Cheri McCann

McCann Realty Group Ltd.

3307 Yonge Street, Toronto, Canada

416.481.2355 | cheri@cherimccann.com | www.mccannrealty.ca

McCann Realty is one of the finest boutique brokerages in Toronto. Cheri, ranked among the top 7 agents in Canada with her previous brokerage, has over 30 years of experience in Toronto’s high-end real estate market. Our clients have access to a team of highly experienced specialized agents with intimate knowledge of the Toronto market providing our clients with white glove service, deep practical expertise, exclusive access to opportunities, and a strong network of buyers and sellers. Hardwork and integrity get you the results you want!

HARDWORK — INTEGRITY — RESULTS

Listing by Cheri McCann

2 CHEDINGTON PLACE PH | BRIDLE PATH

One-of-a-kind, 2-story penthouse with 4 bedrooms and 6 baths in Bridle Path. Private elevator to the 8th and 9th floor, 5,390 square feet, 4 terraces, 4 parking spaces, and 2 lockers. $8,100,000.

Cheri McCann originally appeared as an Elite agent in the Unique Homes Spring ’17: Elite edition. See her page here.

The powder room used to be an afterthought, but for people who entertain this space has become an important design moment. In fact, when it comes to luxury condo buildings, developers are now going above and beyond to create distinct powder rooms that leave a lasting impression – with details like custom wall paneling, unique custom lighting and specially made marble vanities that highlight today’s style trends. To perfect your own powder room, we’ve come up with a few tips based on stylish New York residences.

Embrace the Selfie Lighting

Often small spaces, powder rooms can still offer a great place to capture that perfect Instagram photo, especially if there is good lighting. To create the perfect selfie space, lighting must be on point to not only adequately brighten up the space, as well as both capture the best pose and highlight the style and decor of the room. 

555 West End Avenue

Photo by Hayes Davidson.

Keeping Fashion-Forward

Staying on trend can sometimes be difficult when it comes to home design, so the best way to do so is highlight classic, elegant finishes that remain stylish over time, while incorporating accents and decor that is on trend. Some classic finishes are beautiful marble counters and sinks, black and white tiles or wallpaper, and metallic detailing.

30 Park Place

Photo by 30 Park Place.

Customization is Key

No matter your style, custom finishes or accents are also a defining decor element that can make or break the style of your powder room. Detailed design elements and customized, select finishes make a strong modern statement, create warmth and elegance in every space. Not only will these be a unique focal point, but inspirational in design for those looking to spruce up their own spaces.

40 Bleeker

Photo by Bjorn Wallender.

Montage Residences Big Sky, the first ultra-luxury mountain resort in Big Sky, Montana – set to open in 2021. Designed by Hart Howerton, Brayton Hughes, and EDG of San Francisco, it will feature 150 guest rooms and suites, along with 39 Montage Residences.

The limited collection of 39 residences that make up Montage Residences Big Sky elevate mountain living to its highest standard. These two- to six-bedroom residences, ranging in size from 2,300 to 8,100 square feet, are inspired by modern mountain design principles and feature timeless, comfortable styling throughout. Each residence embodies an enduring palette of regional materials including hand-stacked stone, western-inspired lighting, and custom cabinetry. In addition, residences all have well-appointed kitchens, fireplaces, lock-off bedrooms, underground parking and ample storage. Optional participation in the Montage rental program allows owners to designate usage dates and enjoy turnkey access.

Centrally located within Big Sky’s 3,530-acre Spanish Peaks enclave, Montage Residences Big Sky residents will have unparalleled proximity to outdoor amenities offering ski-in, ski-out access to Big Sky Resort’s 5,800 skiable acres (the second largest ski resort in the United States by acreage) and access to Spanish Peaks Mountain Club’s 18-hole Tom Weiskopf-designed golf course, which is located just steps from the resort. Hiking, mountain biking, Nordic skiing and snowshoeing trails abound, with three world-renowned fly-fishing rivers passing through the Big Sky region. The accommodations of Montage Big Sky will create a mountain paradise for luxury adventurers and outdoor enthusiasts visiting Montana and Yellowstone National Park.

