Rental of the Week: $6,000 for Leslieville’s most whimsical house

Neighbourhood: Leslieville
Price: $6,000 a month Size: 1,400 square feet Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 2 Real estate agent: Trevor Bond, Bosley Real Estate

The place 

How about a fantastical detached rental in the heart of Leslieville? The place is split into two homes: a three-bedroom, two-bathroom unit above ground plus a separate one-bedroom, one-bathroom unit in the basement. It’s steps from Greenwood Park, has plenty of transit options and is a short drive from the DVP, Lake Shore and Kingston Road.

The history

Architect Craig Race and his wife purchased the former lot at this site in 2014 and split it into two separate properties. The idea was to build a fun family home from scratch that also advanced Race’s environmental goals—recycled materials, superior insulation, and passive heating and cooling. He designed it with an angled front wall, matching the setbacks of the neighbouring homes and adorning its façade with arched cedar shingles. The family lived in the upper unit from 2017 to 2022 before moving out to give their growing children more space. Now, it’s on the rental market for prospective tenants in the mood for a bit of whimsy.

Related: $5,200 for a detached in Lawrence Park South with a backyard bench swing

The tour 

It’s almost as if a tornado uprooted this house out of Munchkinland and dumped it in the east end. That’s the entrance to the basement unit on the left, just behind the garden bed.

Here’s the foyer, which faces north and doubles as a dining area. It has a quirky angled windowsill thanks to the building’s curved structure. The floors are polished concrete with radiant heating.

This reverse angle highlights the open-concept kitchen and living area. Race designed the red-oak ceiling to conceal plumbing and electrical.

The kitchen counters and backsplash are marble. That pendant-light cutout is actually a camouflaged speaker.

There’s additional storage underneath the stairs, and all the appliances are Thermador.

Now for the living area, equipped with recessed red-oak bookcases, a pair of classy sconces and a doggy door for Toto underneath the back window. Race salvaged the marble fireplace from his grandparents’ farmhouse in Northumberland County.

The back end of the home has its own thermostat, allowing sunlight to passively warm the space. Race says that even on the coldest winter days, things stay toasty if the sun is shining. Those windows and doors—imported from Europe—are triple-paned for sound and temperature insulation.

Upstairs, the main suite sits at the end of the hall, which comes with moody cinema lighting. There’s a skylight above the main staircase for added illumination and ventilation, and the heated floors are red oak.

The main bedroom comes with cathedral ceilings, LED-lit exposed beams and chic light fixtures. Believe it or not, the wall panel on the far left leads to the ensuite bathroom, and its counterpart on the far right exits to the hallway. The rest of the panels are closets.

Beyond those doors is a Juliet balcony overlooking the backyard.

Here’s that ensuite. It has heated ceramic tiles all over and an interior window that brings in natural light from the hallway.

Thankfully, there’s no Man Behind the Curtain in the secondary bedroom—just laundry and more storage. Those doors on the left lead to the shared bathroom and the interior guest room.

In the shared bathroom: slate floors, a floating vanity and a shower lined with subway tiles.

Outside, the rear is clad in galvanized metal siding.

Finally, the fenced-in backyard with its shade-creating tree. The herringbone patio can be used as a parking pad, and there’s an EV charger set up just beyond the frame.

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