House Tours
This Georgian Bay Home Channels Australian Design Vibes
Photography by Valerie Wilcox
House Tours
This Georgian Bay Home Channels Australian Design Vibes
Borrowing cues from Australia’s relaxed coastal aesthetic, this modern abode brings the outdoors in for laid-back lakeside living.
A dated 1970s house was no match for a crafty couple like Janice King-Smith and Craig Smith: she’s a designer; he’s a builder. While the house felt tired, its redeeming features included a spectacular two-storey red-brick fireplace, dreamy cedar ceilings, and a bank of conservatory windows in the living room.
Photography by Valerie Wilcox
Another feature? The sun-drenched house in Collingwood, Ont., where they live with son Ollie, 11, and cat Katie, is close to Georgian Bay. “I can hear the water crashing from my window,” says Janice, principal designer of White Elk Interiors. Craig is the owner of Blue Mountain Renovations. Today, thanks to clever design moves like earthy tones, subtle pops of colour and boho vibes, the 2,800-square-foot dwelling is airy and inviting. “I like whites, woods and a casual, minimalist style,” says Janice.
“It comes from having lived in Australia, where modern minimalism is a staple of interior design.” The fuss-free look clearly works beautifully in cottage country, too!
On the bright side
DESIGN, Janice King-Smith, White Elk Interiors. CHAIR, Wazo Furniture. TABLE, WALL PLATES, West Elm. VASE, White Hill Home.
Outside, charming crisp-white scalloped shingles (check out the cute scoops that trail below the door!) and floating concrete steps with inset lighting are major upgrades to the original beige exterior. “We sprayed it white to modernize and refresh it,” says designer Janice King-Smith (shown opposite), noting that the wood-grain door is the building’s focal point. Inside, a replica Togo Chair nestled in the sunlight is a cozy coffee-and-reading spot.
All in the family
COFFEE TABLE, Blue Mountain Renovations. SOFA, Crate & Barrel. RUG, FLOOR LAMP, Article. CHAIRS, Wayfair. STRIPED PILLOWS (on chairs), LUMBAR CUSHION (on sofa), Tonic Living. TRAY, GREY CUSHION, Bouclair. BIRD, white VASES, White Hill Home. ART, Etsy.
Muted, modern furnishings balanced by warm woods are inviting in the living room. The minimal palette, featuring an abundance of white with hits of neutral, earthy tones, allows the conservatory windows to be the focal point. “We spend all of our time here as a family,” says Janice, hence the durable performance fabric on the sink-into sectional that fits a crowd. To keep the space tidy, board games, sundry technology and even yoga mats are stashed in the custom media unit.
Expand your horizons
STOOLS, CB2. COUNTERTOP, Caesarstone. HARDWARE, Etsy. FAUCET, Georgian Design Centre.
Doing dishes is hardly a chore with this view. “I love a linear window,” says Janice. “We made an existing window larger by stretching it across.” For a striking design feature that further draws the eye to the view, a wood shelf skirts along the wall above it (breaking for the cabinets); Janice rotates the display there. Minimalist, flat-front cabinetry flaunting white oak semicircle handles adds quirky panache. “Circles are a motif in the house,” she says.
Anchored in style
DINING TABLE, Article. CHAIRS, Rove Concepts. CONSOLE (repurposed kitchen cabinets), IKEA. BOWL, White Hill Home. ART, Minted.
“Doing dark cabinetry below anchors the kitchen to give it visual weight,” says Janice of the custom greyish navy blue hue, which hints at the lake nearby and complements the orange tone of the cedar ceiling. In the dining room, a brushed gold chandelier brings a bit of glitz and glam to the woodsy space (Janice didn’t want to punch pot lights into the beautiful cedar planks). A floating console fashioned from two IKEA kitchen cabinets wrapped in birch plywood is a stylish space saver; the white-and-wood design works well with the Midcentury Modern-style dining table and chairs while also echoing the design of the living room’s media unit.
Retro Vibes
BASKETS, The Nest.
The rustic two-storey red-brick fireplace with a herringbone niche enriches the space. It soars 17 feet and was too good to get rid of. “I like its retro vibe,” says Janice, who added a white oak mantel to replace an old railway tie. She also popped in a modern gas insert, to avoid having to deal with burning logs.
Hide & Seek
BEANBAGS, Mobilia. POUFS, HomeSense. Collingwood ART, The Hive.
Every kid loves having a secret “tree house” hideaway: the couple’s son, Ollie, plays with friends in the loft overlooking the main floor. But a glass pane (shown opposite) means mom and dad can keep their eye on the crew from the kitchen. “Glass railings with oak handrails and posts replaced the wooden ’70s-style balusters that were not to code throughout the home,” says Janice. A skylight floods the space with natural light.
Restful retreat
(Left) BED, STOOL, Article. COWHIDE, Decor Hut. TABLE LAMP, HomeSense. PILLOWS, West Elm. (Right) BED, SIDE TABLES, COWHIDE, Article. PENDANT LIGHT, IKEA. WALLPAPER, Station D. TABLE LAMPS, PILLOWS, West Elm.
The staircase’s wood railing makes a striking profile on the steps that lead to the refurbished basement, which has a guest room and recreational area (both not shown). Meanwhile, in the fresh and bright primary bedroom (shown left), fluted wall cladding energizes the space with subtle texture, while the white and light grey palette is calming.
“We wanted to have fun here,” says Janice of the second-floor guest room’s bold botanical wallpaper. The tropical plants, rattan pendant and wood-and-white scheme reinforce the coastal vibe. “The window above the bed is new and adds a tremendous amount of natural light.”
In the round
SINKS, Vigo. PLUMBING, Aqua Brass. TILES, Ciot (finger accent tiles); Euro Tile & Stone (floor, walls). MIRROR, Wayfair.
Circular shapes and vertical details are a theme throughout the house; the repetition makes for a harmonizing design. Here, in the primary ensuite, the curves of the mirror, sinks and shower bench soften the harder elements in the space, while vertical finger tiles amplify the wall behind the custom vanity. “The bench is so cute. That’s my favourite detail,” says Janice of the shapely seat. Toasty heated floors are a luxurious touch.
Natural Appeal
VANITY, Teodor Vanities. MIRROR, Umbra. PENDANT LIGHT, ART, Etsy. TILE, Georgian Design Centre.
In the basement bathroom, various tones of green on the artisan tile in the shower, as well as the warm wood on the vanity, lend a natural look reminiscent of the rest of the house. Heated floors are the ultimate comfort feature in a subterranean space.
5 paint colours that will lighten and brighten any room
Comments