Cottage Bungalow - Update

Kitchen in progress.

On a personal note its been a crazy month and a half for me as my life has been split between two provinces -  me in Toronto, BF in Nova Scotia, packing up one house and office in Toronto and moving into (while renovating!) another in Nova Scotia.  Between travelling back and forth, sharing one computer and not having any service on my web phone for the past 6 weeks meant that my blogging and tweeting was seriously neglected.  So now that we're finally both in one place (Nova Scotia) and we have most of our technical challenges sorted out,,,I'm just gonna jump right back in where I left off!

My last visit to the cottage bungalow project was a chance to oversee some of the finishing details and address any last minute oversights or changes that needed to be done prior to move in.   It definitely doesn't look like it from the photos below but the homeowners were scheduled to move in just a couple of weeks after this visit.

Kitchen in progress.

I love how the kitchen is flooded with sunlight, the extra high ceilings and the sculptural effect of the articlating light over the sink.  The fridge is still covered in protective plastic, the floors are still covered up and the back wall of the kitchen is awaiting its custom stainless steel hood and stainless back splash.

Kitchen in progress.

The custom side panels for the island were being installed later this same day, so far I was extremely happy with the proportions of the island.  We're contemplating raising the pendants one rod length - with threaded rods we can't get them exactly the height we want so we work with the rod lengths provided, here they're shown installed at their longest.  After the range hood is installed we'll make the final call.  You can view some concept sketches and the finish boards and the rest of the kitchen design in this previous post.

Kitchen sink and faucet.

This time I lost the battle of the kitchen sink.  Despite my preference and recommendation for a large single bowl sink in this layout, the homeowner wanted a sink and a half and there was no changing her mind.  Plan B was a custom designed sink and a half with small radius corners and deep bottoms, but this eventually was vetoed for an in-stock, ready made version, shown above.  In this close-up photo its deceiving but there is a wide 5"+  trough behind the counter to accommodate the low window.  The counter continues wrapping down the back of the kitchen sink and across to the wall/window.  Despite the off centre sink divider, I opted to install the faucet on centre with the overall width of the sink which would keep it on centre with both the window and the sink cabinet.  

Flooring throughout.

The floors throughout the entire house except for the washrooms are a beautiful wide plank, european white oak in a subtle grey wash with an oiled finish.  This was the first time I had actually seen any part of the floor uncovered since their installation and the only room I was able to admire them in was the master bedroom.  I couldn't resist taking off my shoes to get the full experience, they feel like butter under your feet!

Dining Room fixture.

A black dome pendant makes a modern statement in the dining room.

Hallway to Bedrooms.

The main hall that links the front living spaces to the bedrooms and bathrooms.  The long series of glass doors lead out to a large patio and flood the hall with light.  The white on white scheme continues here with a series of white semi-flush barn lights along the ceiling.  I love the pattern the sunlight creates on the floor.

Guest Bathroom in progress.

One of two guest bathrooms.  On this day the vanity had just been installed so you can still see a temporary support on the underside of it.  The bathroom is a good example of the pure simplicity the homeowners desired, the room is completely tiled (but one wall) in matte white 12" square tiles.  The shower drain is a recessed trough so the floor is continuous. A piece of original artwork to the left of the mirror will be the showpiece of the room, and a selection of a few well chosen accessories will give it the finishing touch.  Well that, and a pair of wall lights!  Although the end result looks simple, I can tell you this was one of the most time consuming bathrooms I've ever detailed,,,,the alignment of everything was painstaking. 

Master Bedroom.

The master bedroom has beautiful views to what will be the back garden.  You get a glimpse of the gorgeous grey washed oak floors and the effect of the oiled finish, its beautiful here with pale silver walls and crisp white trim.  One of my all time favorites, the Ball fan, (its one of 3 in the house) will help balance the air flow of the vaulted ceiling. 

Master Ensuite in progress.

The master ensuite is a continuation of white on white simplicity.  A floating quartz stone vanity counter spans the room from one end to the other, the same matte white 12" tile is used on floors and shower walls as was used in the guest bath.   The wall space above the tub is reserved for a colourful, large scale canvas painting by the homeowner.

Master Ensuite Vanity in progress.

This is the top half of a white lacquered storage cabinet being installed over the countertop, it will have a divider down the centre and a pair of tall doors, each one opening to either sink for his and hers.  A lower section of cabinetry with 2 deep drawers will be installed directly below this.

The view of the master bedroom as you exit the ensuite.

As I mentioned in previous posts about this project, the homeowners have an extensive collection of antiques and artwork (she's an artist) so the intent of this white on white, clean lined interior was to provide a canvas for their pieces.   I am thrilled with the progress thus far and how all the design details and decisions have turned out.  I can't wait to see the fireplaces completed and their furnishings moved into this new space, we will be filling in with some new purchases too.   If I don't get a chance to visit again before Christmas, my next photo update will have to wait until spring as these homeowners will be heading to Florida for the winter.  

All Photos by:   Carol Reed

A Day Trip in The Country

If I could bottle a day and savour it over and over again, last Thursday would have been one of those days.  It was an absolutely perfect summer day, clear blue sunny skies, warm breezes and my agenda........a long drive out of the city to check on a nearly complete client project.  I love a day trip more than anything, especially thru the rolling country roads north of Toronto.  The drive up north was a pure treat and I soaked in the early harvest scenery.  As I began my drive home, like a que from a movie script a vintage red top car pulled out in front of me at a stop sign and I drove behind it for over an hour.  It was like being transported to another time as we passed by old barns and old fashioned "General Store" signs along the road.  I could have hit the accelerator and sped past this car many times,,,but I didn't want to -  I was completely entranced by this nostalgic scene in front of me.  I felt like I'd been gifted my own vintage escort as I cruised the country roads.  There was a smile plastered on my face a mile wide, wishing the drive would never end.

