expo 67 lounge

The gorgeous main hallway with stunning staircase.

When my grandparents immigrated to Canada in the early 1950's, two of my grandfather's siblings were already here: a brother in Montreal, and a sister in Toronto. This Toronto sister had a daughter, and the daughter got married in 1950.

In the late 1960's, the couple acquired a Volkswagen dealership. In 1970, they had a gorgeous 2-level home built in the prestigious Thornhill neighborhood of Markham (just north of Toronto).

Fast-forward 46 years and the impeccably cared-for house has been sold. Pretty much untouched décor-wise, the house is pure vintage eye candy: carpet, wallpaper and chandeliers galore!

A powder room, just off the main foyer.

The formal dining room.

The master bedroom...

... with adjoining "makeup area"

... and ensuite bathroom!

Sumptuous bedrooms... 5 in total.

One of the bedrooms was made into an office (worthy of Don Draper...!)

I remember staying at the house on a family trip to Toronto when I was a kid. I was fascinated: it was the late 1980's, and the décor already felt like it was from another era... Yet it was all strangely familiar to me: like my grandmother's house, but on a much grander scale.

Check out the orange shag carpet going up the basement bar! Imagine the parties!

I was completely in awe of the groovy basement bar and swanky indoor pool. The 1960's sound system had a reel-to-reel tape deck!

And, oh, the pool... Imagine my childhood delight of being able to go swimming in the dead of winter! I remember the pool area having changing rooms and a sauna. I even remember sun-tanning lamps, which I was warned not to try.

Uncle Joe explained to me that the pool had to be built first, into the foundation, before the rest of the house was built over it...