ASTORY CHARLENE PECK

Transcription

1 Lake Joe finesse ASTORY CHARLENE PECK PHOTOGRAPHY SANDY MACKAY After discovering the perfect 2.6-acre point on Lake Joseph five years ago, cottagers Tracy and Paul Rowan weren t ready to plunge into building their ultimate summer getaway. We built a boathouse first to see if we liked it here, and to get a feel for the area, Tracy recalls. TOP: Bordered with glass, the boathouse deck is an excellent place to bask in the sun. LEFT: Tyson, Pierce, Nicole and Josh take the plunge into Lake Joseph at the Rowan family cottage. ABOVE: Nicole communes with frogs in a waterfall pool. OPPOSITE, TOP: The upper floor of the boathouse overlooks the lake and the many boats sailing to and from Port Sandfield. BOTTOM: Steenhof Stoneworks skirted the 7,500 sq. ft. cottage with rustic-style Muskoka granite while Muskoka Landscapers recreated a watery habitat for amphibians. Cutting Brothers Inc. built the exterior door. As cottagers on Deep Bay in Georgian Bay, they d been seeking a less isolated site, and wanted to swap their steep rocky water access for gently sloping sand beachfront, safe for their children then aged six, four, and two. We wanted to spend time on that land to decide if we were going to build our cottage, which way we wanted to face, and where to position it on that property, Paul explains. After the boathouse was done and the bunkie was built, we spent a year or two up here thinking things through, walking around to get an idea of where the sun sets and where the wind blows. Based on their gloomy experience with a Deep Bay cottage facing directly north, they favoured southern exposure for their next place; yet they struggled to adjust to how busy their primary view, the Lake Joseph waterfront, was. There s a lot of boat traffic here because this is a bit of a funnel down to Port Sandfield, says Paul. We weren t used to that, coming from Deep Bay. Continued on page ourhomes FALL 2016 ourhomes FALL

2 The cottage bunkie made a comfortable summer home where the Rowan family stayed while they determined where to position their new lake house. The solution was to position the shoulders of the cottage to the south so it faces slightly southwest but primarily west. So we get beautiful sunsets down over the water, he adds. And then if we want the sun, we re out on the boathouse deck all day, and boating, tubing and wakeboarding with the kids. When the Rowans finally set down the cottage footprint in 2014, it was a well-researched step. Muskoka Lumber Building Supplies Centre s design team helped them put their vision onto paper. The 7,500 sq. ft. plan doubled the size of their previous cottage and, combined with the boathouse, bunkie and garage, it fulfilled the couple s dream. Our vision for the property was to build a family compound, explains Paul. We had some grandfathering here that allowed a separate garage and bunkie. It also accommodated the Oakville couple s love for entertaining on Lake Joseph. All my kids play hockey, so we ve got lots of hockey families we like to have up here to summer with us and make lots of good memories our kids can reflect back on, explains Paul. Continued on page 32 A bunkie ladder ascends to the loft and cosy sleeping space. LEFT: A wooden footbridge over the man-made waterfall connects the bunkie with the cottage yard. TOP: Slipcovers make for easy cleaning of comfortable bunkie furniture. ABOVE: Ginger, one of the family s two Bengal cats, gets comfy in the bathroom sink. 30 ourhomes FALL 2016 ourhomes FALL

3 In the cottage, guests are immersed in comfort on a grand scale with the abundance of pine, natural stone, high ceilings, wide hallways and expansive open space. A retractable glass wall folds away from the dining room where indoor living melds with mingling around the patio barbecue. A lot of places we looked at here were like homes and we both decided we don t want a house, Paul explains. We already have a house. We don t want a second one. So part of the reason we used wood and stone extensively is to give the place that outdoor, cottagey feel versus a house. Every stone was laid by Steenhof Stoneworks, from the fireplaces, flooring and wine room to the skirt of the exterior. Steenhof s Eric Brand crafted the showpiece brick wine cellar, designed by the Rowans. Northern Iron skilfully replicated wrought-iron wine cellar doors from a photo Tracy had given them. They were stunning, she says. Perfect. I think the wine cellar is a really nice focus in a cottage. It s not meant In the great room, a fireplace of ashlar and split face granite, by Steenhof Stoneworks, holds the mounted head of a caribou that came with the family s original Deep Bay cottage. It s one of three fireplaces in the home. TOP: A harvest table made of salvaged wood from Restoration Hardware furnishes the dining room where illumination is provided by a Northern Iron chandelier. LEFT: Stone surrounds the oven and covers the floor in the cottage kitchen where a large slab of granite forms the island. ABOVE: Northern Iron forged a decorative grill of hanging grapes for the wine cellar doors. They were absolutely perfect, says Tracy. We were astounded. to hold copious amounts of wine it s more like an art piece. Wrought iron chandeliers, custom lights, wine cellar doors, and strapping on the kitchen island cabinets, all created by Northern Iron, add medieval dimension to the décor. Together with Woodsmiths cabinetry, they ve really made the place quite unique, explains Tracy. Woodsmiths of Muskoka followed Tracy s inspiration and design for cabinetry in the kitchen, bar, laundry, mudroom, and all bathrooms. They did an incredible job and captured exactly what I was looking for, she says. The quality of their work is top notch. Continued on page ourhomes FALL 2016 ourhomes FALL

