Cottages
Streams Of Natural Sunlight Make This Lakehouse A Tranquil Escape
Updated on June 7, 2021
Hidden behind swaying birch trees, thick evergreens and rocky inclines, this lakehouse is a true sanctuary, which is just how the owners imagined it. The couple purchased the 10-hectare waterfront property and built the low-profile, six-bedroom home from the ground up, making sure it disappeared into the landscape. Once the footprint was established, the couple asked Toronto designer Sloan Mauran, who was introduced to them by a mutual friend, to bring warmth and intimacy to the rooms. And she did just that, making the homeowners feel like they’ve escaped reality even before they arrive. “As soon as we head north, we feel the stress just fall off of us. It’s pretty amazing.”
Scroll down to see more of this tranquil and serene cottage.
The contemporary exterior features a Frank Lloyd Wright–inspired low-pitched roof, overhanging eaves and stone from a local quarry.
The same stone was used for the exterior pathways and throughout the house for an indoor-outdoor feel.
Sloan used a curvy console and organic, hive-like light fixture to soften the vertical lines of the panelling in the front entrance.
Cedar planks clad the ceiling and bring a cottage vibe to the open-concept main floor. “I wanted all the spaces to feel different but with a continuous flow,” says Sloan.
The great room’s full-height windows offer sweeping views of the lake. The large coffee table pulls together the grey sectional and suede swivel chairs, and provides a spot for platters of food and drinks when the family entertains.
Instead of hanging artwork, Sloan helped the owners pick out a carved wood sculpture for the living room.
The custom dining table was sized for dinner parties. Slim round pendants don’t block the view.
The kitchen’s black granite countertops add bold contrast when paired with white marble shelves. Casual meals are eaten at the 14-foot-long island.
Outfitted with comfortable modern seating, the Muskoka room is one of the family’s favorite places to hang out.
Sloan on a Minotti chair in the Muskoka room. “This isn’t a temporary place, so it was important that we didn’t do anything that would look dated in 10 years and need to be ripped apart and redone,” says Sloan.
In the lower-level hallway, grey-stained wood panelling is a tonal complement to the stone floors.
Sloan wanted the principal bedroom to feel like “a retreat within a retreat.” The walls are panelled in lightly cerused oak, and the four-poster bed gets a modern update with black accents.
A lounge area in the principal bedroom offers a private place to kick back with a book. “It was important we had the ability to escape,” says one of the owners.
A seating area in a guest bedroom is flooded with natural light. All the fabrics are outdoor, so kids can watch TV in wet bathing suits. The fur throw pillows are made from vintage coats.
Virginia Macdonald
House & Home August 2019
Sloan Mauran