House of the Week: $5.3 million for a stylistic potpourri in the Beaches with five floors and five decks

Neighbourhood: The Beaches Price: $5,299,000 Size: 3,632 square feet plus a 952-square-foot basement

Bedrooms: 4+1 Bathrooms: 5 Parking spots: 4 Real estate agent: Roxane Bryce, Real Estate Homeward

The Place

A four-plus-one bedroom, five-bathroom detached overlooking Lake Ontario in the east end. The home has five floors—each with wild decor—and five private decks, along with space to park four cars. It also comes with a jaunty side entrance. Residents are within walking distance of the Balmy Beach Canoe Club, the R. C. Harris Water Treatment Plant, and the shops and restaurants along Queen. And motorists are a short drive from both Lake Shore and Kingston Road.

The History

The house was built in 1911. The current owners purchased it in 2009, renovated it immediately and then raised four children there. Now, with their kids grown, they’re downsizing and putting the property on the market.

Related: $1.5 million for a Victoria Village post-war upgrade with interior buttresses

The Tour

The kookiness begins with the façade, which is actually a raised deck, so it’s best to use the side entrance to get in.

Once inside, residents will notice that the foyer is lined with slate tiles.

Here’s a view of the open-concept living room and dining space.

More slate surrounds the wood-burning fireplace, flanked by firewood and crowned by a contemporary chandelier.

Those French doors reach the front deck.

A reverse shot showcases the building’s depth as well as the dining area on the left.

Here’s that dining area, which can seat six.

Now for the kitchen, which was opened up during renovations. It’s defined by that massive structural beam, which is wrapped in wood.

How about this breakfast nook, with corner windows and eclectic decor?

In the kitchen proper: a single-slab granite island, tons of storage and a subway-tile backsplash.

All the appliances are from KitchenAid, including the double-door fridge and gas cooktop.

This powder room is also on the main floor.

The current owners installed the industrial-inspired open staircase to accentuate the hand-laid brick.

Moving to the second floor reveals the family room and homework zone. This space could easily be enclosed and converted into another bedroom. There are also two bedrooms and two bathrooms up here.

Don’t forget the laundry room.

On the third floor, residents will find this secondary bedroom. It comes with an ensuite bathroom, a walk-in closet and an angled skylight.

It also has a seating area with a walkout to its own terrace.

The secondary ensuite is complete with a jet tub, a separate shower and a double vanity.

Here’s a peek inside another secondary bedroom, this one facing the backyard.

This shared bathroom is all about earth tones and weathered wood.

Now for the main suite, which was designed to occupy the fourth and fifth floors. Note the stubby storage closet.

The fourth floor has a seating area, an office, a large walk-in and a bathroom. Hi, John.

Turn around to take in the gas fireplace and the neighbourhood view.

Here’s the office.

This is the main walk-in closet.

There are more antiques in the main ensuite along with heated floors.

There’s also a glass shower for two with built-in benches.

The top level—marked by a wall of windows—is only five steps up from the fourth floor.

The owners have carved a window into almost every wall and ceiling in this space.

To the right of the bed sits the formal bed stand, but it’s currently looking pretty cool as a painter’s studio.

The house’s crown jewel is probably the main suite’s jumbo private deck. Covered by a pergola and with plenty of room for guests, it has an unobstructed view of the sandy shores and seemingly endless water.

Heading all the way downstairs highlights the basement. It’s a self-contained unit with a bedroom, a bathroom, a kitchen (also with KitchenAid appliances and lots of cabinets), a laundry room and its own entrance, so it could be rented out or used as an in-law suite.

Note the bench footing around the basement’s perimeter. It’s handsome and good for hosting, but it also acts as extra structural support given the Beaches’ sandy soil.

This is the basement bedroom, with that bench footing built directly into the queen-sized bed.

The basement bathroom is equipped with a rainfall shower, tiled walls and heated floors.

The front yard clearly wants to be a backyard, and it’s the ideal place to bum around Balmy Beach. A huge overhang covers the dining table.

Lastly, here’s the fenced-in backyard. It comes with a hot tub, another deck and interlocking stone beneath all that snow.

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