House of the Week: Inside a $1.8-million reno in Scarborough

Neighbourhood: Birchcliffe-Cliffside, Scarborough Price: $3,375,000 Previously sold for: $925,000 Size: 2,700 square feet plus a 600-square-foot basement Bedrooms: 3+1 Bathrooms: 5 Parking spots: 3 Real estate agent: Andrew Meredith, Royal LePage Signature Realty

The place

A three-plus-one-bedroom, five-bathroom, two-storey home in idyllic Birchcliffe-Cliffside. It has 10-foot ceilings, a double garage and a fully renovated interior. Part of a quiet subdivision, the place is sandwiched between Gerrard Street and Kingston Road and is within earshot of Blantyre Park and the Toronto Hunt Club.

The history

Designer and current owner Pamela Meredith bought the bungalow that formerly stood on this site in early 2020. She partnered with Scottwood Custom Homes to line the basement walls with steel and concrete, add a second story, and clad the exterior in Japanese charred cedar.

Due to pandemic-related supply chain issues, the renovation cost a whopping $1.8 million and took nearly four years to complete. Meredith, who has never lived in the property, listed it late last November.

Related: $3.6 million for a Mimico home with a theatre and a popcorn machine

The tour

The boxy, streamlined façade stands out against its post-war neighbours.

Beyond the front door is a split-level entry wrapped in oak stairs and illuminated by a skylight.

Meredith wanted to make the foyer as welcoming as possible: plenty of light, heated tile floors, a bench and a delicate storage unit.

Here’s the main floor, with 10-foot ceilings and custom cabinets that extend the length of the house.

The kitchen comes equipped with custom lamps, a four-seat island, a brass faucet, Thermador appliances and marble all over.

Opposite the kitchen is the dining area, where sliding doors give way to the backyard deck.

This view shows off the wall-to-wall picture frame back doors.

The front of the home contains the living area, which has a gas fireplace.

There’s also this powder room with funky wallpaper.

Now for a trip up the twisting staircase.

Here’s that skylight.

The main bedroom is huge. It has a lit reading nook, a walk-in closet, storage galore and a spa-style ensuite bathroom.

The walk-in comes with a makeup station.

And the ensuite has a marble double vanity with vessel sinks as well as white Zellige tiles that rise over the soaker tub.

Down the hall is the second bedroom. It overlooks the front yard and also has an ensuite.

This is the third bedroom.

The basement has a private entrance, so it could be converted into a separate unit.

Here’s a peek at the basement living area.

The bathroom doubles as a steam room.

Out back: a patio, two decks and a whole lot of Japanese charred cedar siding.

Finally, a view of the backyard—big enough for a summer cookout—at dusk.

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