Cottage of the Week: $2.9 million for a glammed-up 1870s worker’s cabin in Cabbagetown

Neighbourhood: Cabbagetown Price: $2,995,000 Size: 2,000 square feet Bedrooms: 3+1 Bathrooms: 3 Parking spots: 2 Real estate agents: Kyle Frank, Heaps Estrin

The place

A sunlight-bathed three-plus-one-bedroom, two-bathroom architectural darling in Cabbagetown. The place is tucked away on a peaceful heritage-protected street and comes with a laneway coach house, zen gardens, two modular offices, a hidden soaker tub, oversized windows everywhere, and an elegant mix of metal and reclaimed wood finishes. It’s within walking distance of Castle Frank and Sherbourne stations as well as Rosedale Valley and Riverdale Farm. And motorists are minutes from both Bayview and the DVP.

The history

The home was built in the 1870s as one of countless worker’s cottages: tiny houses that were sold or rented to early immigrants working in Toronto’s burgeoning industries. In 2002, its owner, an architect, renovated the cottage into a 2,000-square-foot wonder, adding a three-storey structure at the rear and converting the original laneway garage into a space that triples as a workshop, a studio and a coach house. In every design decision, letting in maximum natural light was top of mind.

Related: $4.9 million for a shrine to pine in Georgian Bay with a loft accessed by ladder

The tour

Here’s the front yard, bursting with perennial gardens. The cottage façade has been maintained, but its roof is now galvanized steel.

The old cottage is split into two spaces: an office and boardroom on the left and another office and lounge on the right. They could easily be converted into bedrooms or rec rooms, though. Hidden sliding wood doors can be pulled across for privacy.

Here’s a peek inside the boardroom.

Now for a closer look at the office lounge. All of the mid-century modern furniture, decor and art belongs to the owner.

The bowling-alley hallway stretches all the way to the backyard. Note the movie-theatre lighting in the baseboards.

The kitchen acts as a bridge between the original cottage and the three-storey addition. It has no overhead lighting but instead a long, narrow skylight over the counter as well as ambient floor lights. The fridge is concealed behind that sliding door to the walk-in pantry.

This angle highlights the gas cooktop, polished concrete counters and stainless steel backsplash. The CD library in the island on the left is, sadly, not included in the sale.

Just beyond the kitchen—this tour’s first stop in the addition—is the living and dining area, with soaring 20-foot ceilings and custom-built windows framed by reclaimed wood.

The low-key courtyard between the kitchen and the dining space may be the home’s best feature. It comes with a koi pond and gentle greenery.

Here’s a preview of the backyard and coach house—more on that later.

Moving to the second floor reveals the main bedroom. Those railings in the foreground overlook the living and dining area. And that big window in the back is designed for privacy, jutting out to let residents look down on the backyard without neighbours peering in.

Here’s the ensuite bathroom. Beneath its glass shower lies a clever sunken soaker tub accessed by removing the wood floor.

There’s another living room on the third floor.

The balcony has views of the neighbourhood and wraps around the east, west and south sides of the addition.

While the front of the home is heritage quaint, the back shows its contemporary edge.

The meticulously landscaped gardens and waterfall staircase lead to the coach house.

In the coach house: more inspiring nooks and expansive windows.

Down the hallway is the bathroom, and up above is the loft, which fits a double mattress. The coach house is fully insulated and equipped with HVAC, giving it great potential as an all-season guest house.

In the garage proper: tons of storage and equipment for gearheads.

Lastly, here’s the view from the laneway.

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