20 Whitney Avenue, Toronto

Situated in the heart of North Rosedale, Whitney Avenue is a picturesque street of established homes set beneath a leafy canopy. For more than a century, it has held sway as one of Toronto's most established addresses; minutes from the ravine and the shops of Yonge and Summerhill, and within reach of the city's best public and private schools. Number 20 is a centre-hall home in the classical style, taken back to its bones and reimagined by designer Connie Braemer in a contemporary renovation featured in House & Home. The result keeps the formality and proportion of the original architecture while opening the house up to create spaces perfectly-tailored for today's families. A striking foyer in concrete-look slab sets the palette that carries through the home: charcoal and warm rift-cut white oak, ebony-stained millwork, and black-framed glass doors that keep sight lines open while defining each room and setting the tone.The formal living and dining rooms at the front of the house have been reimagined through a modern lens while maintaining a sophisticated edge. Behind them, the wall between kitchen and family room has dissolved, creating an expansive open space for family living and entertaining, a striking kitchen anchored by a La Cornue range, and a rare servery kept within the expanded footprint. Oversized sliding doors open the family room onto the patio with outdoor living, swimming pool, and integrated hot tub. Upstairs, the primary suite has two walk-in closets and a marble-look porcelain ensuite, with a second bedroom and dedicated library on the same floor. The third floor holds three more bedrooms, and the lower level adds a recreation room, a wine cellar, and an additional bedroom. Secluded and private, yet minutes from the amenities those who call Rosedale home enjoy.