Big Sky Resort actually has plans to transform the  destination a bit, as well – with “Big Sky 2025,” a campaign to bring upgrades to the area. Nearly $1 billion in improvements are under way, including a developer-built Town Center that will soon get its first branded hotel: a Marriott Residence Inn named for Woodrow Wilson (who signed the act creating the National Park Service); it’s set to open by summer 2019. Additional hotels are a Marriott Residence Inn named for Woodrow Wilson (who signed the act creating the National Park Service); it’s set to open by summer 2019 and a One & Only Resort at Moonlight that is expected to break ground in a year or two.

All photos courtesy Montage Residences.

Churchill Properties

123 Brimbal Ave, Beverly, MA | 122 Main Street, Suite 4, Gloucester, MA | 49 Union Street, Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA | 169 Bay Road, Hamilton, MA 01982

1.833.MOVING.9 | www.churchillprop.com

Churchill Properties is a full service residential real estate firm offering excellence in brokerage services to Boston’s North Shore communities through our offices located in Manchester-by-the-Sea and Hamilton, Mass.  We are members of the elite Leading Real Estate Companies of the World network including 4100 offices and 130,000 agents in 65 countries worldwide. Our unique marketing and sales program utilizes multiple media channels and promotional activities including:

Featured Property: Annisquam, MA

The Stage Cove House is a direct waterfront property in Annisquam Village, just steps to the Cambridge Beach, including a private dock. Sweeping views over Wingaesheek Beach and the Annisquam Yacht Club. $2,500,000. 

Churchill Properties originally appeared as an Elite company in Unique Homes Spring ’19: Elite edition. See the ad here.

Susan Macarz

RE/MAX ULTIMATE REALTY

1739 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

416-487-5131 | 416-219-7583 | susan@susanmacarz.com | www.susanmarcarz.com

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Susan Macarz is a unique real estate professional in Toronto’s prestigious and upscale neighborhoods. From a young age, Susan honed her love of fine homes in a real estate family. Her dad — a successful real estate developer and builder of communities in and around the Greater Toronto Area — nurtured Susan’s flair for home decor and passion for fine home design.

With an enthusiasm for sales, Susan was soon redesigning model suites, giving a great perspective of how meticulous design works as a sales tool. As she concentrated on interior design and marketing, Susan worked closely with her father, absorbing real estate knowledge, sales strategies, and negotiating tactics. In the early 90s, Susan went for more, focusing her career on real estate sales and marketing. Not settling for the ordinary, she achieved her real estate broker license designation and has gone on to win Re/max awards of distinction: In 2005, she won the award for Top 3 Individual Transactions in a population over 150,000, as well as memberships in the 100% Club, Re/max Platinum Club, and Re/max Hall of Fame; and in 2015, Susan was presented with The Lifetime Achievement Award.

Susan has always looked for more innovative ways to lead, but it is her art of negotiating that has truly set Susan apart over the years. She has a knack for looking at a deal from all sides and finding inventive solutions to get it done.

Susan is a smart marketer and sharp negotiator!

Susan Macarz originally appeared as an Elite agent in the Unique Homes Spring ’19: Elite edition. See her page here.

Inside the S2A Modular Megafactory — a one-of-a-kind controlled environment in which both commercial and residential buildings are constructed in modules — the nation’s first electrically self-sustaining, custom luxury homes are being developed. 

Known as the #GreenLuxHome, these world-class residences are giving new meaning to sustainable living.

Green Lux Home buyers can choose between 35 pre-designed floor plans, or design their own living space. The homes are constructed in less than six weeks after the designs are chosen and the plans are approved. Each home is customized according to the buyer’s specifications, including the home’s pre-installed state-of-the-art appliances and smartphone-controlled settings. Despite their innovative modular construction method, the homes have foundations that are visually identical to their more traditional counterparts.

The homes exclusively rely on Tesla Powerwall units and solar panels, which eliminate the cost of gas, propane and/or grid-powered energy. The Tesla Powerwall is low voltage and has 100 percent off-grid capabilities. In some instances, utility companies may even pay Green Lux homeowners for their contributions to the community energy grid, since each home is connected to the grid as a backup power source.

