ENCHANTMENT ON FAIRY LAKE. feature

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1 Jane Todd and George Eydt didn t want to wait until retirement to build the home where they d retire. We said, Why don t we do it now and get the enjoyment out of it now? says George. Continued on page 42 Designed by David Small, the unique stone and cedar cottage nestles into a gentle slope. ENCHANTMENT ON FAIRY LAKE STORY WALTER FRANCZYK PHOTOGRAPHY SANDY MACKAY Snowflakes etched in a fire pit evoke fond memories of winter for this family of skiers. OPPOSITE, FAR LEFT: From the cottage dock, downtown Huntsville is a short leisurely boat ride away. CENTRE: Coursed limestone walls and clear cedar frame the side entrance. RIGHT: Owners Jane Todd and George Eydt plan to eventually retire at their lake house. 40 ourhomes MID-SUMMER 2017 ourhomes MID-SUMMER

2 Avid skiers, the young professionals have enjoyed many winters at Hidden Valley s Muskoka Ski Club. They owned a cottage on Lake of Bays to be close to the ski club. The log cottage would have needed a lot of work to make it suitable for retirement, but it had too much value to be razed and replaced with a new home. They decided to start from scratch in another location. We wanted to be closer to Huntsville and we really wanted to be able to boat into town, says Jane. When long-time friends alerted them to the imminent sale of an old cottage on Fairy Lake, they got in early, bought the property and enlisted brothers Steven and Trevor Groh to build a new lake house. They re members of the ski club where we ski at Hidden Valley, says George. We ve known Steven since he was a teenager and he was working for one of the top builders in the area. The brothers established Groh Construction Inc. and built this cottage as their company s first major project, a unique four-bedroom house finished in cedar, stone, glass and steel. It has an undulating yard that slopes gently to the lake and a view that extends across the length of the lake, as far as Huntsville. A wood burning fireplace takes the autumn chill off the Muskoka room. BELOW LEFT: A retractable screen by Window Quilt Muskoka preserves the panoramic lake view while keeping flying bugs at bay. BELOW: Interior decorator Dee Dee Paron of DeeSign Interiors helped design and furnish the home s interior. Jane describes the Groh brothers work as meticulous and phenomenal. It was great, adds George. They were both fantastic, hard working guys, the nicest guys. We re very happy with the whole process. On a friend s recommendation, the couple chose David Small Designs to plan their cottage. He has a very unique style and I loved it instantly, says George. His whole goal was to design something that brings warmth and comfort into a modern setting. The designer achieved that warm, modern look using cedar and stone elements on the exterior and interior. His concept really is to bring the outdoors in, says Jane. It s very open with lots of windows. The same sort of s that are outside the home, like the stonework, are also inside. Steven Groh, 29, a carpenter who worked nearly eight years for a prominent Muskoka builder, says the cottage s unique design was a little difficult, but not a problem. We always look forward to a challenge, Steven says. There were a lot of corners in the house, Continued on page 45 TOP LEFT: A limestone fireplace, crafted by Muskoka Split Rock Inc., will help warm the living room. TOP RIGHT: Clear cedar, stone and glass in the Muskoka room mirror the exterior finishes of the cottage. LEFT: Large, sliding screened doors lead from the main living space to the Muskoka room. 42 ourhomes MID-SUMMER 2017 ourhomes MID-SUMMER

3 Jane and George built their new cottage close to their ski club. Walnut sheathes the sides of the kitchen island and dining bar. OPPOSITE, RIGHT: The modern galley-style kitchen affords plenty of room for culinary feats. LEFT: A side entrance leads to the main floor mudroom, laundry and powder room. which add to the complexity of the build. It took a little bit of thought and planning and layout to make sure everything worked out. The design was great. He sees the project as a promising beginning for his new company. Stone pillars by Matt Hutcheson of Muskoka Split Rock Inc. ascend the front of the cottage, supporting a long, wide, glass-panelled deck and its timber-braced cantilevered roof. Matt used coursed limestone, pointed flush with brushed mortar joints to recreate a contemporary look that David Small Designs uses on many projects. Punctuated with clear cedar siding, stonework skirts the cottage, forms walls and two large fireplaces. Flanked by glass, one of those fireplaces centres one side of the cedar-panelled Muskoka room. A retractable screen, 18-feet wide, by Window Quilt Muskoka keeps bugs at bay while providing an unobstructed view of the front yard and lake. I think it s going to be my favourite room, says Jane. How nice to be able to be indoors and outdoors in front of the fire. Natural-oiled oak covers interior floors. Thick fir beams span the open-concept great room, with a fireplace and sectional sofa on one side, a sleek modern kitchen at the other and a dinner table between. Decorator Dee Dee Paron of DeeSign Interiors helped plan and expertly assembled interior furnishings and finishes, including the kitchen s rustic, white porcelain back splash and walnut panels for Continued on page ourhomes MID-SUMMER 2017 ourhomes MID-SUMMER

