House of the Week: $1.6 million for a Cabbagetown semi with a unique interior

Address: 274 Carlton Street
Neighbourhood: Cabbagetown
Agents: Richard Silver and Jim Burtnick, Sotheby’s International Realty Canada, Brokerage
Price: $1,598,000
Previously sold for: $480,000, in 1999
The place
A Victorian semi with a spiral staircase that extends from the basement all the way to the third floor.
The kitchen is right at the front of the house, which is a little unusual:
The living room is at the back:
And here’s the dining area:
A closer look at that spiral staircase:
The basement is finished:
And there’s a bedroom down there:
Also a sauna:
And here’s a look at the backyard:
The history
This 19th-century home was completely redesigned in the 1980s. It now has a completely open floor plan—not only on the first floor, but also on the second and third floors, each of which has a single bedroom and ensuite bathroom.
The master bedroom is on the second floor:
Yup, the walls are full of storage:
Bask in the 1980s splendour of this ensuite bathroom:
There’s another bedroom on the third floor. Most people seem to prefer a little more separation between their sleeping area and their showering area, but this house doesn’t play by the rules:
Big selling point
The skylight at the top of the spiral staircase provides plenty of natural light:
Possible deal breaker
The 1980s redesign was done for a couple with one child. Families with more children might not find the layout to their liking.
By the numbers
• $1,598,000
• $6,996.69 in taxes (2016)
• 2,500 square feet
• 20.5-by-135-foot lot
• 3 bedrooms
• 3 bathrooms
• 2 parking spots
• 2 fireplaces