The 100,000-plus square foot MegaFactory protects the projects from the elements, as the homes are constructed in dedicated indoor work pods. By moving the majority of construction indoors, S2A sets a new standard for construction speed, shifting emphasis away from mitigating outdoor complications and onto building quality.

Photos courtesy of S2A Modular.

Offering a one-stop shop for high-end design — architecture, landscape architecture and interior design services under a single roof on Los Angeles’ famed Miracle Mile — is Studio William Hefner.

The office’s location on this stretch of Wilshire Boulevard, lined by Art Deco masterpieces and many of the city’s museums, is clearly inspirational for designers.

Originally from Northern California, Hefner arrived in Los Angeles to earn a graduate degree in architecture from UCLA and founded his current practice in 1989. He oversees a highly collaborative staff of about 35 in L.A. and maintains a smaller office in the idyllic coastal community of Montecito, outside of Santa Barbara.

Hefner, who studied art history in college and appreciates a diversity of design, draws inspiration from landmark residences scattered throughout Southern California. He is appreciative of traditionalists like Wallace Neff and Paul Williams — their Mediterranean estates have long been popular with Hollywood celebrities — as well as Mid-Century Modern masters Rudolph Schindler and Richard Neutra. As a result, Hefner’s practice encompasses a wide spectrum of architectural styles and his firm adapts to evolving preferences.

“In my practice, I try not to have a ‘signature’ style but strive toward quality design and execution in different genres, from very traditional to contemporary,” says Hefner, who reports about 60 percent of his current commissions are modern, a share that has doubled in the past decade. “Modern residential architecture has come in and out of style over the past 30 years but is finally becoming more of a lifestyle, not just a fashion or trend,” says Hefner, who adds, “I think it’s here to stay.” In Los Angeles — where so many high-end homes are in the hills or along the coast — modern design maximizes views and suits the region’s indoor-outdoor lifestyle. 

Commissioned to design a massive residence on 10 precious acres in L.A.’s opulent Bel-Air neighborhood, Hefner created a formidable French-style estate known as Château des Fleurs. The client’s original inspiration was the majestic Hôtel du Cap on France’s Côte d’Azur, and Hefner conducted extensive research in Paris, Versailles and the Loire Valley to ensure that every detail was authentic. “We wanted to make sure each room was special and unique,” explains Hefner of the house, which has 31 bathrooms. Despite the scale of the project, the architect took care to create intimate, family-friendly spaces throughout the home in addition to grand rooms for entertainment.

When the 60,000-square-foot residence was completed in 2013 after five years of construction, it was the largest home in a city famous for conspicuous consumption. In his lavishly illustrated book Château des Fleurs (Pointed Leaf Press, 2016), Hefner explains a progressive approach to classic French design. “The balance of this house was to create a powerfully simple structure that would feel timeless and not imitative, while inviting an Old World opulence to the fit and finish of the architecture in a way that would be both decorative and something more: modern,” he writes.

Another more classically inspired design from Hefner is an oceanfront home in L.A.’s Pacific Palisades, a celebrity-favored enclave with a rich architectural history. This home features an Italianate design, dazzling spiral staircase and lush landscaping. In the very same community, in the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains, Hefner authored a sprawling modern residence in which the floorplan was meticulously oriented to ensure optimal views from every room.

An approximately 7,000-square-foot home in Beverly Hills’ coveted Trousdale Estates is one of Studio William Hefner’s most notable expressions of modernism. Reminiscent of L.A.’s influential Case Study Houses from prominent Mid-Century Modern architects, it was commissioned for a client with an extraordinary modern art collection. “Accommodating art is always a challenge in a view house,” says Hefner, who notes the requisite expanses of glass tend to limit available wall space.

In suburban Sierra Madre, a considerably more rustic community than Beverly Hills, Hefner created a thoroughly contemporary residence in an environment where Craftsman bungalows and Spanish Revival homes are the prevailing architecture. But through a generous use of stone and wood, he was able to infuse the property with considerable warmth, softening the impact of its modernist theme. 

Like New York’s idiosyncratic Peter Marino, a talent he admires, Hefner is an architect who has expanded his practice to incorporate interior design. “I always had a strong interest in interiors and was disappointed when some of my early projects were not finished the way I had envisioned them, so I began designing interiors myself,” recounts Hefner. Now heading up the interior specialty at the firm is his wife, accomplished designer Kazuko Hoshino, and the firm produces custom-made furniture and accessories that enhance the interiors she creates.

