The listing 16 Edenbridge Dr.
Asking price $8,500,000
Taxes $30,235.62 (2017)
Lot size 125 by 165 feet
Listing agent Ana Santos, sales representative, Harvey Kalles Real Estate Ltd., Brokerage
The owners and designers of 16 Edenbridge Dr. went over every detail in building the house.
A lot goes into building your dream home. Just ask Pam Vanneste.
When Mrs. Vanneste was working with builder and designer Tony Gornik on the Etobicoke home she shares with her husband, Luc, every element, every detail, every finish required her thought and consideration.
"The number of choices of the details … there were thousands to make," she said. "And every little detail was chosen with love and care."
From the custom hand-wrought iron railing that spins up the three-storey spiral staircase to the French hinges on all of the cabinets to the crown moulding that adorns each room, Ms. Vanneste spent two years working with Mr. Gornik's team to complete 16 Edenbridge Dr.
"This home was a dream that came true," Ms. Vanneste said.
The backstory
The master bedroom features a sitting area and television.
The other element that makes 16 Edenbridge the Vannestes' dream house is its location.
"It was always Luc's dream to live on a golf course," Mrs. Vanneste said.
Unsurprisingly, the Vannestes are golfers and members at St. George's Golf and Country Club, and it was actually their son who first saw 16 Edenbridge was for sale. He was on the course's fourth hole when he saw the sign in the backyard of the property (which looks out onto the course) and called his father.
At the time, a ranch-style bungalow sat on the lot. Mr. Vanneste convinced his wife that if they bought, they wouldn't stay in that home, but that they'd build. And so in 2005, they purchased the property and lived in it for two years while they dreamed up their plans for a new home.
It was during that time that they decided to work with T. Gornik Build/Design Ltd. Mr. Gornik outlined a vision for them of a French-styled château that maximized the views of the golf course greens, specifically Holes 2 through 6.
The media room was a suggestion of designer Tony Gornik.
Together, they put the finishing touches on the design. For example, Mr. Gornik suggested adding a media room and an indoor pool, while Mrs. Vanneste asked for the service stairs for ease of carrying groceries up from the garage. In the end, they decided to only keep two elements of the original property: the gazebo in the backyard and a tulip-painted signature Kohler sink and faucet set, which is now tucked in one of the powder rooms.
Demolition began in early 2007 and the rebuild lasted until December, 2009. The Vannestes now have a four-bedroom, seven-bathroom home spanning two floors above around (just more than 6,200 square feet) and a lower level that spans nearly 4,000 square feet.
Sliding doors allow for a breeze to enter the indoor pool on warm days.
It also includes details such as a cedar closet, a wine cellar made of cherry and redwood, an exercise room and an indoor pool that has five sets of sliding doors, allowing for a cross-breeze when they are all open and easy access to the hot tub outside.
One of the most unusual elements is built above the pool. At 930 square feet, the loggia is basically an outdoor living room and kitchen, complete with a barbecue, a fridge, stainless-steel cabinets and black granite counters. It features open-air archways that, with the click of a remote control, are screened in so you can enjoy the outdoor space at night.
"People couldn't figure out what it was when it was being built," Mr. Vanneste said.
The 930-square-foot loggia sits above the pool and functions as an outdoor living room and kitchen.
Ana Santos, the Vannestes' real estate agent, admits she was one of those people driving by during construction, trying to figure out what the space on top of the loggia would become.
"I remember thinking: 'That's not the garage – it must be an indoor pool,'" Ms. Santos said.
And now that she has had the chance to see inside, Ms. Santos is impressed with the meticulous nature of the build.
"Even the heat vents are all hand-painted to match the flow of the stone," Ms. Santos noted. "Even the veining of the marble is continued."
Heat vents are painted to match the veining of the marble.
When it came to appraising the value of this custom, luxury home, Ms. Santos started with the land value, noting that it's a double lot, with 125 feet of frontage.
"Then, you ask how much would it cost to replicate this house," Ms. Santos said, explaining how she got to a price of $8.5-million. "This isn't your regular, cookie-cutter home, so the logic of price per square footage doesn't apply here."
The best features
The kitchen features cherry cabinets, calacatta marble countertops and a Wolf French top stove.
Mrs. Vanneste's favourite room is the kitchen. Designed by Falcon Kitchens, it features cherry cabinets, calacatta marble countertops and a Wolf French top stove with four gas burners. At the northern end, there's a bow window that has an uninterrupted view of the backyard and golf course.
"I love this little sitting area here where, I can read my book and look out onto the golf course," she said.
Mr. Vanneste's favourite space is his home office on the main floor. Constructed by Mr. Gornik's father and brother, the office is lined in walnut and has a coffered ceiling.
"I just wished that my dad had been alive to see this property being built," Mr. Vanneste said. "Having come from Europe, we would have never thought we would have a place like this."
Mr. Vanneste’s home office is lined with walnut.
And it's not just a dream home, it has become an iconic home in the neighbourhood.
"Anyone who lives in the west end knows this house," Ms. Santos said, adding with a laugh: "People sometimes refer to it as the starter castle."
While the Vannestes are proud of the home they dreamt up and made a reality, they don't see it as a landmark.
"For us, it's simply our home, we enjoy it and love being in it," Mrs. Vanneste said. "But in this point in our lives, it's just the two of us. And this is a house to be used and lived in."