6 minute read
LURE OF THE LAKE
LURE OF THE LAKE beach retreat
features award-winning kitchen
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Drawing inspiration from the serene landscape, Fred and Shelley set out to create the ultimate beach retreat, crafted to fit their lifestyle. In 2003 they bought a cottage next door to their own, and, captivated by the allure of the lake, decided to build a retirement dream house. Fred, a native of the Grand Bend area and well-known in Ontario farming circles, looked to his roots as inspiration for their ideal custom space. Having lived the most of his life in an 1887 farmhouse, Fred wanted to blend subtle rural touches into a contemporary space. “We succeeded in taking
LEFT Identified as the most used space in the house, the kitchen’s large windows offer expansive views. TOP RIGHT Situated on a lakeside lot, this stunner is the homeowners’ dream retirement home. RIGHT The residence combines ample entertainment space with features perfect for their extended family.
mementos of the farm to the beach,” Shelley says. “But it definitely smells better!”
Devoted to supporting local industry, Fred and Shelley chose Oke Woodsmith to bring their vision to life. “It was an easy decision,” Fred explains, “Oke has a great reputation within the community and their homes embody the distinct custom aesthetic we hoped to create for ourselves.”
The couple’s relationship with Oke’s design team was “fabulous,” as the team was professional, understanding, accessible, and adapted easily to any change in plan that arose. “They are the ‘yes’ people,” Shelley explains. “It seemed as though literally anything was possible!”
Following a brainstorming session with Oke’s team, spearheaded by designer Steve Poortinga, a fundamental plan was crafted for the creation of space designed for comfort and function. Fred and Shelley’s investment in the custom aspects are evident. Each room features touches that reflect the owners’ ideals, passions and experiences.
The couple lived in the neighbouring cottage during construction, so Fred had a close eye on the project. “You never really know how plans on paper will translate into the physical space,”
he says. “Oke was absolutely amazing at answering all of my questions, explaining what exactly was going on at each stage of construction, and accommodating any changes we wanted to make.”
“Our goal,” Shelley says, “was to create a real entertainment space that was designed specifically for our family’s unique needs and desires. We wanted to build a functional home and a paradise getaway all in one. We have three children, a granddaughter, and three cats – everyone has their own space here.”
The home’s grand entranceway invites you to immediately engage with the unique aesthetic. Double doors feature the family’s initials, subtly incorporated into the custom design, conceived by local Mennonite craftsmen.
The open concept kitchen and main living space – the most-used area in the home according to both Fred and Shelley – directs the eye toward the room’s massive windows and lake view.
Drawing on the tranquil energy she derives from nature as inspiration for her décor, Shelley worked alongside Fred’s sister Teresa, a Winnipeg-based interior designer, to produce the unique aesthetic. Teresa’s attention to detail worked to inspire important elements in the home, including colour choices, and a stone archway to the wine cellar.
The couple’s kitchen - winner of the London Home Builders’ Association’s ‘Kitchen of the Year’ award for 2015 - is light, airy, and minimalistic. A mixture of white and espresso cabinetry with simple chrome hardware provides ample storage while supporting the serene, almost Asian-inspired design aesthetic.
Parallel to the kitchen, a large open seating, dining, and entertainment space awaits with an immense wood-burning fireplace, built-in shelving, large television, and an adjacent three-season dining room. The dramatically raised ceilings in the space recall the sensation of being outdoors.
The three-season entertainment space is another expression of the couple’s desire for a custom home. Fred was involved in its design, including the indoor/outdoor kitchen, which features a stocked bar (the first of three), two barbecues, and Talius retractable roller shutters. A rustic stone floor runs throughout the kitchen space and continues outside as a pathway to the lake.
In the attached dining area, a long, reclaimed wood harvest table from Restoration Hardware points towards another charming wood-burning fireplace. Above the table, a light fixture crafted by Fred hangs delicately. Composed of reclaimed barn beams and dangling Edison bulbs, the fixture transports the family back to their farmhouse roots.
Fred and his nephew Quintin, a certified welder, constructed the home’s open staircases.
Reclaimed wood table, charming wood fireplace and reclaimed barn beams transport the family back to their farmhouse roots
OPPOSITE PAGE The bathroom’s concrete floor is enhanced by a spiral of beach glass the couple collected, adding a personal touch. • Casually elegant and comfortable, the dining area invites family and friends to settle in and enjoy themselves. CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT Shirley chose to decorate common spaces with soothing contemporary touches. • Custom doors, featuring the family’s initials, welcome visitors. • The outdoor shower and footbath are well-used features in a lake house. • The couple ably met their goal of combining aesthetics with function in all areas of the home. • The wine cellar is an homage to Fred’s childhood home and holds 1,000 bottles of wine.
Fred designed another extraordinary feature: a wood log elevator system. Fred’s one-of-a-kind contraption allows him to hoist firewood from his basement into the three-season space, making it easier to add wood to both of the home’s fireplaces.
The rustic inspiration continues into the basement, as Fred’s wine cellar is an homage to his childhood home. The entrance is framed by a veneer stone archway, antique-inspired mahogany wood doors from London’s County Heritage, and a collection of reclaimed wood beams salvaged from the family’s old barns. Inside the temperature-controlled space, custom metal wine racks – also welded by the couple’s talented nephew – hold nearly 1000 bottles of wine patiently awaiting their peak. “Oke Woodsmith just does it right,” Fred states, “they listened to us, inspired us, and directed us towards things that we didn’t even know we wanted, but we love.”
Fred also has a green thumb and took responsibility for most of the property’s landscaping, with help from local landscaping company, Cobble Design. Lush gardens surround the house and line the pathway to the lake. An outdoor shower and foot wash are strategically connected to a “mudroom of sorts” in the basement – a bathroom accessed from outside features a changing room, toilet, and shower. The couple added a custom touch by creating a spiral design out of personally collected beach glass in the concrete shower floor.
“Little accents like this are what make a house a home,” Shelley explains. n
