House of the Week: $1.7-million for a former rooming house in Parkdale

Address: 1580 King St. W.
Neighbourhood: Parkdale Agent: Mary Anne Runnalls, Chestnut Park Real Estate Limited, Brokerage Price: $1,699,000

The place: A Victorian mansion in Parkdale with a view of the lake, a basement in-law suite and some quirky interior design.

The history: Built in 1890, it was once a rooming house made up of 13 units. The sellers purchased the house in 1986, and over the last 30 years have done significant renos on the kitchen, bedrooms, basement and backyard (which was a dirt parking lot in a previous life).

Big selling point: The kitchen is a home-cook’s dream: restaurant-style countertops are stainless steel, the corner sink is almost deep enough to bathe in and the motor for the range fan is located outside the house, so it’s even quieter than the fridge. And the 13’ x 14’ awning in the backyard means it’s possible to dine al fresco in anything less than a monsoon.

Possible deal breaker: The new owners might have a little redecorating to do if bold primary colours and murals of nudes aren’t their style. Or they can just turn their attention to the lake—it’s clearly visible from all three storeys.

By the numbers:

• $1,699,000 • $5,215.26 in taxes (2015) • 4,180 square feet, including the basement • 5 bedrooms • 4 bathrooms • 3 storeys • 2 fridges • 1 fresco-style mural

The foyer leads into the living room.

And here it is. The sellers used a glaze with gold dust in it to give the room’s grey walls an iridescent sheen.

The house is full of French doors. The ones here in the dining room have a nice transom window above them.

One could do some serious cooking in this kitchen.

Here’s the master bedroom. That sculpture of a torso makes for a unique scarf hanger.

This is the master bathroom. A local artist was commissioned to paint the mural, and the owners converted an antique sideboard into a vanity. Oh, and there’s a bidet, too.

This is the only other room on the second floor. It’s currently being used as an office.

Each of the third-floor bedrooms, like this one here, has at least one skylight.

This room is very, how do you say? Red.

And this room, also on the third floor, is being used as another office. One of the sellers designed those light fixtures himself.

The finished basement is quite spacious.

There’s even room for a bed.

Here’s the basement kitchen. It has heated floors.

And the newly renovated basement bathroom. It also has heated floors.

The backyard has a secret-garden feel to it.