THE LISTING 50 Yorkville Ave., Penthouse

ASKING PRICE $36-million

TAXES $197,874.82 (2016)

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MONTHLY MAINTENANCE FEES $10,206.80

AGENT Jimmy Molloy, Chestnut Park Real Estate Ltd.

The penthouse sits atop The Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences. Chestnut Park

The backstory

Sarah Pursglove and Robert Oesterlund had already established homes in beautiful locations around the world when they decided, in 2011, to add a Toronto residence to the international mix.

They focused their search mainly in the city's wealthy Bridle Path enclave, where the lots are large and they figured there would be lots of space to roam for the couple, their two young daughters and their two dogs. They were still searching when they visited the Yorkville sales office for the Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences and found the penthouse that would eventually top the 55-storey glass tower was still available.

"We just happened to stumble on the model," Ms. Pursglove says by telephone from her current home in Boca Raton, Fla. "It was very unique as a property. We had been looking at homes and this was the best of the best."

The couple abruptly changed course and decided to purchase the penthouse from the developer. At the time, there was lots of buzz in the city about who the buyers might be for such a high-profile property. Elise Kalles of Harvey Kalles Real Estate Ltd. revealed only that the purchasers were European. The Globe and Mail reported the selling price as $28-million.

Ms. Pursglove was born in Wales and her husband in Sweden. The couple didn't know Toronto well at all, Ms. Pursglove says, but Yorkville seemed safe and lively. The girls could walk to a private school nearby. Another plus was that there are flights from Toronto to Helsinki and Nassau, where the family also owned homes.

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They also liked the fact that the 9,000 square feet of living space was being sold "raw," so the buyers could bring in their own architects and designers to create the layout.

"They didn't put the plumbing in until I decided where I wanted my bathtub," Ms. Pursglove says.

The penthouse features 9,000 square feet of living space. Chestnut Park

William Mockler of Drawing Room Architects Inc. led the team that would create a unit with opulent spaces for entertaining but also comfortable rooms for the family. He "did a lot of moving of walls" so that the unit felt less like a box, Ms. Pursglove says. For the safety of the children, they made the balcony walls as high as they could. They visited a lot of showrooms together to see furniture and finishes.

"We loved Bill Mockler. We loved his style and his presence."

Ms. Pursglove asked for a more open kitchen and family room, for example, "so the kids would always be around." There's a large kitchen island where she and her daughters could create homemade confections. The girls were particularly fond of making gingerbread houses and cakes and cupcakes with pretty frosting, she says. There was a home-theatre room with built-in desks, where the girls could do their homework.

The separate sauna was designed to take advantage of the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city.

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Because Mr. Oesterlund was born in Sweden and became a citizen of Finland, he grew up with the Scandinavian custom of relaxing in a sauna, Ms. Pursglove says.

"Saunas are a big part of the life – even in the summertime," she says. "Typically, after a long day at work, Swedish and Finnish people have a sauna."

Ms. Pursglove says she drew on her own background in photography and fine art to guide her in the design of the penthouse. Her aim was to make the decor elegant and family-friendly, she says. At the same time, she was working on the refurbishment of the couple's 162-foot yacht named Déjà Vu.

The height of the unit makes Lake Ontario appear much closer than it is. Chestnut Park

The projects had lots of moving parts and the couple were travelling often. The husband and wife, who married in 1998, worked together at building businesses based mainly on selling to consumers over the Internet. During those years, Mr. Oesterlund was sometimes embroiled in legal wrangles in the United States.

When they weren't travelling, the two were able to live on a separate floor in the nanny suite that was included with the purchase of the penthouse while the main space was finished.

The project took more than two years to complete but finally, in April of 2014, it was just about ready for the family to move in, Ms. Pursglove says.

That's when the marriage fell apart.

The penthouse today

The penthouse features opulent spaces for entertaining alongside comfy spaces for the family. Chestnut Park

Ms. Pursglove and Mr. Oesterlund were headed for divorce and, as a result, Ms. Pursglove never moved into the penthouse.

The acromonious dissolution of the couple's marriage was covered by media around the world. A piece in The New York Times Magazine delved into the split and the complex world of offshore banking under the headline How to Hide $400 Million.

