House of the Week: $2.2 million for a sleek, modern home with a unique layout

Address: 307 Hillhurst Boulevard
Neighbourhood: Lytton Park
Agent: Cheryl Sniderman, Forest Hill Real Estate Inc., Brokerage
Price: $2,195,000
Previously sold for: $975,000, in 2014, prior to a major renovation

The place

A modern home with huge windows, wood accents and a topsy-turvy layout.

Here’s the foyer:

The only lounging space on the main floor is this family room, with a fireplace:

Here’s one of two main-floor bedrooms:

This bedroom is being used as a gym and bike storage area:

The main-floor bathroom:

The history

The original house was built in 1954, and the current owners bought the place in 2014. Shortly afterward, they hired modernist architect Johnson Chou to revamp the entire structure. The renovation added new floor-to-ceiling windows and hardwood floors. It also opened up the layout. Now, the kitchen is on the second floor, and it’s continuous with a spacious, sunken living room. The beamed ceilings are original to the house.

Here’s the kitchen:

The sunken living room, with giant windows. It’s hard to comprehend the layout from these pictures, but basically the rear end of the main floor is underground. That’s why this second-floor room is at ground level:

One of three second-floor bedrooms. This one has a walkout to the balcony:

Another bedroom is set up as a den:

Those two bedrooms share this bathroom:

And here’s the master bedroom:

The master ensuite is all decked out in porcelain tile. A skylight brightens things up:

The balcony faces the street:

And here’s the backyard:

Big selling point

With six parking spots and a wet bar in the family room, it’s easy to see how this place could shift into cocktail party mode:

Possible deal breaker

The huge windows in nearly every room let in tons of light, but not everyone will dig the fishbowl feeling.

By the Numbers:

• $2,195,000
• $8,640.95 in taxes (2016)
• 3,729 square feet
• 6 parking spaces
• 5 bedrooms
• 3 bathrooms

The Hunt

Food & Drink

What’s on the menu at Prequel & Co. Apothecary, a whimsical new Queen West cocktail lounge from the owner of BarChef

Just don’t call it a speakeasy

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