INTERIOR DESIGN A Modern-Meets-Organic Cottage Retreat

A ModernMeets-Organic

Cottage Retreat

BY ANNA CIPOLLONE PHOTOGRAPHY BY DANIEL WEYLIE PHOTOGRAPHY AND ALEX FORESHEW

The Local Studio is a full-service interior design firm based in Port Carling. At the heart of every project is biophilic design, where the biological connection we have to nature is ingrained within the very DNA of the interiors.

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rincipal Designer Kate Sadler is set on bridging the connection between architecture and the surrounding natural environment by designing spaces that optimize the wellbeing of residents through signals to materials abundant in nature.

With a cottage, boathouse, and two-storey garage, these three buildings create an expansive property with spacious accommodations for the whole family and guests. The lakeside cottage doesn’t simply hug the water’s edge, it extends its interiors beyond the adjacent outdoor quarters in a way that naturally flows as if one with the elements nearby. The contemporary aesthetic of this monumental cottage retreat presents the perfect ambience for an elegant escape where peace of mind is always in reach. The materials we revere from mother nature, like wood and stone, are carefully crafted into the design of every room in this impeccable build that walks the line between modern and organic.

Kate Sadler approached the design concept by first taking note of the property and its surroundings. “We strongly believe in using natural materials and our palette is always inspired from pieces we collect from the property,” says Sadler. “Given the biological beauty of the site–the forest, the stream running through it, the rocks and the lake, we wanted the interiors to echo this exquisiteness but with a modern flair.” The intention behind the project was to maintain a material palette inspired by nature while incorporating the client’s push-the-boundaries taste.

As with every large-scale build, there can be unexpected hiccups along the way. This project was no exception, when the boathouse burned down two days before the furniture was to be delivered. “It was devastating,” says Sadler. >>

A custom light fixture along with a stunning single slab table and angled island add unique elements to the kitchen and dining room.

“This put a pretty big delay on everything because we were in the process of building and designing all three buildings at once.” But with an amazing team on and offsite, they were able to stay positive and rebuild. “It turned out even more beautiful than the first go around,” she says.

In the cottage, custom elements like an angled island, and plenty of integrated lighting and millwork required thoughtful detailing. “When you have amazing, creative clients that not only encourage–but will go for–super unique elements, you deliver.”

The repetition of the cylinder shape in every room, from the light fixtures and furniture to the architectural details, as well as the natural palette carried throughout in stone, wood, concrete and black steel, reflects an intentional rhythm and harmony. “We designed a one-of-a-kind, single wood slab 14’ long table with large, steel cylinder legs,” says Sadler, “once again pushing our fabricators to make something they’d never done before.”

The warm woods create a relaxed atmosphere in the lower level’s lounge where a custom shuffleboard table, a marble slab bar and a deep-seated sofa form the perfect leisure space.

A custom concrete vanity is paired with natural stone, balanced against the cedar ceilings and walnut surrounding the tub in the spa bathroom. The black steel surrounding the fireplace creates a modern look that blends well with the matching exterior finishes.

A seamless L shape floating concrete bench fabricated by Dare to be Different for the stone-clad steam room and a backlit Himalayan salt brick wall in the sauna came together to create the ideal restorative environment for relaxation. The powder room’s live edge wood vanity topper and the live edge walnut bench in the spa lobby present a cohesive pattern.

Working alongside the architectural designer Foreshew Design Associates, builder Mazenga Building Group, and engineer de Koning Group is the kind of collaborative process that The Local Studio gravitates toward. Having a supportive team on a massive project like this one that lasted years makes for the biggest rewards at the end of it all: seeing the project transform from flat lay finishes and lines on paper to the real thing.

“At the end of the day, we design for the client,” says Sadler. “We dive deep and embody the client’s likes and dislikes so they are truly in love with their finished space.”