Surreal Estate: $14.7 million for an Asian-inspired gated limestone behemoth in Forest Hill South

Neighbourhood: Forest Hill South
Price: $14,790,000 Size: 9,158 square feet Bedrooms: 6 Bathrooms: 7 Parking spots: 7 Real estate agent: Jimmy Molloy, Lindsay Van Wert and Sina Movahedi, Molloy and Van Wert

The Place

A six-bedroom, seven-bathroom new build on a huge corner lot in Forest Hill. The home comes with carved limestone, a heated garage and landscape lighting. It was created for upscale family living, so of course there’s a professional-grade kitchen plus a fry kitchen to keep the main one pristine. Currently under construction is an indoor pool, hot tub and steam sauna in the basement. It’s within walking distance of the Beltline Trail, Little Jamaica and the future Eglinton Crosstown. And motorists are a short drive from both Allen and Vaughan Roads.

The History

In 2019, the owner, himself an architect, demolished the red-brick that stood on this lot to build a custom pad for his large family. He spent the next four years planning and building with feng shui front of mind, as well as luxuries like floor-to-ceiling windows, marble-clad walls and hand-carved wood details. By the time he completed the home in 2023, his plans had changed, and he’s since put it on the market.

Related: $3 million for a Victorian in Markham with a salt-therapy cave and a wine dispenser

The Tour

The façade is wrapped in limestone, with a grand hand-carved solid-wood door inspired by Asian design.

From the foyer, residents can better admire the front door’s floral and crosshatch details. A gargantuan vase dominates the space, so placed to block positive energy from leaving the home.

Immediately to the right of the entrance is the formal dining room, which overlooks the neighbourhood. That patterning on the right is actually a camouflaged door to the pantry.

Here’s a reverse angle of the dining room.

Through the pantry is the fry kitchen, which can get messy and smoky so the main kitchen doesn’t have to.

The main kitchen is all about marble. The floors here, like in the rest of the home, are heated.

From the kitchen island, residents can take in the casual dining area, perfect for family breakfasts. Note the light fixture above the table, which is made of thousands of metal chain links.

Now for the elevator bay, equipped with a Calacatta marble powder room and textured limestone walls—each 10-foot-tall segment worth about $30,000.

The double-paned tempered glass window wall, which rises up to 20-foot ceilings, helps maximize natural light in the formal living room.

This sunroom of sorts is defined by gold, like a lounge for Louis XIV.

The main floor also has an office—charmingly plain in contrast to the rest of the mansion.

Heading up the floating staircase highlights the second-floor landing’s white oak floors and giant skylight. That’s a wet bar hiding in the corner.

Care for a massage?

A gas fireplace lines an entire wall in the main bedroom.

Here’s the main suite from another angle. The bay-window lounge is very Toronto.

The main ensuite comes with a glass shower and a soaker tub.

All of the secondary bedrooms are equally opulent.

They also all come with matching ensuites. Check out this one’s funky sink and floating toilet.

Moving to the basement reveals the show-stopping wet bar, wrapped in enough Italian marble to make the Vatican jealous.

In the gated backyard: mature trees, plenty of space to lounge and a putting-green-like lawn.

Lastly, here’s a view of the entire structure from the rear curb.

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