Understated Luxury

Today, when one thinks of a luxury house, often an extremely large and imposing structure comes to mind. Usually this house is clad in expensive stone and designed to look castle-like. The opulence of the house is made very apparent from its exterior.

Rothwell Heights

Near Island Park

Faircrest Heights.

Notice the small bungalow next door.

Rockcliffe Park

In the mid-century, luxury homes were more subdued, and often just larger versions of the same tract houses found elsewhere in the city. Luxurious bungalows were often just larger and more sprawling than the typical suburban house. Side-splits looked near identical to smaller versions, only differing in size.

Island Park Drive

Bel-Air Heights

Arlington Woods

Drive down any street in Faircrest Heights, and you will see excellent examples of the understated facades of MCM luxury houses.

This house was for sale earlier this year, and is actually quite large.

This large bungalow is currently for sale through my brokerage.

This very large house is for sale right now, and the price has 7 figures. It is a stunning sprawling bungalow, but its street presence is understated in comparison to the other houses shown at the beginning of this posting - especially the one in Faircrest Heights, just a few streets away.

A great area filled with understated MCM luxury houses is Rockcliffe Park.

This house built around 1950 is for sale. The asking price has 7 figures...and starts with a 2.

I quite like the western ranch-house facade of this house.

This luxurious house is really just a larger version of the side-split houses found throughout Ottawa.

This house is also for sale...the price has 7 figures.

A large house with a butterfly roof.

Custom designed houses were also more understated in their sense of luxury, in stark contrast to the flashy facades of newer custom homes.

Island Park

Beaverbrook

Qualicum

Rothwell Heights.

This house is stunning inside, and has an indoor pool.

Sadly, many of the MCM houses in Rothwell Heights are too unassuming for the newer wealthy residents, who tear them down to build imposing mansions.

Many MCM houses in Rothwell Heights are being sold for land value only...sometimes for over $1,000,000 - just for the land!!

And they are replaced with not so subtle luxury houses:

Comments

AnonymousJuly 18, 2011 at 8:30 PM
Another really interesting article, thanks!
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crustymiddleagedguyMarch 2, 2012 at 9:30 PM
I LOVE the house 4 up with NO windows.... thats a bold statement...
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AnonymousJune 13, 2023 at 7:21 PM
Those Rothwell Heights properties should be categorized as heritage and put them under protection. The design marked and is still representing the greatest era in this country.
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