Among Studio William Hefner’s custom-made products are the Infinity console, a plane of wood supported by two circular bands of steel, and the strikingly contemporary Halo mirror with its echoes of Mid-Century Modernism. Featuring a modern simplicity are the Capri lounge chair and distinctive Willow nightstand. Even the most contemporary of these pieces can complement vintage architectural settings, as Hefner and Hoshino have demonstrated in their own 1920s residence in L.A.’s fashionable Hancock Park neighborhood.

Before Hefner founded his own company, he worked for Skidmore Owings & Merrill, one of the world’s largest and most influential architecture firms, designing high-rise commercial buildings. “It was difficult to establish a personal connection with the ultimate users of the spaces,” laments Hefner, who appreciates residential design because of the more intimate relationship it forges between architect and client. Hefner encourages clients to fully participate in the design process, stating, “I think we do a better job when they’re more involved.”

The firm’s projects continue to be concentrated in Southern California, where Hefner believes the Mediterranean climate and the indoor-outdoor lifestyle it encourages affords him a genuine freedom of creativity. However, Studio William Hefner has designed residences in countries as disparate as South Korea, Turkey and Israel, and is currently undertaking projects in Seattle, the San Francisco Bay Area and Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Photos courtesy of Laura Hull, James Ray Spahn, and Tyler William Parker

As the numbers climb into uncharted territory, one word emerges characterizing prices and properties at the pinnacle of residential real estate. “It’s a whole new stratosphere,” says Zachery Wright, executive director, Asia Pacific & Western North America for Christie’s International Real Estate.

By Camilla McLaughlin

Not too long ago, the possibility of even a $200 million home seemed outrageous. Today the most expensive home for sale in the U.S., dubbed The One, is more than twice that amount. Also off the charts is a square footage almost double that of the White House.

When the first issue of Ultimate Homes debuted in 2005, the most expensive residential property in the U.S. was $75 million. Today, $100 million doesn’t come close to the top 10 for Ultimate. Five properties are priced at $200 million and above, and anything below $138.8 million doesn’t make the cut. More than 50 are above $60 million. “Because we’ve seen so much wealth creation, these numbers don’t frighten many in the ultra world,” says Wright.

“It’s no surprise we are seeing such stratospheric prices today, because worldwide personal wealth is the highest it has ever been. Consider that the world’s population of $10 million-plus households is growing, and fast,” says Stephanie Anton, president of Luxury Portfolio International. More than 1.6 million households claimed a net worth of more than $10 million in 2016, a 91-percent increase since 2010. “If many of the properties on today’s list had come on the market even five years ago, it’s unlikely they would have been priced where they are today,” says Wright.

For potential buyers, lifestyle often justifies cost. “People will pay any price if it’s a prudent purchase. But getting there is a real shock. It takes a little while to figure out what things are worth,” says Gary Gold, executive director of Beverly Hills brokerage Hilton & Hyland. “There are very few people out there making sucker purchases. I don’t care how rich you are, very few want to be a chump.”

For most, getting to the $100 million level is a process that usually begins with a much less costly goal. Often, Gold says, buyers start in the $20-, $30- or $40 million range and discover those homes won’t meet their requirements. “They all buy what they want, the best thing available for their needs. In one of our big sales, the people were originally looking for an $8- or $9 million home. They ended up paying $85 million.”

2018 TOP 10:

Prices might be stratospheric, but what matters is often the same as it is for luxury buyers overall. “When they buy a house, they want to feel like they made a smart purchase, whether it’s a great buy or that they beat out somebody else. They want to make an intelligent purchase,” Gold explains.

The argument most often ventured by developers and brokers to justify heady prices is a comparison to the art world. Bruce Makowsky, developer of Billionaire — which at $188 million is No. 6 on our list — takes the analogy to the next level using mega-yachts as a measure. “If these guys are willing to pay hundreds of millions for a yacht that is a depreciating asset they use for four weeks out of the year, what would they be willing to spend for a land yacht?” he hypothesized.

