Cottages
This Modern Cottage Embraces The Rugged Landscape Of Georgian Bay
Updated on November 29, 2023
In cottage country, it’s all about the movement of the water and wind that shapes the islands on Georgian Bay, and that of the cottagers as they unfurl from cars and stretch out on the dock. Then there are the cottage builds that require a special kind of creative flow between architect and designer. Architect James Ireland and designer Emily Hollis have one such partnership. They worked in tandem on this new Georgian Bay cottage for a Canadian couple living in New York, creating something very special on a water-access-only island plot. The couple has two adult children and a dog, and they’re all avid sailors. They wanted a cottage that was perfect for welcoming family and friends, somewhere they could leave the city behind and relax.
The 3,500-square-foot, three-season cottage project did present some unusual challenges for James and Emily, even though James, a seasoned architect, had designed many summer homes in the area. “It’s one of the most difficult building sites I’ve ever worked at,” he says. “The land is rocky and sloped, with marvellous old pines and car-sized boulders.” The modus operandi was simple: to work with nature rather than fight it. “We had to find a way to situate the cottage on top of the natural setting and, oftentimes, when things are tricky, it leads to very successful designs,” he adds. Cedar cladding on the exterior is stained in a blackened green that seamlessly blends in with the trees.
The clients needed to be able to cook, entertain and gather here, and Emily and James took their lifestyle to heart. The living and sleeping areas are at different ends of the cottage, and the more secluded bunkie (built on the site of the island’s original cabin) sleeps an additional four to six people.
Her clients favored a casual and approachable vibe, so Emily went with a pared-back style for this project, decorating simply in a palette of neutral hues. Art was then layered in to energize the calm spaces, with pieces often created from family mementoes with sentimental value.
Emily used Benjamin Moore’s Chantilly Lace on all the walls, black window frames to highlight the gorgeous views, durable white oak flooring throughout, and clad the ceiling in Douglas fir, a nod to the trees outside. Only her clients’ most loved and useful furniture and accents made the trip over, since everything had to travel at once via barge. It was also important to her clients that most things were made locally, or were at least Canadian in origin. “Everything selected had to withstand freeze-thaw, since the cottage isn’t winterized.”
Want to learn more about this modern cottage? Scroll down!
The couple owns the northern portion, or about half, of this island. “I kept the landscape as intact as possible,” says James. “Our clients go there because of the landscape. The best thing to do is to use the drama found in nature, not obliterate it. That rocky coast is one of the most beautiful spots in the world.”
James gave the tiered structure a cohesive look with a single long roof and avoided light colors on the cedar-clad exterior. “So much of the design comes from wrapping it around the high point of rock,” he says.
This seating area is perfect for a game of euchre or cocktails at sunset.
Even the hallways in the cottage are flooded with natural light. “We knew the decorating should be understated and relaxed, so as not to compete with the views,” says Emily (pictured).
The granite fireplace mimics the natural rocks outside the window.
Wicker and vinyl dining chairs are both textural and practical.
The kitchen has large awning windows in lieu of an exhaust fan. Soapstone was the perfect choice for the counters because the kitchen overlooks a natural rock outcropping; Emily wanted the surface to relate to the outdoors.
It has a cooking area on one side and a bar on the other.
For the dining table, Emily brought in a maple top from a company that salvages wood from across Canada, and paired it with a locally made forged iron base. “We used materials that made sense,” says Emily. “This table is durable and can seat a lot of people.” When the base arrived, it wasn’t the finish they had ordered but, in the end, they decided to embrace the unexpected tone of the steel.
The homeowners’ daughter on the window seat in the dining area.
Fly-fishing lures handmade by the owner’s mother.
A flatweave rug doesn’t compete with the leafy upholstery in the principal bedroom.
A glass-walled shower in the principal bathroom overlooks the water and the trees.
Copper screening on the porch “reflects a gold envelope of warmth when the sun hits,” says James. Adds Emily: “My client calls it her favorite rainy day room. It protects you from the elements but lets you experience them.” It’s a perfect example of a design that heightens the feeling of nature without taking away from it.
Overhangs keep the cottage cool inside yet still allow natural light to come in.
The two-bedroom bunkie has a large deck for enjoying the lakefront view.
The bunkie is set close to a beach area, where boats can moor.
This Lamont plaid is the family tartan of both the island’s current and original owners.
Donna Griffith
House & Home July/August 2021
Emily Hollis; Architecture by James Ireland Architect