UP-COUNTRY LIVING

STORY MADDIE JOHNSON
PHOTOGRAPHY KERRI TORREY

Designer Karin Kolb of Karin Kolb Interiors says a recreational home is a space for entertaining and weekend living. “This is a place you want to escape to and relax,” says Karin. “It’s a retreat.”

There is no better example of this than the project Karin aptly named The Creemore Country Home – a rustic farmhouse nestled in the rolling hills of Creemore.

The rural home was finished by a local contractor in 2020 and purchased as a recreational property by a family from the city. The deal was set to close on Dec. 11, 2020 and the family hoped to spend the holiday season in their new home.

Karin knew the clients through Devil’s Glen Country Club and helped with some of the design at their previous ski chalet. At the time, they were consulting her about a renovation at their house in the city. That all got put on the backburner when they bought the beautiful property in Creemore and had to furnish it from top to bottom in a matter of weeks.

While Karin’s specialty lies in construction and renovation, this became a fun challenge for her.

“It was such a pleasure working with my trusting, easy-going and quick-decision-making clients and I have to say the result is nothing short of fabulous,” she says.

However, it is a big house and furnishing it in that time frame was no small feat and during a pandemic, no less. The clients told Karin they wanted the design to be low-key, but upscale, and after taking one step into the home, it’s easy to understand why. Warm neutrals complement the colours, textures and finishes of the beautiful country home, highlighting the stunning landscape that surrounds it.

“We sourced and completed the furnishings at the height of the pandemic,” Karin says. “Despite the fact that showrooms were closed, and we endured ongoing delays and delivery challenges, we managed. And the result is fantastic.”

During the design process, the clients wanted Karin to always remember their family lifestyle. They needed everything to be dog-friendly for their beloved goldendoodle, and of course, designed for entertaining.

“We needed high-performance fabric,” says Karin. “Everything needed to be easy-wearing and laid back. We wanted good quality pieces that would last and stand up to teenagers, guests and the dog.”

So that was taken into consideration in every fabric chosen throughout the entire space. All furniture choices feature elements of high and low, mixing pieces from online retailers with sofas from Restoration Hardware.

“There was a lot of thought that went into each room, and every piece in each room,” Karin explains.

When it came to accents, the homeowner’s only rule was that she didn’t want anything too fussy. “We wanted to be able to really live in it,” the homeowner says.

So, Karin did just that, doing just enough to accent the space without making it too demanding. According to Karin, it was all about throw pillows and accent pillows – an idea that took her client awhile to warm up to.

“The client called me the pillow pusher,” laughs Karin, remembering when some pillows arrived at the house and the client thought it was a mistake. They compromised, and in the bedrooms Karin chose long lumbar- style pillows so it would be easy to make the beds in the morning.

“I did take a lot of their lifestyle into consideration, but in the end you need to trust your designer,” Karin says.

Along with fully outfitting the guest bedrooms, Karin also prioritized maximum seating in the family room with additional stools and open spaces, making it comfortable for entertaining.

“With recreational properties, you’re always thinking about spaces for guests and entertaining. A lot of people think of them as a place to bring up old furniture from the city, but you need to treat them as you would your home in the city. Good quality mattresses, good quality furniture,” Karin advises.

Even the patio acts like an extension of the living room, with ample seating pointed towards the spectacular view of the Creemore hills from their deck.

“My favourite part of the house really is the view,” Karin says. Every decorating decision took that into account, right down to choosing sofas with low backs so they didn’t block the window.

“We didn’t want to obstruct the windows from any point in the living area. You don’t want to see the furniture, you want to see that stunning view from their deck,” she says.

Because of lingering COVID restrictions and ongoing lockdowns, the clients spent more time in their country cottage than anticipated, and they are so happy they enlisted Karin’s help to really make it a place that feels like home.

“Every time I walk into that house, I am just floored at how gorgeous it is,” says Karin. And the client agrees. At the end of the day, Karin says it really does come down to trusting your designer.

“Trust the process. We do this day in and day out,” Karin says. “Great things happen when you trust your designer.”