Real Estate

Artful Contemporary Offers Wooded Tranquility Near Toronto

The city of Vaughan, north of Toronto, Canada, is long on cultural and natural attractions.

Canada’s Wonderland amusement park, the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, the quaint Kleinburg Village old town area, the 800-acre Kortright Centre for Conservation and the Vaughan Mills shopping center are among the draws.

Vaughan is also filled with family-friendly neighborhoods, an abundance of schools and leafy parks. In short, it’s a fine place to live.

Among current options for aspiring homebuyers is an architecturally striking contemporary set on more than 2 tree-filled acres. Perched atop a hill, the home succeeds in framing woodland, valley and ravine vistas as though they are works of art on the walls.

Unifying art deco and midcentury modern influences, the home is the work of FrankFranco Architects—designed by and for its principal. Paneled walls, granite accents and floor-to-ceiling windows are hallmarks of the 6,000 square feet of interiors. Wood carries throughout—sometimes as walls, others as a ceiling treatment or herringbone-patterned flooring.

The ground floor of the two-story includes the living and dining rooms, an office, a library and one bedroom. A long center island in the kitchen contains a double sink and seats six.

A bank of skylights brings sunshine into the heart of the home and the central floating-style staircase.

Upstairs are the primary suite, with a dressing room and dual vanities, and two more bedrooms. There are a total of four bathrooms.

The walk-out basement has game and exercise rooms.

Outdoor living spaces include a covered stone terrace, outdoor kitchen with a pizza oven, kidney-shaped swimming pool and cabana with kitchenette. A circular cutout in the terrace ceiling and an art wall add whimsical touches, softening the structure’s many right angles.

Attention to detail continues near the front door in the carport, the interior of which blends black subway tile, a wooden ceiling and geometrically patterned art wall to dramatic effect. In addition to the two-vehicle carport is a four-car garage.

Downtown Toronto is only a 40-minute subway ride away, fueling demand for homes in Vaughan.

“The proximity to Toronto keeps prices extremely high,” says Tyler Cohen, who with Barry Cohen of Barry Cohen Homes, has the listing. “To get a premium lot sitting on 2 acres is almost impossible in the Toronto core.”

The asking price for 10320 Pine Valley Road in Vaughan is CA $8.25 million or about US $6 million.

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