House Tours
The Quiet Woods: A Muskoka Family Home
Photography, Lauren Miller.
House Tours
The Quiet Woods: A Muskoka Family Home
“This new-build had to be a place where the owner’s entire family could hang out together comfortably and, eventually, where he could retire,” says designer Michele Thompson. “It was about creating a real and functional living space, not just making things look pretty.” Nes- tled among Ontario pines and clad in shingles and siding the colour of tree bark, the cottage looks anything but new. “I love that the exterior feels like it’s always been there,” says Michele. The family often sits on the open front porch to read or await arriving guests.
Even though this cottage is a new-build, the owner was adamant that it shouldn’t look like one. A bit of a challenge for any designer, but one that Michele Thompson readily accepted and completely understood. “My client spends a lot of time here with his four children, grandchildren and his chocolate Lab,” she says. “He loves comfortable, quiet design and doesn’t like fussy or showy things.” Michele’s vision for the 6,300-square- foot retreat was an approachable and welcoming look. She chose warm woods, soft whites, and natural materials and textures to get the lived-in effect. The warmth she created extends beyond the sunny summer months, making the cottage a destination for family gatherings as the cool fall evenings begin to settle in. Says Michele, “The cottage felt homey even before it was furnished. That was my goal.”
COTTAGE CHARM
Photography, Lauren Miller. DESIGN, Michele Thompson, Bespoke Living Company. ARCHITECT, Kevin Crozier. MILLWORK, Lisa Weber, Chervin Kitchen & Bath. WALL AND CEILING PAINT, Chantilly Lace OC-65, Benjamin Moore. PENDANT LIGHT, Visual Comfort.
Photography, Lauren Miller.
The front hall establishes the cottage’s convivial tone. “The mix of rich oak with white paint, especially on the staircase, which is purposely not all white, pro- vides contrast so the space feels light and airy, but still warm at the same time,” says Michele. She applied shiplap to parlay Muskoka’s informality but opted for a fresh application. “We’ve seen so much horizontal shiplap these past few years, so I went with vertical. It’s more on the traditional side, but the wider boards make it feel current.” A classic pendant light plays up the airy quality and doesn’t detract from the lively wall hang- ing, which the owner purchased on a trip to Africa.
MAKING ROOM
Photography, Lauren Miller. CABINETRY PAINT, Swiss Coffee OC-45, Benjamin Moore. ISLAND PAINT, Treron 292, Farrow & Ball. PENDANT LIGHTS, Visual Comfort. Marble tile BACKSPLASH, Saltillo Imports. FAUCETS, Brizo. STOOLS, RH.
Photography, Lauren Miller.
While multiple ovens were a must in the kitchen (this big family likes to cook), colour suggestions were up for grabs. Michele chose a warmer white paint for the perimeter cabinetry, which extends high up the walls to accentuate the 10-foot ceilings, and an earthy, nuanced green for the island’s base. “It was inspired by the owner’s love of soapstone carvings, which he collects,” she says. The backsplash’s marble tiles have bevelled edges that add dimension and work well with the quartzite countertops.
Photography, Lauren Miller.
“The kitchen is open to the great room and dining area to take in the panoramic lake views.”
Photography, Lauren Miller. Mont Blanc quartzite COUNTERTOPS, Stonex. Bronze HARDWARE, Top Knobs.
CLASSIC APPEAL
“We had the support post in the kitchen island to contend with, which wasn’t ideal, so I chose furnishings that would detract from it as much as possible,” says Michele (shown above). Sturdy wooden stools do just that by layering in soft texture and warm colour with toffee-tone leather that will patina over time. The burnished sparkle of brass in the hardware and pendant lights injects a bit of panache while still being in sync with casual cottage living. Island storage and an adjacent pantry, complete with a second fridge, nicely amp up the storage space.
“The dining room is cozy but not fussy, and so the family spends a lot more time there than they’d anticipated.”
NATURAL TALENT
Custom shelves in the dining area showcase some of the owner’s soapstone carvings, which inspired the green for the kitchen island. Custom-made unlined drapes are breezy and keep the windows – and fantastic views – the focal point. “I wanted the finishes in the cottage to be made from natural materials as much as possible,” says Michele. “The owner was game to use quartzite, which is a natural stone that’s denser than marble.” It tops the powder room’s custom vanity, and Michele likes how it brings in more character than conventional quartz. A mix of black and bronze finishes lend unexpected depth, and the simple sconce and mirror feel cottage appropriate.
TABLE TALK
Photography, Lauren Miller. PENDANT LIGHT, Visual Comfort. DINING CHAIRS, RH. RUG, Allan Rug.