Rayni Williams, also with Hilton & Hyland, is part of the team listing Billionaire. She says the land yacht comparison is appropriate. New mega spec homes are a complete package, taking the idea of turnkey to a new plane by including almost everything someone could want, and then some.

Billionaire is completely furnished, staffed and decked out with unparalleled amenities and features including more than 100 curated art installations, two stocked wine cellars, and a $30 million collection of cars in a custom display gallery along with a helicopter pad and one of very few residential theaters outfitted with Dolby Atmos.

“Spec homes are no longer developed with the intention of appealing to an entire market. With a specific luxury buyer in mind, developers are taking custom building to new heights with over-the-top features — and they’re in demand,” explains Jeff Hyland, president of Hilton & Hyland.

When owners of these homes come to Los Angeles, Williams says, “They want the ultimate entertaining home. They want to have parties for families and children alike. They want to have enough of the stage setting where they can have live bands…. They want that kind of space. They want a spa. If they want Botox, they don’t want to go to Beverly Hills to their doctor, they want their doctor to come to them.”

Days before this article went to press, a compound on Carbon Beach in Malibu sold for $110 million, setting a record for L.A. residential properties. The property wasn’t on the market — officially or unofficially — which in the ultra-world is not unusual. “When you have a highly qualified buyer, you tend to knock on doors, whether the house is for sale or not,” says Joyce Rey, executive director Coldwell Banker Global Luxury, whose sales over the years have established price benchmarks for the L.A. market. She says this recent sale is “a good indication of the strength of the luxury market in L.A.”

Another descriptor frequently applied to ultra prices is aspirational. Even though these properties do sell, eventual prices are often substantially less than the initial offering. Still, they set new benchmarks. In recent years, transactions shattering price thresholds include a $147 million East Hampton estate and Copper Beech, a $120 million waterfront property in Greenwich that sold in 2014. In L.A., the $100 million threshold was breached in 2016 with the sale of the former Playboy mansion.

“The sky is the limit. Once we hit the $100 million mark, we broke the glass ceiling — and we’re seeing home buyers comfortable with spending more than that,” says Rick Hilton, chairman and cofounder of Hilton & Hyland.

Continuing this year is a subtle geographic tilt toward California and Los Angeles. “People are showing a willingness to spend in the West. We’ve certainly got global wealth in New York. I think we’ve got a stronger market right now than they do in New York. Anyone who is making a lifestyle decision is going to be looking at Southern California,” says Wright.

Ultra properties built on speculation get the most media attention (who can resist writing about a candy wall or jellyfish room, one of the amenities of The One), but what sells depends on availability and the mix of buyers at a given time. “There happens to be a lot of spec homes out there at the moment. People are building these amazing houses, so they happen to be available. And they’re trading. These houses weren’t available in 2016 to the same degree,” says Gold.

In New York City, dynamic views are part of the value equation for ultra properties. This year, only one Manhattan property finds a place among the top. Occupying four floors in the Robert Stern-designed 220 Central Park South, the residence easily could be considered the Ultimate penthouse. The $250 million price is a record for Manhattan and few other residences have been as large.

Property sizes range from just over an acre to 65,000 acres on Mesa Vista ranch in the northeast corner of the Texas panhandles. Like many Ultimate properties over the years, this ranch has been a labor of love, husbanded over most of a lifetime. “When I began assembling the ranch 46 years ago, I initiated a multi-decade program to help the land heal and over time invested millions on wildlife management,” explains owner T. Boone Pickens. Improvements also included 20 lakes over the course of 20 miles. In addition to a 12,000-square-foot main lodge, the property includes a 33,000-square-foot lodge and several other houses, plus housing for staff. The chapel, a site for both weddings and funerals, is stunning, and a 6,000-foot runway and hangar facilitate getting there. The ranch is priced at $250 million and, according to Pickens, much of the proceeds from the sale will be directed to his foundation. The property is offered jointly by Hall and Hall, and Chas. S. Middleton and Son.