4 the island. Lindsay Schultz Kitchens & Cabinetry Ltd. created the contemporary cooking space, illuminated with pendant lamps by Muskoka Lighting Company. Leathered grey marble covers the kitchen island and counters. Red leather barstools from Chair Source tuck under one end of the island. Lindsay Schultz Kitchens & Cabinetry Ltd. also supplied cabinets for the ground floor laundry/mudroom and for the master bedroom. In the master bedroom, one of George s favourite spots, a powered screen retracts to reveal an inspiring morning view. When you roll it up, there s the lake, he says. The en suite holds a rectangular, free-standing soaker tub nestled in a glass-sided alcove with the same stunning lake view. When you re brushing your teeth and look in the mirror you see the lake, George says. Outside, through a door on the side of the bedroom, is a small secluded patio, a sitting spot warmed by the morning sunlight. As a place to eventually retire, the home has everything the couple needs on the main level. But there s plenty more. RIGHT: Off the master bedroom, a private deck with glassed railings overlooks the beautiful lake view. BELOW: A powered screen reveals a wall of windows with large sliding glass doors in the master bedroom where Urban Rustic Living supplied the bedding. BELOW RIGHT: Morning sunlight spills through high windows on the east side of the bedroom. Warmed by radiant in-floor heating, the cottage s ground level has 10-foot ceilings that enhance its spacious character. On this level are three bedrooms, a gym and games room, as well as a family room with a large-screen television, plenty of space to enjoy with the couple s children, both University of Guelph students Samantha, 21, a downhill skier and James, 19, a freestyle skier. With Grandview s Mark O Meara golf course nearby and the Deerhurst Highlands course just minutes away, James has also become a good golfer. In just two weeks, Mike Brown of Brown s Landscaping and Dale Maw of D.B. Maw Landscaping Services sculpted the property, planted trees and installed stone footpaths and granite steps to the dock on the lake. The way those guys worked was incredible to watch, says George. There would be machines working everywhere, Continued on page 48 ABOVE: Steel mono-stringers, fabricated by MacDonald Machining, support oak treads and glass balusters on a staircase connecting the home s two levels. ABOVE LEFT: An old window frame has been repurposed as a new bedroom mirror. LEFT: On the ground floor, TruNorth Tile & Floors installed hardwood flooring while Urban Rustic Living furnished linens and bedding throughout the home. 46 ourhomes MID-SUMMER 2017 ourhomes MID-SUMMER

5 WINDOW QUILT MUSKOKA everybody in sync, four or five guys. It just happened instantly. I was very impressed with Mike s eye and work ethic. He has a great eye for where everything should go. He was amazing to watch. Outdoor enthusiasts, Jane and George also enjoy their time in Muskoka biking, running and walking. We ll take every opportunity to be outside doing something, says Jane. We just love to be able to go into town for ice cream, or to the Huntsville theatre for a show, or out to dinner. It s just a lovely boat ride to float along that canal and go dock the boat at Huntsville. She admits she s also quite happy curling up on the sunny dock with a nice book. Steven credits his excellent carpenters, a team effort and his brother Trevor s organization skills and precise scheduling for the success of the project. It s a very good start to our hopefully long and successful career, he says. OH LEFT: Windows frame three sides of the freestanding tub in the en suite where Kevin Crozier installed the oversize Italian porcelain tiles on the floor and walls. BELOW: A mirrored wall above the en suite vanity reflects the view of the lake. TruNorth Tile & Floors installed tiles on the cottage s ground level. Thursday/Friday 1-4:30 or by appt. 102 Lindgren Road West, Huntsville COMPLIMENTARY ON-SITE HOME AND COTTAGE CONSULTATION windowquiltmuskoka.com MASONRY & CUSTOM STONE WORK FIREPLACES LOCAL SOURCE GUIDE Above the Tape Painting Aladdin Electric Ltd. All Ways Plumbing Brown s Landscaping Clement Aluminum & Vinyl Creative Design & Engineering D.B. Maw Landscaping Services David Small Designs DeeSign Interiors Diamante Granite & Marble Inc. Groh Construction Inc. Hemmings TV & Audio Service Kevin Crozier Lindsay Schultz Kitchens & Cabinetry Ltd. MacDonald Machining Muskoka Lighting Company Muskoka Lumber Building Supplies Centre Muskoka Split Rock Inc. Saturday Afternoons Fireplace King TruNorth Tile & Floors Window Quilt Muskoka Wooden Penny muskokasplitrock.com info@muskokasplitrock.com We work with our clients from the initial design conversations through to the project s completion, providing you with a space that is tailored to your needs and lifestyle. Be it a new build, renovation or an update to your living space. ~Dee Dee Paron DEDICATED TO EXCELLENCE IN INTERIOR DESIGN ourhomes MID-SUMMER 2017