House of the Week: $4.2 million for an artist’s Forest Hill home with a dog shower

By Liza Agrba | Photography By Michael Peart for The Print Market | October 30, 2019

By Liza Agrba | Photography By Michael Peart for The Print Market | 10/30/2019

Address: 1 Shorncliffe Ave.
Neighbourhood: Forest Hill
Agents: Elizabeth Cowan, Royal LePage
Price: $4,179,000
Previously sold for: $1,900,000 in 2016

The place:

A clean-cut contemporary house brimming with natural light. With 3,000 square feet of open space and soaring ceilings, the place seems purpose-built for displaying art. It has some quirky features, too, like a dog shower.

The history:

The house, built in 1978, recently underwent a major interior gut job. The sellers upgraded the plumbing and electrical, installed a glossy new Italian kitchen and spent $200,000 on landscaping. The seller, an artist, is moving out of the city because she needs more room for her St. Bernard, Oscar.

The façade is surrounded by tall, mature trees:

There’s a literal white picket fence in the picturesque front garden:

The living room has a super-clean aesthetic, owing to a white paint job and plenty of natural light:

Here’s the room from a different angle. The ceiling is 18 feet high:

Whoever purchases this place will dine in style:

Imagine brewing fresh espresso in this brand-new Italian kitchen:

A closer look. Notice the built-in wine fridge:

On the second floor, a bedroom:

Another second-floor bedroom:

Here’s the second-floor bathroom, which has lots of marble and a custom sink:

On the third floor, the master bedroom is being staged as a study:

The master bathroom, with a glass shower (and even more marble):

A bedroom on the lower level:

In the mudroom, behold the dog shower:

Also on the lower level, there’s a studio with high glass ceilings:

That same room:

The wood back patio:

The backyard garden has Japanese maple trees, which were added as part of the renovations:

There’s parking for multiple vehicles:

Big selling point:

The open-concept main living area, with its 18-foot dome ceilings, offers an excess of natural light to brighten anyone’s mood—especially those afflicted by the winter blues.

Possible deal-breaker:

The place looks great after those renovations, especially the kitchen, but the outside could use a bit of a refresher. Some buyers will probably want to add a brand-new coat of paint or replace the façade brick-by-brick.