House of the Week: $2.5 million to get into one of the Annex’s classic Victorians
ADDRESS: 78 Madison Avenue
NEIGHBOURHOOD: The Annex
AGENT: Margaret Bertrand, Chestnut Park Real Estate Limited, Brokerage
PRICE: $2,495,000
THE PLACE: A three-storey Annex history lesson. Designed by famed Toronto architect R.M. Ogilvie and built between 1899 and 1901, this house retains its Victorian charms thanks to its original chandeliers and sconces, large fireplaces and hardwood floors. Like many houses on Madison Avenue, 78 embodies what most people think of when asked to picture “Toronto architecture.”
BRAGGING RIGHTS: The two-storey veranda, with a pagoda-style roof, is rare. It’s even been written about in the book Old Toronto Houses by Tom Cruickshank. Put a set of swinging chairs out front, sip some cocoa, and you’ll feel transported back to the genteel 1900s.
BIG SELLING POINT: Still in a book club? There is no better place to offer excuses for not reading Pride and Prejudice (or maybe one of the books by neighbour Margaret Atwood) than the sitting room in this house. Complete with deep red walls, an oversized Persian rug and an upright piano, the space screams Jane Eyre. The only thing missing is Mr. Darcy (but we’ll take Graeme Gibson in a pinch).
POSSIBLE DEAL BREAKER: If the house doesn’t come with the furniture, it might take years to develop the eclectic style so prevalent in the house. Prepare for a lot of weekends spent antiquing.
BY THE NUMBERS:
• $11,101.46 in taxes
• 112 years old
• 5 washrooms
• 3 bedrooms
• 3 storeys
• 2-storey veranda
52836 Living room 78 Madison Avenue https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-02.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-02.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-02.jpg 624 415 [] https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-2-5-million-to-get-into-one-of-the-annexs-classic-victorians/slide/78-madison-ave-margaret-bertrand-02/ 78-madison-ave-margaret-bertrand-02 0 0
Living room
52837 Living room 78 Madison Avenue https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-04.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-04.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-04.jpg 624 415 [] https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-2-5-million-to-get-into-one-of-the-annexs-classic-victorians/slide/78-madison-ave-margaret-bertrand-04/ 78-madison-ave-margaret-bertrand-04 0 0
Living room
52838 Dining room 78 Madison Avenue https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-05.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-05.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-05.jpg 624 415 [] https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-2-5-million-to-get-into-one-of-the-annexs-classic-victorians/slide/78-madison-ave-margaret-bertrand-05/ 78-madison-ave-margaret-bertrand-05 0 0
Dining room
52839 Dining room 78 Madison Avenue https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-06.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-06.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-06.jpg 624 415 [] https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-2-5-million-to-get-into-one-of-the-annexs-classic-victorians/slide/78-madison-ave-margaret-bertrand-06/ 78-madison-ave-margaret-bertrand-06 0 0
Dining room
52840 Kitchen 78 Madison Avenue https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-07.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-07.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-07.jpg 624 415 [] https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-2-5-million-to-get-into-one-of-the-annexs-classic-victorians/slide/78-madison-ave-margaret-bertrand-07/ 78-madison-ave-margaret-bertrand-07 0 0
Kitchen
52841 Kitchen 78 Madison Avenue https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-08.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-08.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-08.jpg 624 415 [] https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-2-5-million-to-get-into-one-of-the-annexs-classic-victorians/slide/78-madison-ave-margaret-bertrand-08/ 78-madison-ave-margaret-bertrand-08 0 0
Kitchen
52842 Breakfast nook 78 Madison Avenue https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-09.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-09.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-09.jpg 624 415 [] https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-2-5-million-to-get-into-one-of-the-annexs-classic-victorians/slide/78-madison-ave-margaret-bertrand-09/ 78-madison-ave-margaret-bertrand-09 0 0
Breakfast nook
52843 Kitchen 78 Madison Avenue https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-10.jpg 624 415 [] https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-2-5-million-to-get-into-one-of-the-annexs-classic-victorians/slide/78-madison-ave-margaret-bertrand-10/ 78-madison-ave-margaret-bertrand-10 0 0
Kitchen
52844 Foyer 78 Madison Avenue https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-11.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-11.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-11.jpg 624 415 [] https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-2-5-million-to-get-into-one-of-the-annexs-classic-victorians/slide/78-madison-ave-margaret-bertrand-11/ 78-madison-ave-margaret-bertrand-11 0 0
Foyer
52845 Foyer 78 Madison Avenue https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-12.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-12.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-12.jpg 624 415 [] https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-2-5-million-to-get-into-one-of-the-annexs-classic-victorians/slide/78-madison-ave-margaret-bertrand-12/ 78-madison-ave-margaret-bertrand-12 0 0
Foyer
52846 Den, with second floor balcony door open 78 Madison Avenue https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-13.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-13.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-13.jpg 624 415 [] https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-2-5-million-to-get-into-one-of-the-annexs-classic-victorians/slide/78-madison-ave-margaret-bertrand-13/ 78-madison-ave-margaret-bertrand-13 0 0
Den, with second floor balcony door open
52847 Attic room 78 Madison Avenue https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-17.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-17.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-17.jpg 624 415 [] https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-2-5-million-to-get-into-one-of-the-annexs-classic-victorians/slide/78-madison-ave-margaret-bertrand-17/ 78-madison-ave-margaret-bertrand-17 0 0
Attic room
52849 Exterior 78 Madison Avenue https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-20.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-20.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-20.jpg 1280 851 [] https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-2-5-million-to-get-into-one-of-the-annexs-classic-victorians/slide/78-madison-ave-margaret-bertrand-20/ 78-madison-ave-margaret-bertrand-20 0 0
Exterior
52848 Exterior 78 Madison Avenue https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-19.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-19.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/78-Madison-Ave-Margaret-Bertrand-19.jpg 655 628 [] https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-2-5-million-to-get-into-one-of-the-annexs-classic-victorians/slide/78-madison-ave-margaret-bertrand-19/ 78-madison-ave-margaret-bertrand-19 0 0
Exterior
I lived a few doors down. The frat house thing is a non issue – this house is far enough north.
Very nice… wish they had less furniture… would have loved to see the bathroom…
They did an amazing job on the kitchen. The best feature of the house.
Are we sure that Pride and Prejudice was written by Atwood and not some other famous female author? :)
Too bad there is no greenery in front of the house and the attic doesn’t match the rest of the houses’s tone.
The madison pub has no impact on this property. It is a block and a half south and one does not know it even exists living here.As for the remark 1000 drunken students,That seems to be in the mind of the author of this article and carries no fact what so ever.It is simply a silly comment that shows lack of knowledge of the street.
it would be like living in a museum
nice. i see 2 horses
the frat thing totally is an issue!
http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/01/27/frat-parties-%E2%80%98terrorizing%E2%80%99-the-annex-councillor-says/