Robin Ward is a furniture designer, working mostly with wood through her own company, Element 55 Designs. When she and her husband, Alexander Stickler, decided in 2009 to build a home for themselves and their three young children (plus three dogs, four cats and more fish than they can count), they looked to build in the country on a 96-acre lot with breathtaking views of the woods all around them.
Located west of Toronto near the towns of Erin and Belfountain, the property might be old and rustic – it was a former farm operation with a fence dating back 175 years – but the house, which took two years to build, is anything but. Boasting strong, clean lines in addition to an ipe wood exterior, heated concrete floors, stone masonry and douglas fir ceilings on the interior and exposed steel elements throughout, the house is a work of ultra-modern architecture that nevertheless blends seamlessly with its surroundings, as if it had always been there.
“When I first met my husband, we had two huge Newfoundland lab dogs, so the country was really the only option,” explains Ms. Ward, who grew up in Toronto. “We lived originally in Caledon until we had our third baby and realized our home was so small she was forced to live in our small walk-in closet.”
Having experienced and loved the country lifestyle, the couple decided to take the plunge in building a 9,000-square-foot dream home on two levels. The idea was to enjoy it, not in retirement, but with their children, as they were growing up. To make that dream come true, the couple hired a Toronto firm, Natale and Scott Architects, who in turn worked with Bill Degroot of Orangeville Carpentry Ltd., “to make sure that the house brought the outside in and captured the stunning 360-degree views,” of the 96 acres of property, much of it treed.
Ms. Ward’s background in interior design enabled her also to contribute to the design and building process.
“I had previously bought and sold two homes, redoing them completely,” she said. “With this first hand experience and Nolan Natale's expertise and experience, the process was very smooth and very enjoyable, and very hands-on. I was on site every day and had input on everything behind the walls and in front of them.”
What's New:
The five-bedroom, five-and-half-bathroom house was custom-built, and so everything about it is new. But the windows have pride of place. “The largest component of the design concept was the windows,” she explains. “We used a window manufacturer located in Germany called Doepfner to create massive openings that wouldn't compromise the house in winter the way conventional North American window wall systems might do.”
This collaboration proved so successful that the Bavarian company's North American distributor, Sterling Windows, requested Ms. Ward, with her design background, to be its North American sales rep.
“I now interface directly with architects across the continent,” she said. “You can't sell what you don’t believe in. I often use my house as an example.”
Best Feature:
This house has a lot going for it besides great looks and a 40-foot rectangular outdoor swimming pool. At the top of the list are radiant floors, geothermal heating and cooling, high-tech glazing, foam insulated wall cavities, a commercial-grade reflective membrane roof and energy efficient dimmable fluorescent lighting.
“The house is designed to function for a family,” Ms. Ward says, “and the beauty is in the simplicity of its design. The systems and structure of the house are the best and the most reliable around; no expense was spared as we believed we would be living in this house for years. We're only selling now because of my husband's job in the Canadian oil and gas industry.”
So what's her favourite design element? “
The 20-by-8-foot mudroom,” she says, without missing a beat. “A home in the country is not useful without a well thought out, practical mudroom. We have no TV, so the kids have learned to entertain themselves. In all seasons, mud season included, they literally fly in one door and out the other door, with the dogs, and their friends in tow. Thank goodness for the concrete floors! I never have to say, 'Don’t do that.' Everything is made from durable, naturally finished materials, wood, glass, concrete and Vermont granite.
“The house is kid and pet proof. The house is low maintenance and was built to last without the need for tedious chores. The garden as well. The functionality of the house was a key part of the design.”