One of the main points of contention during the separation was which court would hold jurisdiction over the proceedings.

The couple battled over assets, but Ms. Pursglove says the divorce was finalized in March. She is now the sole owner of the penthouse.

"It has been a long three-year fight," she says. "It's been tough."

Today, guests and residents pass the concierge in the lobby and take a direct elevator to a large foyer and galleria with two Baccharat crystal chandeliers, inlaid marble floors and panoramic views of downtown Toronto and Lake Ontario.

Real estate agent Jimmy Molloy of Chestnut Park Real Estate Ltd. points out that the height and position reveal the way the shoreline of Lake Ontario curves around the city.

"It's the perspective. It makes the lake look so much closer," he says of the daytime vista.

After sunset, the lights of the downtown skyline and the CN Tower fill the view.

"At night, it is breathtaking."

The penthouse has floor-to-ceiling glass to provide 360-degree views over the city's canopy of trees. With nothing placed in front of the windows to stop the eye, the space expands.

"The environment makes you happy and excited," Mr. Molloy says. "It always makes you feel the space and the volume is even greater than it is."

The penthouse feature high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows. Chestnut Park

On the interior, Mr. Molloy points out, the penthouse has classical elements such as gallery halls and tall pillars, but the high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows are designed for contemporary living.

From the galleria, doors lead to two large, heated outdoor terraces in the southeastern and southwestern corners. Glass sails keep the terrace sheltered, Mr. Molloy says. The building feels higher than 55 floors because the ceiling heights are so high on every level, he says.

In the penthouse, ceilings are more than 12 feet high.

Ms. Pursglove says some leftover space was used to create a powder room beside the formal dining room and the southeastern terrace, where the family and guests could gather around a large outdoor dining table. The powder room was designed with a wall of glass with views right across the terrace to the city and sky beyond.

"It works well as a bathroom as long as you remember to pull the blinds down," she says with a chuckle.

Beside the dining room is the large kitchen and family room. There's also a formal living room and a study with walls panelled in walnut.

In the bedroom area, walls were moved to create a fourth bedroom and to make the bathrooms a little smaller.

"Robert thought they were far too big," Ms. Pursglove says. "A lot of space was used just for the bathrooms."

A room currently set up for screening films and doing homework could serve as a fifth bedroom, Mr. Molloy says.

A laundry area is located near the bedrooms.

"Even if you have a cleaner or a housekeeper, as a mother you're always going to do laundry," Ms. Pursglove says.

Many of the rooms have hidden built-in bar and fridge areas. Chestnut Park

There are three elevators that open directly into the suite as well as a service elevator that serves the back of the house. Mr. Molloy says that Four Seasons staff can use that elevator to enter a hallway that includes a catering kitchen. If residents are returning from time away from Toronto, they can call ahead to the concierge to ask for the necessities to be waiting in the refrigerator.

"When you arrive home, the Champagne is ready. It's like having a bottle of Dom Pérignon in the back of your fridge because you never know who's going to show up."

There's also a dog shower that Ms. Pursglove says was made large enough to accommodate the family's 120-pound Rottweiler.

There is also a large wine cellar and most of the principal rooms have hidden built-in bar and refrigerator areas.

"Robert had a thing about ice machines. I think there's one in nearly every room."

Throughout the suite, a home automation system allows residents to control the lights, music, heat, air and screens in every room. An occupancy sensor can be set to bring up the lights when ever someone enters a room or walks down a hallway. City regulations required fire hoses to be installed. Cabinets were specially designed to make them less conspicuous while still meeting city approval.

Residents also have full access to the Four Seasons' five-star luxury amenities, including room service and chef Daniel Boulud's restaurant.

The best feature

The sauna is located next to the outdoor terrace. Chestnut Park

The master suite is located in the northwestern corner of the penthouse, where the private outdoor terrace provides a secluded spot for watching the sunset.

There's a large bedroom with a sitting room and a double-sided fireplace in between.

The suite has his-and-hers bathrooms and walk-in closets.

Her large waterfall bathtub is designed to let water flow over the sides.

"I thought that was pretty cool."

The sauna is right beside the outdoor terrace so that residents can move between the heat of the sauna and the cold of the outdoors.

"That's why it was perfect where it was, with the balcony," Ms. Pursglove says.