A 60-acre estate in Bridgehampton, once placed at the top of the first Ultimate list, and one-of-a-kind properties continue to be a Hamptons’ hallmark. In 2014, an 18-acre property in East Hampton sold for $147 million, setting a record for the U.S. Many of these properties offer what many consider an idyllic mix — classic estate homes and a substantial amount of land, including frontage on the ocean or a pond and the provenance. The setting for Meadow Lane in Southampton, listed by Harald Grant with Sotheby’s International, is considered a trophy location. It offers 360-degree views and extensive frontage on the Atlantic across three lots, as well as an additional bay-front lot.

Commissioned and owned by the Ford family, Jule Pond offers the largest ocean frontage in the Hamptons with nearly a quarter of a mile on the water. Listed at $175 million, it is the most expensive property for sale in the Hamptons and No. 7 on our list. A complete renovation in 2008 preserved many original features, including molded ceilings with traditional chandeliers, Italian marble fireplaces, French parquet floors and antique bathroom fixtures.

Referring to the mix of the top 10, Rey says, “I think it speaks to a variety of interests. Some people are attracted to land. Some people are attracted to architecture. Some are attracted to views.”

As always, the question hovering over the market remains what will sell next and what will be the next stratospheric price?

. . .

Where are they now? 
A look at what happened to the top of last year’s Ultimate Homes list.

This super high-end recording facility is perched atop a scenic bluff overlooking the pristine Minas Gerais mountain range.

By Brielle Bryan

Global architectural acoustic consulting firm Walters-Storyk Design Group announced the opening of Brazil’s first world-class, destination recording facility, Sonastério Studios. A 30-minute drive from Belo Horizonte, the luxurious home is a collaboration between famed Brazilian architect João Diniz and WSDG, and was created for the famous musician and engineer Bruno Barros.

The modernistic glass and concrete 8,000 square foot structure is meticulously well appointed, and features a 1,500-square-foot world-class recording studio with 20-foot-high ceilings. This super high-end recording facility is also perched atop a scenic bluff overlooking the pristine Minas Gerais mountain range.

“Sonastério Studios is a work of art in itself,” Barros said. “More than just a recording studio, Sonastério is a house of creation designed to enhance the natural expressiveness of each artist.”

WSDG was engaged during the earliest phases of the project to ensure a seamless integration of the recording studio component — a key requirement of Barros from the beginning. WSDG has designed nearly 4,000 media production facilities worldwide. Its projects range from Jimi Hendrix’s Electric Lady Studio and Jazz At Lincoln Center in New York to broadcast facilities for The Food Network, CBS and WNET. WSDG has additionally designed private studios for Green Day, Jay-Z, Bruce Springsteen, Alicia Keys and Academy Award-nominated film composer Carter Burwell.

In addition to this showcase home’s recording studio, which features an SSL 924 recording console, it has three guest bedrooms, 5-star amenities, abundant natural lighting and drop-dead gorgeous views from both indoor and outdoor spaces.

Photos courtesy of WSDG

47 Lost Bear Trail in Wolcott, Colorado is on the market for $3.695 million, listed by Mac McDonald of Keller Williams Mountain Properties.

The property at 47 Lost Bear Trail is located in the community of Red Sky Ranch in the heart of the Vail Valley. This beautifully designed custom home sits on 12-plus acres and features 7,538 square feet of living space, seven bedrooms (including two guest rooms), eight baths, a main-floor master, three fireplaces, a gourmet kitchen with breakfast nook, hearth room, lower-level recreation room with kitchenette, custom wine closet, two laundry rooms, three-car garage, outdoor hot tub, large beams, vaulted ceilings, reclaimed oak floors, high-end finishes, top-of-the-line appliances, and approximately 1,400 square feet of decking to enjoy the panoramic mountain views, “red sky” sunsets, and abundant wildlife that roams the property.

The community of Red Sky Ranch offers homeowners an active lifestyle throughout the year. In the summer, Red Sky homeowners enjoy two nationally-ranked golf courses at Red Sky Golf Club. In the winter, homeowners enjoy all that the world-class ski resorts of Vail and Beaver Creek have to offer. Red Sky Ranch is a Vail Resorts Signature Club community located in Wolcott, CO. This low-density private community features 87 homesites over 880 acres, a Ranch Manager, gated security, two clubhouses, a fitness center, and over three miles of hiking trails.

This property was recently featured as the cover property for the Spring 2018 issue of Keller Williams Domain. See the full digital issue here!