It was truly a day full of vintage moments.  This old painted wood ladder was found in my clients garage, left behind from the previous owners.  I'm in love with this colour.  I think its the perfect shade of green for the front door of the house.  (And if they don't want the ladder, I've put dibs in on it.)

I rarely drive thru Primrose without stopping at Super Burger, its a destination on its own so I was looking forward to making a pit stop there on this trip.  Its a step back in time for some classic burger joint food....

During the summer months they open up their vintage TTC street car for extra seating.  Its 50's cool, complete with modern day air conditioning!

After cruising here behind my vintage escort I had a craving for an old fashioned vanilla milk shake and rings.  Oh how I enjoy great home made style onion rings,,,, I've even been known to plan road trips around them. ; )

There are some days you just wish would never end.

All Photos by:  Carol Reed

My New East Coast Home

Without a doubt

, this is the most exciting and all time most favorite project of my designer life, to date.  I've been an interior designer for 19 years (!) and nothing can match the passion I have for this project - my own house. This is my new old house on the beautiful South Shore of Nova Scotia.  The search for this, our 'next' home has been a looooooooong loooong time coming, a search that's taken us to small towns all over the vast rural countryside of Ontario to the far shores of Nova Scotia.  We've travelled back and forth frequently this year as our search narrowed on the East Coast.  This July 1st long weekend, we flew out east again to proceed with an offer on this century old carpenter gothic.  On August 1st, we drove all the way out there non-stop to collect our keys.  

Here I am trying out the first set of keys!

She's a charming beauty, sitting on 5 acres adjacent to a mile long white sandy beach.  You can't actually see the beach from the house (unless we clear some trees)..... but you can see the ocean and hear the loud roar of the crashing waves on the beach, the smell of the sea air is dense, and the cool ocean breezes flow thru the open windows.

Little did we know during our visit to the area this past March, that a morning stroll on this beach would become our new morning routine.  We didn't know it then, but we can see our *new* house from this very beach, this beach and nearby town that we were so taken with as we scouted out potential properties.

When visiting in March we walked this boardwalk from the parking lot to the beach.....

Now we have our own path to the beach, its just thru the trees to the left of this grand old chestnut tree on the front lawn of our house.  I fell in love with this giant chestnut tree and its rope tire swing the instant I saw it.  Its huge and majestic and there are beautiful views of it from inside the house.  I can't wait to hang a fresh new rope swing on it.  

Besides the views of the beautiful chestnut tree, the inside of the house doesn't have much appeal. But that's not why we bought it.  I wanted this house because when you walk down that hidden path beyond the chestnut tree,,,,,,you arrive here....

The ocean.  Every moment of every day the scene changes as the tide comes in and out, and the mist rolls in and then suddenly out again,,,,and the wind changes from a breeze to gushing and then all still. Always a changing palette.

We have only one neighbour near our house, he's a fisherman.  He keeps his dory boat tied up here which he’s used to row out to his fish shack on the nearby island.  He's promised to make a Bluenoser out of me yet and teach me how to cook lobster.  Already he's corrected me on the pronunciation of scallops - its pronounced "scaw-lups"!?  He's shown me where he keeps the oars and explained how to roll the boat out into the water (aka the open ocean), so I can take the boat out whenever I want.  LOL,,,,,,,um, that’s not likely gonna happen even,,if they’re flares on board.

I much prefer to gaze at the open ocean from the safety of the shore!  On Canada Day I enjoyed a long walk on the hot sandy beach, in awe of this beauty.  This was our third visit to the house and I had only gone inside it once.  Did I mention I wasn't so interested in the inside of the house?   Ok, so I love the house’s charming exterior character, the chestnut tree and the 'next door beach',,,but here's the real reason I wanted this house....  

...it comes with a barn.  A century old, sturdy, stunner of a barn complete with cedar shake shingles.  Our first visit to the house I went straight to the barn to see it first.  And I was ecstatic at the sight of the all original interior, both floors of it.  I love its geometry.  Its got beautiful bones and I have lots of ideas how to make good use of them. : )

There I am opening 'her up moments after getting the keys.  

Here's a peak at the back half of the second floor, this 2nd floor barn space will eventually be converted into a guest room.  But for now,,,my priority is to renovate the interior of the house.  Sadly its lacking any trace of original character as a result of whats probably an 80's reno.  My work is cut out for me.

After getting the keys to the house, we spent a couple of days getting things organized before I flew back to Toronto where I'll be for the next few months.  I had to leave BF there with not much more than a cell phone and a list of local contractors.  Its been a bit of an adventure for him but he's doing better now that we FINALLY have internet service.

The question everyone is asking me, "will I be moving there?".  Well of course we'll be moving to our new house but we'll still have a place in Toronto too (and I'll continue to work here too).  Not our current place which we'll be vacating next month but after things have settled at the Nova Scotia house, a search will begin for a smaller secondary home here in Ontario.  In the meantime, I'll be commuting back and forth on a regular basis as I continue to work on existing projects and start on some exciting new ones.

As I said, I've got my work cut out for me with this renovation, demolition started inside the house this morning and I've barely started the design plans.......

All Photos:  Carol Reed