Home of the Week: Eden Smith house is a Toronto original
Architect's family home built in 1898
Home of the Week, 267 Indian Rd., Toronto. Asking price: $1.169-million. The house in High Park, built in 1896 by architect Eden Smith for his own family, displays many of the characteristics that showed up in Mr. Smith’s later work, including the steep gable, soaring chimney and small windows. The front door is also inconspicuously located at the side of the house.Liam Griffin
Art dealer Terrence Ryan purchased the house in the mid-1990s. “It’s very comfortable,” Mr. Ryan says. He believes the house is best appreciated by people who admire its provenance and craftmanship.Liam Griffin
During the 1990s, the exterior of the house was protected under heritage conservation rules. Says real estate agent William Mohan of Sutton Group Realty Systems: “There are lots of Arts and Crafts houses around but not with this history. And location – this has got it all day.”Liam Griffin
The house retains many of the same elements that it had when Mr. Smith called it home. The wood panelling and trim and the original hardwood floors are still there. An extra layer of protection has been added to the windows for better heat retention, but the original leaded-glass remains. The layout is also nearly unchanged.Liam Griffin
When Mr. Ryan bought the house, it had been slightly modified during the years following the Second World War. The owner had created a living space on the main floor and rented out rooms upstairs. In one corner of the living room, she added a new staircase to the basement and turned the lower level into extra living space. The area of the original staircase to the basement has been replaced with a main-floor powder room.Liam Griffin
Outside, the house has a shady patio at the rear. A stone walkway leads visitors to the main entrance, surrounded by gardens.Liam Griffin
The inglenook at 267 Indian Rd. Photos of the room, a classic of interior design, now hang at the National Gallery in Ottawa.Steven Evans, Courtesy National Gallery of Canada
Steven Evans
Steven Evans