Home of the Week: 763 Clearview Crescent
763 Clearview Crescent: $2,690,000 for an architectural landmark overlooking the Thames River
Address: 763 Clearview Crescent
Neighbourhood: Oakridge
Agent: A Team London
Price: $2,690,000
The Place
A landmark four-bedroom, five-bathroom riverfront home on a quiet crescent in Oakridge.
The Details
Should you be in the market for a one-of-a-kind stunning home, you’re in for a treat with this week’s listing — a four-bed, five-bath home in Oakridge, designed in the 1970s by the late modernist architect Paul Skinner, designer of the former 3M Canada headquarters (now home to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board), the London Courthouse and Victoria Hospital. The house backs onto the Thames River and has a reasonable claim to being one of the most impressive pieces of residential architecture in the city.
The home’s dominant design language is its modernist approach to materials, with extensive use of wood and stone in the design of the main level, and the use of glass in the upper-level bedrooms, bringing the outdoors in. The main level employs wood for many of the finishes, including wall paneling, exposed Douglas Fir beams and a one-of-a-kind stone floor that spans most of the first level. The living room captures a lot of Skinner’s overall approach ― in addition to the wood walls and stone floor, there’s a large and impressive stone fireplace, flanked by glass windows. There is a second living room on this floor as well — a classic mid-century sunken room that features a second large and impressive fireplace, floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides, a floating hearth and hardwood floors.
It’s also worth noting that Skinner was well out front of today’s ‘Elbows Up’ movement, with the home featuring a range of Canadian-sourced materials, including B.C. fir, flagstone from Wiarton, Muskoka granite and Algoma steel.
The kitchen offers an interesting design contrast. Where the rest of the main level is dominated by wood and stone, the kitchen gives a nod to commercial design, with sleek stainless steel being the main material used. The kitchen features a huge steel island with a built-in Miele induction stove top, two faucets and bar seating for four. On a side wall, there are two built-in ovens and a microwave, while on the counter opposite the island there is a second sink, exposed shelving and a large, commercial-style fridge. The kitchen features Miele appliances and has a charming eat-in space with more built-in shelving and wall-to-ceiling windows.
The primary suite on the second level features gorgeous, vaulted glass walls over top of a wood-burning fireplace, making one feel as if they were practically sleeping in nature. (They have automatic blinds installed as well.) It’s an incredibly spacious suite that has lots of room for furnishings, two walk-in closets and is attached to a luxurious ensuite with a soaking tub, double vanity and walk-in shower. The other three bedrooms feature similar wood designs, with a kid’s room featuring a built-in loft. There’s also a nursery room that includes probably the most tasteful use of parquet flooring you’ll ever see. Rounding out this upper level is a glass-enclosed solarium.
The uncontested highlight of the lower level is the full saltwater indoor pool, enclosed in glass walls and surrounded by a stone patio, with its own changeroom and full sauna. The lower level also has an additional family room, with a fourth fireplace and a custom built-in bar. There is a large outdoor space as well, with a stone fire pit and several levels of tiered outdoor deck and patio space, built seamlessly into the wooded surrounds and overlooking the Thames River. The home also has a three-car garage, and extensive outdoor environment to explore.
The Tour
Big Selling Point
There is a particular type of buyer out there that will be in the market for a home like this. But for those buyers, it will be hard to top this home ― both a functional home and a statement-making piece of London’s architectural history.
By the Numbers
- 4 bedrooms
- 5 bathrooms
- 3 levels
- 6,500-plus square feet
- 1977 build
- 4 fireplaces
- 3 living rooms
- 30- by 15-foot glass-enclosed saltwater pool
- 2 walk-in closets
- 1 solarium
- 95- by 131-foot lot
- 3-car garage
- $18,091 annual property taxes
Disclaimer: Although we try to provide the most up-to-date information available, we cannot guarantee features or availability as listed. Please contact the realtor for latest details.