The listing: 4 Edmund Gate, Toronto
Asking price: $6,250,000
Taxes: $29,643.34
Lot size: 118.5 by 140 feet
Agent: Jimmy Molloy, Chestnut Park Real Estate Ltd.
The back story
The area known as midtown Toronto was untamed land in 1787 when a parcel was carved off and sold by the Crown. Eventually, that parcel would become 4 Edmund Gate.
Today, Edmund Gate is privately-held, with only a handful of houses lining the lane. The secluded pocket is hidden even to the surrounding neighbours on the winding streets south of St. Clair Avenue and west of Avenue Road.
According to researcher Arthur Dias, who wrote about the history of the house, the next owner was the rector of St. James Church, who purchased the property in 1836 and owned it for 33 years.
The property changed hands a few times over the years until it was purchased by Ann Sinclair, Mr. Dias’s history shows.
In 1936, Ms. Sinclair commissioned an architect to design the two-storey Georgian-style house that stands surrounded by mature trees and formal gardens today.
The house today
The house had been modernized by a previous owner so most of the mouldings and architectural details had been stripped away in the 1970s or so. To restore the Georgian character, mouldings were added back in and a teak floor was laid in the dining room to blend in with the original in the entrance hall.
Designer Christine Johnson saw lots of opportunities to open up the approximately 4,500 square feet of living space so that the interior would have more light and guests would more easily be able to flow from one room to another.
The front entrance is hidden away from the street and the light that comes in from the west; so, she suggested putting leaded glass side light windows around the front door to bring light into the hallway. A wall was removed from the front hall to open up the stair to the basement and a new metal railing was fabricated to replicate the 1930s railing of the main staircase.
The powder room has a marble-topped vanity original to the house.
A main-floor library has built-in bookshelves lining the walls and a fireplace. A new door was created so that residents can move from the library directly into the living room.
The large living room has a row of Georgian-style windows and a bay window overlooking the garden. There’s also a door opening to steps that lead to a stone terrace.
Next to the living room, a square dining room holds a large round table that can accommodate 12 for dinner. The wallpaper mural was created in France by Zuber, using traditional wood block printing. The factory still uses blocks carved by its workers between 1797 and 1870.
Next to the dining room, a large kitchen has been created from combining the original kitchen with servants’ quarters. The kitchen has a large central island with a granite top and built-in wine storage. Three sets of French doors open to a portico.
A side entrance door leads to a small hallway with a custom-designed, built-in doggie bath.
Upstairs, the house has a large master suite that can be closed off from the rest of the house. The bedroom has a wall of Georgian-style windows and a door leading to a Juliette balcony overlooking the garden. There’s a dressing room and a large bathroom with a double vanity, a soaker tub and a separate shower.
The second floor also has a semi-ensuite bathroom between two additional bedrooms. One is currently used as a home office. There’s also a laundry room.
The lower level has an exercise room, storage and a garage with an entrance to the house.
Because Edmund Gate is a private road, the householders pool together to arrange snow removal and tree trimming.
The best feature
The verdant garden, enclosed by serpentine brick walls and vine-covered trellises, has been in place since the 1930s. Residents can meander from one level to another through perennial gardens and lawn areas in full sun or under a canopy of trees. Two of the largest are approximately 150 years old.
In recent years the garden was updated by landscape architect Thomas Sparling, who added limestone stripes to the original flagstone terraces to make the design more contemporary. Limestone also surrounds the in-ground pool, which was built in the 1970s but more recently resurfaced with gunite to create a more natural appearance.
Yew hedges create more privacy for the pool area. There’s also a mature cherry tree, euonymous and a collection of hostas among the many species.
A dining area has a large custom-made table that will stay with the garden.