House of the Week: $1.9 million for a big family home in Wychwood

Address: 83 Alcina Avenue
Neighbourhood: Wychwood
Agents: Sarah B Giacomelli and Dawna Satov, Chestnut Park Real Estate Limited, Brokerage
Price: $1,895,000
Previously sold for: $846,018, in 2005

The place

An ivy-covered cottage in Wychwood, a coveted neighbourhood with a tight housing market. The Artscape Wychwood Barns are right around the corner.

The history

The home was built in 1911 for artist George Andrew Reid, who was once principal of the Central Ontario School of Art and Design (now called OCAD University). In the intevening 107 years the house has been updated many times. There’s new wiring, a sauna and a renovated basement.

There are three bedrooms on the second floor. Here’s one of them:

And another:

The master bedroom is over the attached garage. And yes that’s a bathtub in the middle of the room:

The master ensuite doesn’t have a shower in it:

There’s a rec room in the basement:

And here’s that sauna:

Big selling point

Though little ones will probably love the raised treehouse in the walled garden, older eyes will appreciate the huge but cozy living room (with a fireplace) that leads to the dining room (also with a fireplace).

The living room has a high, curved wooden ceiling:

Here’s the dining room:

And the backyard, with its treehouse:

Possible deal breaker

The layout of the kitchen—with the dishwasher and microwave around one corner and the fridge around the other—is a little strange (perhaps it harkens back to days when kitchens were for staff, not homeowners). Still, the house comes with modern kitchen luxuries like a newer gas range, custom cabinets and a farmhouse-style sink:

By the numbers

• $1,895,000
• $9,024.17 in taxes
• 4 bathrooms
• 3 bedrooms
• 2 parking spaces
• 1 sauna