This house, located on one of Muskoka’s smaller lakes replaced an aging pre-war cabin. With a the client’s limited budget the key was to build a simple structure with an efficient floor plan to maximize usable space and provide all of the program elements required by the owners.
The main level includes a master bedroom suite, and two secondary bedrooms on the main floor separated by the great room, kitchen, dining and entrance. The design concept was to create two cabins connected by an open glassy common area, or metaphorically, a screened porch. While the common area is not a screened porch it does give the feeling of being an outdoor space, because of its floor to ceiling glass walls, as well as soffit detailing which flows into the building. This not only helps blur the line between indoor and outdoor but also houses the recessed blind pockets.
The stair to the basement is concealed behind the fireplace and the window creates an interesting shadow effect on the stone finish back of the fireplace creating texture as one descends the stair. The basement houses two more bedrooms, a bathroom a rec room, laundry and mechanical room.
Exterior finishes are pre-stained wood siding, metal roof and metal clad windows as well as a large cedar deck overlooking the lake.