DISTINCTIVE DESIGNS 2021 EDITION 20
Oke Woodsmith WINS GREEN AWARD AND HOMEOWNER’S HEARTS This lovely country home is a place of contrasts – the drama of the black and white palette, the spotlight on art and music - in a soothing setting of farm fields and woodlots. State-ofthe-art technology and award-winning energy efficiency sit comfortably with traditional style. Several years ago, homeowners Suzanne and Neil purchased an Oke Woodsmith-built cottage in St. Joseph, Ontario. They fell in love with the attention to detail and quality of craftmanship of the cottage. Good friends had just finished a new cottage in Grand Bend with the builder. “We were very impressed with them,” says Suzanne. So, when the couple purchased 150 acres near Birr, where Neil and his brothers farm, they had both the builder and a design in mind. “We wanted something that fit into the setting – country charm and rustic,” says Suzanne, the former Executive Director of the Thames Talbot Land Trust. The innovative manufactured stone by Permacon simulates the look of Quarry stone that clads the exterior of the 3,800-square-foot three-bedroom house. The number of older trees belies the newness. “Oke Woodsmith saved all of the mature trees on the lot so the house looks like it had been here for a long time,” she adds. The couple wanted a one-floor design, energy conservation and preservation of the existing trees. “As we get older, we don’t want to do a lot of stairs. And we’re all aware of what climate change is doing to the planet so we wanted to have a much smaller carbon footprint.” www.okewoodsmith.com
Starting with a layout Suzanne found online, the couple worked with Oke’s designer Steve Poortinga to achieve their goals. They added walls and windows, eliminated a staircase, created a separate workshop and included so many eco-friendly elements that the house won a Middlesex Centre Green Builder Award for Oke Woodsmith. The county’s program promotes sustainability in residential home construction by encouraging efficient design and recognizes builders who incorporate sustainable features and practices. Some of those elements in this house include: Smart grid technology, solar panels, hot water thermal recovery, green roof, extra-large overhangs and window awnings, window energy efficiency and higher insulation values, geothermal energy source, grey water system and rainwater harvesting.
