Muskoka Cottage

The cottage sits along the scenic waterside of one of the Muskoka Lakes in Ontario Canada. A large property acquired by the client as a retreat but also as a legacy home for their children and grandchildren. They wanted a home with a clean, modern aesthetic yet showed a strong connection to the rustic vernacular architecture of the region and have the interior design be more casual than their main residence in Toronto.

The property is comprised of all new construction, which includes the main cottage, guest house, boathouse, and various outdoor spaces, including an outdoor dining terrace, hot tub, Bocce court, tennis court, and children’s playground.

Within the main cottage is a living area with reading nook, kitchen, the Muskoka Room (a screened indoor-outdoor space with a spanning view of the lake), kids’ playroom, yoga room, and five suites. These areas are situated into three sections: the communal living area; a wing with the primary suite and two guest suites; another wing with two more suites and the playroom. Creating separable sections of the home allow the house to feel comfortable for two or over a dozen visitors.

One main challenge with siting the cottage was concealing its six-foot difference in height from the cottage floor to the waterline, which was resolved by forming a series of gently leveled terraces. Each one features an array of plantings and seating areas that visually connect the cottage to the landscape.

Closely studying the architectural styles and materials of the Muskoka region was an important part of the design process. Stone walls in warm shades of blues, browns, and greys constructed from the local granite were incorporated in and around the home. Cedar siding that beautifully ages from brown to a silver grey is a prominent material on the exterior. The cedar on the front gables of the home reduces direct sunlight by bringing in dappled light to the interiors through a custom patterned screen.

The harmonious relationship between cottage and landscape by breaking up the overall massing into three smaller sections, selecting a natural palette of local stone, and creating a wood and dark standing seam roof allows the home to feel appropriate to its place and owners. The client and their family think of this as more than a vacation home; it has become their sanctuary.