For many, the Canadian dream involves raising a family and settling down in a home on a tree-lined street where you can watch your children grow. And it just so happens that a charming, Georgian-style home in North York has just hit the market, making that dream closer to becoming a reality.
Located north of the city on a quiet, tree-lined street at 90 Burnsdale Avenue, you'll find this historic piece of Toronto property that dates back to 1835 on a large south-facing lot (though the house itself faces east, as all houses did at that time before the neighbourhood was subdivided in the 1940s). And it will surely remind you of a rustic yet modern farmhouse.
Known as the 'Joseph Shepard House,' the home is built entirely of selected cedar siding, with the steps, front porch, and plinth all made with Ottawa platinum stone. The home was beautifully restored in 2018 and is now a picture-perfect blend of historic charm and modern amenities.
But it's the house's past that perhaps serves as its most intriguing offering. According to Heritage Toronto, the Shepard House is "one of a few surviving buildings with a direct link to the 1837 Upper Canada Rebellion," at one point even sheltering fleeing rebels led by William Lyon Mackenzie who had been defeated in an armed uprising against the Family Compact.
Like all classic, Georgian-style homes, the property at 90 Burndale Avenue features a square shape and has symmetrical windows, shutters, and columns. Sitting on a spacious lot with mature landscaping, the home features a stone driveway, quaint shutters, soaring brick chimney stacks, and a private backyard. Heritage Toronto also notes that once "scorched roof rafters suggest soldiers tried to burn the house" during the aforementioned rebellion.
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Inside, rich hardwood floors, grand fireplaces, crown mouldings, and exposed wooden beams add charm, while the cozy kitchen features a deep farmhouse sink, chocolate brown cabinetry (with plenty of storage space), pocket doors, and a walk-out to the back patio.
The star of the kitchen, however, is easily the La Cornue CornuFé stove and oven, which adds a playful pop of colour to the room.
Specs:
- Property Type: Single-family home
- Address: 90 Burndale Avenue
- Bedrooms: 3
- Bathrooms: 4
- Price: $4,888,000
- Listed By: Richard Silver, Sotheby's International Realty Canada
Ascend the stairs above and you'll find the bedrooms, with the master serving as a personal oasis that's complete with a cathedral-style ceiling, hardwood floors, and a four-piece ensuite.
Below, in the basement, you'll be greeted by an impressive rec room that boasts heated floors, built-in speakers, pot lights, and even space for an office, or an additional bedroom.
Throw in the back deck and detached garage and you have yourself a charming Georgian-style farmhouse that's ready for its next owners.
EXTERIOR
MAIN FLOOR
UPSTAIRS
BATHROOMS
