Situated on a scenic rural site in southern Ontario, this 18,000 square foot home is designed to maximize views of a serene private lake and the wooded surrounding countryside. The clients requested a house that would function both as an intimate family sanctuary and be suited for entertaining.
The house is a composition of solid and transparent volumes – the interplay of floor to ceiling glazing at the entry foyer, double height great room and indoor pool with exterior walls of Indiana limestone grounded by a rusticated base of local Ontario stone anchoring the house to the sloping terrain. Natural light is suffused throughout the interior – multiple skylights allow shafts of sunlight to penetrate deep into the centre of the house and the roof of the great room “floats” above the south wall to create a continuous clerestory.
The different levels of the house are visually connected – the family room/kitchen overlooks the pool below and a bridge links the two wings of the house. Larger, more formal spaces are juxtaposed with more intimate areas – a cozy reading area overlooks the Great Room; a generous alcove outside the children’s bedrooms doubles as their own library/play area; a private office cantilevers out through the exterior wall of the Great Room, framing a spectacular view over the lake.
The indoor swimming pool, lushly planted with tropical vegetation, incorporates a generous seating and entertaining area. It is linked to a large screened in porch by a wall of glass that slides down into the ground in warmer months to create a seamless transition between the two areas.
The interior design is distinguished by a rigorous attention to materiality and craftsmanship. Light oak flooring is combined with local Algonquin limestone and custom millwork. The entry foyer features a cantilevered stair fabricated of bronze, Pommele Anigre wood veneer and glass treads and risers, set against a wall of backlit white onyx. The stair handrail is crafted of bronze and leather.
