A stylist creates a beachy getaway for her family of four in their southern Ontario backyard. 

Five years ago, when deciding whether to buy a cottage or get a pool, Eddie Cimbron-Corner didn’t ponder for long: With close to 30 acres of land on Ontario’s picturesque Niagara Escarpment, she reasoned, “We’re already in cottage country.” Besides, the idea of uprooting and commuting every weekend didn’t appeal to Eddie and her clan, which includes husband Dave Corner, daughters Lauren and Victoria (12 and 8) and spunky pooch Clyde. The stylist envisioned an outdoor oasis complete with a saltwater pool, several sitting areas and a spacious kitted-out cabana. Her past life as a retail designer dictated the look. “I gravitate to the simple, graphic lines of industrial design,” says Eddie. To that end, the modern L-shaped pool and super-sleek metal and concrete cabana are complemented by linear landscaping.

When it came time to decorate the cabana’s interior, however, wanderlust pulled Eddie in a wholly different direction. Dreaming of the time she spent on the coasts of California and Portugal (her parents’ homeland), she introduced a scheme of watery blues and sun-bleached neutrals punctuated with beachy accessories. Dave gave his creative wife free rein over the design, but he did claim one corner of the cabana to realize a vision of his own: having a wood-burning pizza oven. “That’s his baby,” says Eddie of the structure Dave built with his father, “but we all love it.” When the family isn’t crafting personalized pies at the free-standing island, fixing a bevvie at the mini-bar or playing board games on the large sectional indoors, they’re outside, splashing in the water, huddling around the firepit or sunbathing on the loungers. With such a welcoming multi-faceted retreat at their disposal, this brood has no regrets about forgoing a cottage. And the best part? They’re always steps away from the convenience of home sweet home.

Homeowner Eddie Cimbron-Corner got her version of a cottage (sans the commute) by incorporating a pool, a cabana and three outdoor sitting areas in her Caledon, Ont., backyard. The sleek architecture and linear landscaping affirm the stylist’s love of industrial design.

The cabana’s coast-inspired blue and white interior transports this family and their guests to a sunnier locale. “When we’re here, we actually feel like we’re away,” says Eddie.

“The kids want to be in the pool day and night, and we’re here watching,” explains Eddie, referring to this chic outdoor sitting area. But she’s not complaining, and who would be, when the adjacent self-serve mini-bar is open 24-7? The wooden screen in the background is a DIY project by the stylist.

“We don’t have an ocean nearby,” quips beach-lover Eddie, “so I had to recreate one for myself!” the 640-square-foot saltwater pool is lined with marbelite, a spray-on concrete composite so smooth to the touch she likens it to dolphin skin.

Eddie – pictured with hubby Dave, daughters Victoria (left) and Lauren and pooch Clyde – chose durable finishes for the cabana because “things get banged up with kids, a dog and guests coming and going.” The large resin wicker sectional has fared well, despite the fact that it’s spray painted. “It looked white online, but it arrived in a peachy beige,” says Eddie. “I was aghast! But the components all fit perfectly, so I made it work.” 

 The Cimbron-corner crew takes pizza making very seriously. Dave – who built the oven, sourcing the Mugnaini insert directly from Italy – is the head chef, but Eddie makes killer tomato sauce and toppings, while the girls are expert dough rollers. All the prep work is done at the free-standing island, which the homeowners fitted with a Carrara marble top – a baker’s dream.