233 Carlaw Avenue 601, Toronto

Four sliding glass doors. Southwest exposure. Sixth floor. The result is a loft that gets a ridiculous amount of light. But it's the long view that changes how the place feels. From up here, your eye gets to travel across the treetops and rooftops of Leslieville and out toward the CN Tower. Green in the foreground, city in the distance, and a horizon that gets particularly good around sunset. Inside, the layout makes good use of every square foot. The kitchen is big enough for two people to actually cook together, with a gas range, plenty of storage and a huge island that inevitably becomes the centre of everything. Dinner prep, morning coffee, laptops, friends hanging around longer than planned. The primary bedroom comfortably fits a king-sized bed with room to spare. The second bedroom works equally well for guests, an office, or both. And when the weather cooperates, the balcony becomes another room, with a gas hookup for the BBQ and the skyline as the backdrop. Downstairs, you're on Carlaw in the middle of Leslieville. Nutbar and Mercury Espresso for coffee. Ricky + Olivia and Wynona for dinner. Corduroy Lounge for a drink. Bobbette & Belle and Craig's Cookies when you need something sweet. Hone Fitness is on the same block, Queen Street East is just down the street, and transit, parks and pretty much everything else you need are close by. And that transit is about to get even better. Two future Ontario Line stations, at Jimmie Simpson Park and Gerrard and Carlaw, are both less than a 10-minute walk away. But for all the reasons to leave, this is a pretty good place to stay home. Especially around sunset.