Wellington County

The place

A five-bed, six-bath home with a two-level tower, sprawling outdoor terrace and geothermal heating. Located within a 100-acre Caledon forest, this cottage is its own sanctuary.

The history

In 2016, the current owners purchased the vacant land on which this property sits for $1.3 million. The idea was to build a home base for their large family to spend summer and winter holidays. With the help of Chris Davis of Kariouk Architects and designer Karin Bohn, construction began in the summer of 2019 and wrapped at the end of 2021. Now, the owners are relocating for work and looking to sell.

The tour

The front entrance opens into the kitchen and dining area. Slate stone siding from the exterior continues here for a seamless look. Floor-to-ceiling, triple-pane glass windows flood the space with natural light.

The kitchen’s stained-oak cabinets, as well as its Iranian marble counters and backsplash from Marble Trend, complement the natural surroundings.

Concrete tile floors with radiant heating feature throughout. The structural steel beams as well as tongue-and-groove white oak complete the modernist cabin look.

Separating the dining area from the main living space is a nine-foot-long floating fireplace made of North African black marble with gold veining. It’s suspended above a 12-by-14-foot opening that allows natural light to flow into the basement.

Tempered glass railings enclose the opening for safety, as seen from the view below. 

At the end of the living space is this family area. That staircase on the left leads to a two-storey tower.

An office with a throwback fireplace takes up the first floor of the tower. The architects say that if you squint, you can see the Toronto skyline through the windows.

These stairs lead to a music-listening room on the top floor of the tower.

Back on the main floor is the primary bedroom, which comes with a U-shaped walk-in closet and ensuite bathroom.

This reverse view shows off the second of the home’s six fireplaces.

Here’s the main ensuite with an impossible amount of green-shaded matte-honed marble, as well as a soaker tub and a cool pentagonal window.

There’s also a powder room on the main floor, equipped with 17-foot marble tile walls and a stone sink.

The second floor houses two bathrooms and a laundry room. This catwalk-style hallway adds some drama to the space.

Here’s one of the second-floor bedrooms.

This is one of the shared bathrooms with a double vanity. It continues the motifs of vivid green and warm wood.

The corner bedroom down the hall comes with plenty of storage.

With its built-in bunk beds, the third upstairs bedroom sleeps five. It also has its own ensuite bathroom.

The home’s covered terrace has treetop views, Brazilian Ipe hardwood floors, a rough-in for a bar, a sound system and another fireplace (of course). That ridge beam on the left supports the home’s 60-metre steel roof.

Moving back inside and into the basement reveals this theatre room with starry LED lights and a walk-up bar with Italian marble from Ciot. Also on the lower level are a wine room, infrared sauna and gaming room.

Have a home that’s about to hit the market? Send your listing to: realestate@torontolife.com.