House of the Week: $2.8 million for an Aurora farmhouse with 19th-century bones and modern style

House of the Week: $2.8 million for an Aurora farmhouse with 19th-century bones and modern style

At 4,400 square feet, the property comes with an original staircase, a decked-out basement and a backyard pool with a cozy cabana

The Gledhill-Bryan House is one of Aurora's most famous

Neighbourhood: Aurora Village
Price: $2,850,000
Size: 4,426 square feet
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 4
Realtors: Khalen Meredith and Kim Nichols


The place

A recently renovated four-bedroom, four-bathroom heritage home in Aurora’s historic downtown. It includes a backyard with an outdoor dining space, a pool and a cabana, and it’s a short walk from Town Park, the Aurora GO station and the many shops on Yonge

The history

Built in 1875, the Gledhill-Bryan House, as it was named, has changed hands many times, though the skeleton and layout have remained the same. The current owners have lived here for the past 20 years, renovating in 2017 with the help of Lisa Robazza Design. Now they’re putting their house on the market.

Related: $8.6 million for a home near Casa Loma with eight bedrooms and an outdoor dining hall

The tour

The gable roof and wrap-around porch recalls the home’s 19th-century origins. That board-and-batten cladding came with the 2017 renovation.

Built in 1875, the house has many period details, such as the wraparound porch

Walking through the French doors and into the foyer reveals the original staircase.

In the foyer, you can see the house's original staircase

To the left of the entrance is the office, with a built-in desk and shelving.

The Aurora home's office overlooks the front yard

And on the right is one of the home’s many living spaces, with hardwood floors and a fireplace featuring a herringbone surround.

Here's the place's living area, with a fireplace with herringbone detail

The foyer leads to the kitchen and dining area, which have a tongue-and-groove ceiling.

The kitchen comes with marble counters and wood ceilings

The kitchen is also equipped with weathered granite counters, overlay appliances and a beautiful vintage aluminum backsplash.

The kitchen also comes with an aluminum backsplash

Meanwhile, the dining area comes with a Restoration Hardware chandelier and walks out to the back deck.

The chandelier in the dining area is from Restoration Hardware

Another staircase to the basement cuts through the otherwise open-concept design.

The home's unique staircase cuts through the open space

An opposite angle of the living space.

Here's the living area with the kitchen in the background

All four bedrooms are located on the second floor.

Gledhill-Bryan House's second-floor hallway

The sprawling main bedroom has an ensuite bathroom, bespoke closets and a balcony that overlooks the backyard.

Lisa Robazza Design helped with the 2017 renovation, including here in the main suite

Here’s that ensuite bathroom, with a glass shower and a free-standing soaker tub.

The ensuite has a soaker tub and a glass shower

During renovations, the owners lowered the basement floor. It’s now used as a family room, with plenty of potential as a nanny suite.

The basement is ideal for a nanny suite

This is the basement kitchenette. Also downstairs: a Murphy bed, a bathroom, a laundry room and a private entrance.

The owners lowered the basement floors in 2017

The fenced-in backyard—complete with a deck, a stone patio, mature trees and a poolis an oasis unto itself.

In the backyard: a pool, a deck and mature trees

But the show-stopper may well be the cabana.

There's also a cabana in the backyard

Lined with wood and large windows, it’s the perfect escape when residents need a change of scenery.

The cabana is an escape within the property


Have a home that’s about to hit the market? Send your property to [email protected].