DISTINCTIVE DESIGNS 2021 EDITION 88
Renovating a home is never easy but doing it when you are on the other side of the world is one heck of a brave decision. It is in times like these when technology becomes really useful. You also must put a lot of faith in your contractor.
eastmeetswest — Distance not a factor for Oke Woodsmith —
When Elsa and Terry decided to renovate their cottage in Grand Bend, it wasn’t until three interviews later that they knew exactly in whom to place their faith. “We interviewed three different contractors but went with Oke Woodsmith because we live overseas and wanted to give the job to someone we trusted,” said Terry during a Skype interview. “Randy [Oke] gained our trust because of the quality of work we saw that they had done.” The couple, who reside in Jakarta, Indonesia, are administrators at Jakarta Intercultural School and come to Grand Bend every year. They also like www.okewoodsmith.com
to spend their time travelling through Europe and other parts of the world. In the earlier 2000s, when technology was less a part of everyday life, Oke used what was available to give the couple full access to the developments of their renovations. Through Skype conversations, email and file-sharing, Terry and Elsa were able to keep up with the day-to-day progress and to provide feedback when needed. “Randy dropped us email updates, workers would take photos and put them in Dropbox and let us know. Then we would look at photos, ask questions and write emails back for clarity or changes. The whole working
relationship has been long distance.” It was during a vacation in Ontario – for a family reunion – that led them to buy the house. Elsa, having fallen in love with Grand Bend, had discovered the place near the end of their stay. Though they were just about to make a big move to Thailand, Elsa told Terry he had to see the property. The cottage, located in Southcott Pines right by the beach, features classic cottage elements with a hint of inspiration from the couple’s travels throughout Southeast Asia. When it was bought, the small cottage needed serious updates.