The owner’s son-in-law handmade the dining area’s impressive table; it’s flanked by leather and wooden chairs similar to the island’s stools. Michele used a wool area rug to help define this large space (it’s open to the kitchen and great room) and to layer in comfort underfoot. The pendant light is wonderfully subtle. Michele says: “Dining lights tend to be where clients want to make a statement, but I wanted something clean-lined here that wouldn’t distract from the view to the lake. This pendant is both calm and a bit unexpected.”
Photography, Lauren Miller.
Photography, Lauren Miller. SCONCE, MIRROR, RH.
“The owner showed up with the fish for over the fireplace and I didn’t fight it – I think it’s fun.”
Photography, Lauren Miller. ARMCHAIRS, FLOOR LAMP, COFFEE TABLE, RH. SIDE TABLE, Cocoon Furnishings. RUG, Loloi Rugs. CUSHIONS, Tonic Living.
GREAT ESCAPE
The great room’s stone fireplace features natural hues that are picked up in the comfy furniture. The brown leather armchairs swivel to take in views of the lake and continue the warm and textured theme, while the grey sofa offers up a cooler, watery feel. Michele had the sofa finished with slipcovers so it’s easy to clean and can stand up to grandchildren and family pets. “This room feels warm and has an earthy ease,” she says. “I wanted anyone sitting here to feel relaxed and not afraid to put their feet up.”
OFFICE SPACE
“This is the client’s office, and it gets a lot of use,” says Michele. “He’s not yet retired and wanted a comfortable and inviting space to work in. Plus, the light in here is spectacular – nothing beats a room with multiple-exposure windows.” A built-in desk is topped with a wooden work surface that complements the window frames and offers more visual depth than a white surface might. The light-filled space also acts as a guest room thanks to the custom-made sofa bed. Its cheery checkered upholstery is classically cottagey. Says Michele, “I wanted a pattern that would stand the test of time and pull in the green tones repeated throughout the cottage.”
Photography, Lauren Miller. DESK CHAIR, RH.
“There’s a window seat in almost every bedroom. It gives everyone their own space to retreat.”
FINE LINES
In the first-floor powder room, grooved lines on the custom vanity add interest. For continuity, Michele topped the piece with the same quartzite as in the kitchen and painted the base the same colour as the kitchen cabinets. An oversized mirror accentuates the ceiling height, while shaded sconces cast ambient light. In the kids’ bathroom (above right), she opted for zellige tiles in the shower. “The small square tile shape is unexpected and the pretty iridescence reminds me of the inside of a shell,” she says. Brushed-nickel hard- ware blends softly with the tonal tiles.
Photography, Lauren Miller. VANITY PAINT, Swiss Coffee OC-45, Benjamin Moore. WALL TILES, Centura. FLOOR TILES, M2 Tile & Stone. Mont Blanc quartzite COUNTERTOP, Stonex. SCONCES, Capital Lighting.
COMFY COZY
This kids’ bedroom features an unlikely choice for a cottage: carpeting. “There was debate over whether we should simply run the same hardwood that’s throughout the cottage into the bedrooms,” says Michele. “But we decided we wanted the bedrooms to feel cozy, and the carpeting also helps with acoustics. Plus, it’s pure wool, so it’s simple to clean and will last.” The room’s creamy palette and wood trim are in keeping with the rest of the cottage decor and offer a timeless backdrop that the kids won’t outgrow. The welcoming window seat is even more appeal- ing thanks to a comfy box cushion that invites curling up with a book.
Photography, Lauren Miller. CARPET, Muskoka Floor & Window Coverings.
“The laundry room is one of my favourite spaces. It feels like it’s in Muskoka.”
MIX IT UP
Photography, Lauren Miller. SCONCES, MIRRORS, RH. FAUCETS, Delta. HARDWARE, Top Knobs.
The kids’ shared bathroom cultivates a breezy vibe with a mix of materials, including jaunty caning. “The caning was a fun detail,” says Michele. “I mixed it with open shelving so that the children have easy access to towels.” The vanity is crafted from the oak that's been used throughout the cottage and its warm tones informed the choice of hardware. “The brass hard- ware was just the right touch against the white oak cabinetry, but it would have felt a bit too dressy everywhere, so I opted for polished-nickel taps.” The overall effect is pulled-together, yet relaxed and natural.
Photography, Lauren Miller. PENDANT LIGHT, Visual Comfort. COUNTERTOPS, Chervin Kitchen & Bath. FLOOR TILES, Ontario Tile.
AWASH IN BEAUTY
The laundry room’s prominence beside the main entryway meant it deserved a little love, since everyone who enters the cottage walks by it. Besides tons of storage and high functionality, the room sets the tone for the entire cottage. The floor tiles look salvaged and have an old-world charm that belies their provenance. Says Michele, “They’re actually porcelain but look like reclaimed brick – they’re low maintenance and provide so much character.” Butcher-block countertops and a handsome bronze pendant light enhance the beauty of this practical room.
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