27 OLD FOREST HILL RD.
- WHAT: A traditional Forest Hill house with six bedrooms and six bathrooms, renovated to suit a modern family with a flock of young children.
- SIZE: 7,000 square feet
- LOT SIZE: 60ƒ|by 150-foot corner property with a 20-foot boulevard strip.
- ASKING PRICE: $6.68-million
- TAXES: $32,399 (2007)
- AGENT: Harvey Kalles Real Estate Ltd. (Elise Kalles and Corinne Kalles)
The amenities
- The kitchen is kitted out with appliances from Miele, Sub-Zero, Thermador and Maytag. The Thermador stainless-steel range has a barbecue grill, while a separate Thermador wall-oven provides more firepower when the dinner party pressure is on.
- A programmed sound system pipes music to all areas of the house. Security cameras are built-in.
- Stone floors throughout the house are heated.
- Upstairs, a gym includes a spa bathroom with five-star fittings.
- The finished basement provides space for recreation, entertaining and browsing in the wine cellar. There's also lots of space for storing sports equipment.
- Outside, the two-tiered stone terrace has custom-built wrought-iron railings and a tent. And when really close friends visit, the hot tub — with Indiana limestone coping and a slate tile interior — has room for 10.
Long-time real estate agent Elise Kalles of Harvey Kalles Real Estate Ltd. remembers the years when 27 Old Forest Hill Rd. was the Heintzman family home.
The name had been prominent in Toronto society since Theodore Heintzman founded the eponymous piano empire in 1860. The Heintzman brand went on to become internationally renowned.
Ms. Kalles had been involved in the sale of another house on the street and she sent a letter to one of the Heintzman family asking if the owner was considering a sale.
"Please don't send me any more letters," the homeowner firmly told Ms. Kalles at the time, stating that she had no plans to sell.
"It took 30 years before she moved," says Ms. Kalles.
The house still has some of the architectural details and finishes that remain unchanged since the house's origins, but the current owners of the house reconfigured the property in 2001 to accommodate a bustling family.
There are very few properties available with such expansive lots in midtown Toronto, says Ms. Kalles. She points to the example of a builder who recently paid $3.25-million for a 60-foot-wide lot with a teardown.
The vestibule and foyer with heated marble floors, elaborate plaster crown mouldings and French doors provide a warm and inviting welcome, the agent notes.
Inside, the living room has a wood-burning fireplace with marble hearth, surround and mantle imported from Europe.
The original walnut-panelled walls remain intact in the library and a gas fireplace warms the room.
In the front hall, the original staircase winds up to the second floor. A long French window was added on the landing to provide views over the garden.
"It really added a lot of light," Ms. Kalles says.
The kitchen has been renovated with a breakfast nook and family room, which has a two-storey beamed cathedral ceiling and French doors.
Upstairs, a bridge overlooking the family room leads to the music room at the rear of the house. The room is fully sound-proofed with an air space between the double walls. Fabric-covered walls also serve as baffles.
The master bedroom has a gas fireplace and an ensuite bathroom with air-jet tub and double sinks. A built-in entertainment centre hides the television and electronics inside what looks like a traditional armoire. His-and-hers dressing rooms are included in the suite.
The home gym has a hardwood floor and skylights to let in natural light. The gym's luxury bathroom includes a steam room, sauna and stand-alone whirlpool bath. Even with the party-sized walk-in shower, there's lots of room left for the massage table.
"It's a real spa centre," the agent says.
The third floor includes a guest bedroom and a wood-panelled office with a gas fireplace.
"It's a nice hideout," Ms. Kalles comments.
Downstairs, the finished basement has a large recreation and crafts room. The floor was specially chosen to be virtually indestructible no matter how much paint, glue and chalk lands on it.
The basement also houses a workshop, laundry room, and extra Sub-Zero freezers. Each child has a locker and one room is lined with enough shelves to stash sporting goods for a small team.
Toronto decorator Carol McFarlane was enlisted to help with the interiors throughout the house. The design includes a hand-painted ceiling in the vestibule and decorative motifs in the kitchen.
For the exterior, well-known landscape architect Janet Rosenberg surrounded the two-tiered stone terrace at the rear with perennials and other plantings.
"So many homes you see are magnificent but they're not used," Ms. Kalles says. "This is elegant but warm. It's built with children in mind."
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