4 Rounded over-size doors crafted by Cutting Brothers Inc. continue the medieval theme. Chunky pine staircases, railings and all truss work by Cutting Brothers generate natural warmth and character, along with an abundance of sliding barn doors throughout. These doors were designed by Tracy. A massive barn beam discovered when dismantling the original cottage found new life as the fireplace mantel, and as a highlight piece above the oven. A 10-foot slab of granite is the kitchen island surface. It was hard finding a piece of granite that big, notes Tracy. I love it. Olympia Tile supplied sturdy and durable Caesarstone countertops in the kitchen. Fun with tactile wood, stone and building materials escalates in the master en suite where an enclosed toilet resembles a weathered wooden outhouse. A stunning copper soaker tub is a focal showpiece and the glass shower stall features a granite floor and porcelain tile walls. ABOVE: Woodsmiths of Muskoka applied a distressed finish on the wet bar cabinetry in the billiards room to give it a rustic appeal. RIGHT: The pool table centres the games room, where twoinch-thick, sliding barn doors open to the Muskoka room. BELOW: The laundry room is furnished with plenty of cabinets and storage space. Upstairs, four bedrooms, a three-piece bath, a powder room and an airy sitting room complete the living space. Soft earth tones and subtle blues are woven into the interior design by Natalie McGarrity of Muskoka Living Interiors. I find there are a lot of white interiors up here now and we got away from that, Tracy explains. I didn t want a Florida or coastal look. I wanted a cottage look and I think she really helped to warm the place up with the fabrics, colour scheme and accents. The natural look spills into the landscape with a three-inch-thick granite flagstone porch designed by Muskoka Landscapers. Existing stone pathways, once connecting original buildings on the site, were retained where possible. A 120-foot stream between the cottage and bunkie cascades from the parking Continued on page 38 TOP LEFT: A stone patio at the front of the cottage is large enough for outdoor dinner parties. TOP RIGHT: A large, double-faucet sink services this bathroom. LEFT: In addition to a stone floor and rustic granite fireplace, the covered porch off the dining room has a stainless steel grill that can serve diners indoors or outside. 34 ourhomes FALL 2016 ourhomes FALL

5 The Muskoka area is a premier cottage destination for many families, well known for its natural beauty and landscapes. Our goal is to provide home or cottage owners with healthy plant material through the use of automated irrigation systems, while providing safety, security and aesthetic value through the application of landscape lighting. Outdoor lighting systems will provide elegance to your landscape beyond the daylight hours. We strive to create a safe, subtle and peaceful ambiance enjoyed for years to come. We at MLI feel very privileged to have the opportunity to enhance each property, while striving to exceed the expectations of our clients mlisolutions.ca Behind a sliding plank door in the master bedroom, the en suite holds a copper soaker tub and a vanity with double sinks and mirrors. The floor is solid granite. 36 ourhomes FALL 2016 Canadian Manufacturer of Artisan Lighting, Furniture and Metal Art Huronia Rd. Unit 8, Barrie, ON L4N 6C6 northerniron@bellnet.ca

6 feature LOCAL SOURCE GUIDE Artifex Coppersmithing & Stained Glass Inc. Cutting Brothers Inc. MLI Solutions Muskoka Air Systems Muskoka Landscapers Muskoka Living Interiors Muskoka Lumber Building Supplies Centre Northern Iron Olympia T ile Painting Muskoka Scarcliffe Excavating Sifft Electric Steenhof Stoneworks The Smithy Window Guys Woodsmiths of Muskoka ABOVE: Doors in the master bedroom open to the treed front yard and the lake beyond. RIGHT: Equipped with a telescope, the upper floor sitting room makes a comfy star-gazing station. FAR RIGHT: A secondstorey deck over the main entrance overlooks the side yard and bunkie. Custom Quality Cabinetry level to the lake. The waterfall is quite a unique feature, Tracy explains. Muskoka Landscapers did a beautiful job. We gave them a vision of what we d designed and they just nailed it. MLI Solutions enhanced the yard with low-voltage outdoor lighting and landscape irrigation. Sifft Electric installed home automation and electrical systems. By late August 2016 as the family calendar began to fill with hockey commitments, final touches fell into place at the Rowans summer getaway. I m happy with how everything turned out, says Tracy. Many hurdles to get here but worth it in the end. OH BRACEBRIDGE Photographer Sandy MacKay would like to thank Nicole Rowan for assisting during this photoshoot. 38 ourhomes FALL 2016 DESIGN BUILD INSTALL HUNTSVILLE 23 Monica Lane 61 King William Street