Timeless Beauty
Story Rick Shurman | Photography Sandy MacKay
Floral Arrangements Collingwood Flowers and Home Decor
Some 30 years ago, Sheila Thorson and her husband Michael Abercrombie made a wise and wonderful decision. They purchased one of the prettiest views Southern Ontario and the Niagara Escarpment have to offer. Fifty wooded acres, sitting atop a ridge skillfully carved by Mother Nature.
The site for their home overlooks the Beaver Valley and presents a vista all the way north to the town of Thornbury and on to the waters of Georgian Bay. As Sheila suggests, “It’s a 100-square-mile view and we knew then, as we do today, that this was just the right place for us.”
They knew the property well. Michael has lived in the area for most of his life and as a young man occasionally hunted small game on or around this particular parcel of land. Sheila was often out on horseback back then and on her rides, would come across the ridge and pause to take in the breathtaking view. A local farmer owned the property, which at the time was around 200 acres in total.
Michael and Sheila, deciding that this was meant to be their piece of paradise, approached him and made an offer to purchase the 50 acres they wanted. A deal was struck and the journey to build their spectacular home and retreat began.
“We spent a fair amount of time just going to the property and hanging out, getting a feel for it,” Sheila recollects. “I can remember on one particular occasion making a fire and cooking hot dogs with the farmer’s cattle all around us. They were basically using the fire as a smudge pot. It was very funny and remains a delightful memory.”
They cleared the land and carefully considered not just what they might build, or where their home would be constructed, but specifically where on the land they would position the home to maximize the vista and the beauty of the surroundings. “We knew the style of home we wanted and for the most part designed it ourselves,” Sheila says. They constructed a home they felt would best integrate into the terrain – to be part of it, as opposed to being on it.
Approaching along an arbored drive, the wooded lot opens to reveal the home sitting gently along the ridge, comfortably slipping into the landscape. Surrounded by lush vegetation, it feels as though it is and has always been an indigenous part of the land on which it rests. “We wanted it all on one level, with an opportunity to enjoy the view from almost every room,” Sheila says. Each room has generous picture windows and large glass doors that frame the glorious farmland and forest across the valley.
“We built the house 30 years ago,” says Sheila. “We knew all the trades because they were local and so were we.” Michael was an electrical and mechanical contractor himself, which made it easy to connect with well-known, reliable people and get the job done right.
Sheila and Michael chose to use materials that would feel natural and organic to the land that envelops the home – stone on the house, cedar on the roof and hardwood on the floors.
The outside flows seamlessly to the interior of this stunning residence. “We were not looking for the latest look or trend necessarily. We wanted quality and purposeful finishings and furnishings, because we are not always driven by what is new.”
The home is filled with family heirlooms, aged Persian carpets and refinished and repurposed pieces of all description, which are arranged in a casual manner throughout. A 14-foot African mahogany dining room table that’s more than 100 years old can seat a substantial number for dinner. A full-size, fully restored billiards table rescued from Brownie’s Pool Hall in Thornbury also resides here. It is replete with the original sets of billiard and snooker balls, vintage cues and – reflecting its history – a good number of small burn marks along the rails, from the many cigarettes that must have resided there just a little too long, many years ago. It is definitely a conversation piece and a gathering place for friends and family.
There are cosy sitting areas around every corner with comfortable chairs and tables welcoming warm conversation or a good book. One of the homeowners’ favourite spaces is the charming screened-in area at the front of the house decorated with rocking chairs, throw rugs and floor-to-ceiling motorized screens that allow the forest view in and keep the bugs out. A gazebo, steps away from the main house, is outfitted with a fireplace, an oversize sofa and leather arm chairs.
The home is all about comfort and practicality blended with wonderful vision, elegant taste and skillful construction. Sheila and Michael spent a couple of years planning and another year building their hilltop home, which has offered endless pleasure over these past 30 years.
With its timeless design and sensibilities, this home with its 100-mile view will never get old. OH