Expressing Your Point Of View

STORY HEATHER WRIGHT  | PHOTOGRAPHY GORDON KING

Home design elements can frame views of watercolour-worthy landscapes – just like materials, lighting and location make a piece of wall art shine. This is particularly important when a home is built to showcase vistas.

For Marc and Monique Diotte, being inside their waterfront Calabogie home provides the ultimate viewing experience. They were guided in building their retirement home by the experienced hand of project manager and builder Chris Fleming of Generation-3 Homes, who specializes in Linwood Custom Homes.

Chris says the home was built to enhance the “sense of being outside.” This was accomplished by modifying the layout to frame views of the water and woods from multiple vantage points. He positioned the doors and windows to seamlessly support traffic flow, as well as leverage natural light at various points of the day. 

The main floor has incredible views of the water and woods from every angle. Sightlines are absolutely seamless, and that wasn’t by accident.

“We wanted something really grand when you walk in,” says Marc.

They moved the staircase (Ron Wilson Stairs) to support sightlines. The striking fireplace (Friendly Fires) is deliberately positioned in the room in order to make a statement, but not in a way that would overpower the impact of the view.

“A lot of designs put the fireplace in the middle of the room, but that distracted from the view,” says Marc. Instead, they offset the fireplace to the side and selected a porcelain-stone look that is elegant yet understated.

Marc and Monique were drawn to Chris and the Linwood Homes design concept because of the ability to extensively customize their home. They could bring their concepts to fruition, live their best lives at home and make the best use of the prime piece of waterfront land that they chose.

“Many clients have a hard time narrowing down ideas for their homes,” says Chris. “When we start Linwood’s design development process, we refer our clients to our website where they can view hundreds of stock plans to give us a starting point. This is an important tool that helps clients share with us what they are thinking. It’s the first step in our proven, step-by-step process.”

Clients can add or subtract from the plans as their dreams dictate, with budget in mind.

Chris determines how clients will use their home and encourages smart solutions that will create an optimum living experience. “Creating simple design logistics now will reward you for years to come,” he says.

For example, Chris suggested Marc and Monique build a sunroom (Carnegie Custom) directly off the kitchen for maximum use of their living space throughout all seasons. They also built a garage directly underneath the sunroom that provides the perfect storage area for their watercraft. This created a practical space that reduces clutter and maintains clean lines throughout their property.

Chris helped the couple take advantage of the slight slope of the land by setting the elevation in such a manner that resulted in an incredible walkout basement. As a walkout with nine-foot ceilings, patio doors and radiant- heat floors, it eschews the concept of basements being dark and damp. It’s every bit as bright and welcoming as the rest of this light-filled home.

Also in the basement is a nautical themed bar (Urban Stone Surfaces) with a wooden boat replica crafted by Marc. Tin ceilings add a timeless vibe that provides texture and a reflective surface to amplify the sense of space.

In the kitchen, the design and colour frame the view. “We decided to put the kitchen sink (Preston Hardware) against the wall facing the view and remove cabinetry altogether along the wall,” says Monique. They installed drawers in the island to increase storage.

They extended the countertop (Urban Quartz and Granite) outward to form the window jam for a seamless finish right up to the windowsill, playing with the optics around the windows, which provides an endless view.

The master bedroom also features nine-foot patio doors that usher in the light every morning. The sumptuous master bathroom also offers exquisite views. In this room, Marc and Monique used big tiles (Saltillo Tile & Stone) to minimize grout lines, creating a subtle but effective sense of space.

Even outdoors, the Diottes did not want to obstruct the view. Their expansive deck has glass railings. They make the most of outdoor living at home, with a dreamy dock, stone patio areas and firepit. As year-round barbecue enthusiasts, Monique is particularly fond of the covered cooking area just outside the kitchen.

This home is beguiling and beautiful, but it is also immensely practical. This is in large part because it was designed and built according to the homeowners’ lifestyle and in deference to the serenity of the waterfront.