James Schneider grew up with a hammer in his hand and a burning desire to build.

The great room is warm, inviting, beautifully decorated and large enough to entertain friends and family. The design is modern, with an old-world feel.

Born and raised in Wasaga Beach, Schneider has a degree in Business and Marketing and extensive experience working in his family's construction business. "I was around five years old when I first started as a clean-up boy, then the hole digger, and by around 10, I was given a hammer," he says with a smile.

Schneider's family built and moved every two years when he was growing up – a trend that still keeps Schneider on the move. "After graduating from college, I worked for my father selling pre-fab construction products, including wall panels, roof trusses and windows," he explains. "Then, with two business partners, I purchased T.D. Snow & Son Inc. in Collingwood, a roof truss and wall-panel plant, where I quickly learned the structural design and computer side of the construction business."

Twelve years ago, Schneider started J-Systems Design, and a year-and-a-half ago, the young entrepreneur founded Jasper Architectural Design. Clearly, the man has a passion to create.

"I started doing house plans about seven years ago," he says, "and did it part time. Now, it's a seven-day-a-week job."

Schneider's latest company specializes in custom architectural design for beachfront and mountain-side homes, renovations, add-ons and craftsman-style garage designs.

The table is set for an elegant holiday dinner.

"We can design just about anything," he says. "I've had clients who want a 20-foot-by-24-foot garage, a 20-foot addition on their house, or a 5,000 sq. ft. ultra-modern residence. We also offer interior design services," he says.

Schneider works from his Wasaga Beach home, which he uses as a showcase for his clients, and is currently designing a 123-home, adult oriented subdivision for Park Bridge Lifestyle Communities Inc.

"We design lifestyle homes," says Schneider. "We have a five-page questionnaire for clients to fill out, so we get a feel for their day-to-day personal needs and any special requirements they may have, whether it's a home theatre, customized bar, fitness room or an indoor hockey rink."

Schneider and his two children live in a spacious 4,600 sq. ft., four-bedroom home. "It's got an old-world look to it, with modern touches – a Jasper specialty," he says.

Situated on an acre of land, the home is warm and inviting. A bevelled, leaded-glass front door leads to an open-concept great room, soaring 16-foot vaulted ceilings, kitchen, breakfast nook and dining room.

Custom built-ins surround a double-sided fireplace in the great room.

Stunning, wrought-iron grills (from The Blue Bottle in Barrie) act as a stair-railing divider in the dining area. "These grills are typically something you would see at someone's front door as a welcome grate," explains Schneider. "We incorporated them into the custom woodwork and stone pillars to create a unique, ornate railing system."

Beautifully lit art niches, perched high above the living area, are another Jasper touch. One colourful painting, purchased in the Dominican Republic, was Schneider's source of inspiration for the paint tones throughout the home. The great room walls (Maple Syrup by Benjamin Moore) add warmth to the wide-open space.

Schneider decorated his home with unique light fixtures from numerous boutique lighting shops in the area, and selected black cherry, imported engineered hardwood flooring for the main living area.

The kitchen cabinets, built-in shelving around the double-sided gas fireplace, and the maple stained cabinets in the master bedroom are all custom-built.

"Because I build a new home and move every few years, built-in shelving and wall units have become a mainstay in each home," he says. "It tends to make the moving process much easier. I hand drew sketches and drafted shop-drawings for the carpenter, then completed the process with the cognac water-based stain to keep the continuity with all the trim and stained door details in the residence. It gives a very streamlined, consistent look to the home's interior."

Custom cabinetry and black appliances make this kitchen a chef's dream. The granite-topped island is a gathering place.

Schneider also incorporated an old ship-plank teak beam as a mantel, and used the same stone on the fireplace surround and the stairwell pillars.

He also relied on Tami Picken, of DSI Designs, to accessorize the home and select warm, inviting throws and pillows throughout the space. Picken works as a decorator and home stager.

Many of the décor items can be found at Home Hardware in Wasaga Beach.

An expansive deck off the master bedroom overlooks a full-size volleyball court, complete with sand, in the backyard.

Glass railings frame the deck, making the space seem larger and more open. "We like to use a lot of glass railings in the homes we do," says Schneider. "It's a neat look, and the railings just seem to disappear."

A functional kitchen features a tumbled marble backsplash and ample counter space. The granite countertop is from Regal Granite in Barrie.

Schneider's face lights up as we descend the stairs to the basement, his favourite part of the home. It's an innovative, open-concept space that houses an indoor hockey rink, media room, exercise machines, retro bar and sound studio. Striking iced-glass French doors lead to the ultimate "good time" hangout, where a 100-inch flat-screen TV with projector, wired for gaming systems, stretches across one wall.

More custom built-ins, a gas fireplace, separate en suite and walk-out to the deck make the master bedroom a nice, private place to escape.

The pièce de resistance is a Jetson-style, frosted glass bar, that glows when lit. "It's the new VIP-style bar," says Schneider. "No shelves, just buckets of ice and glasses." A swirling, geometric carpet (from Georgian Design Centre) and fabulous bright blue, swiveling hydraulic stools complete the retro look. "You can exercise and watch a hockey game," grins Schneider, "or you can sit at the bar and watch people play hockey or get creative in the music room."

Yes, play hockey. An impressive 16-foot-by-40-foot, concrete hockey rink sees plenty of action. The upper walls are even painted Maple Leaf Blue. A large window above the bar reveals a sound studio, equipped with resilient channels and double-layered glass, where Schneider plays his keyboards, composes and rehearses with his band.

"The nice thing about entertaining here is that you can have a group of couples over and you can have a great time playing hockey or watching a movie, or have a group of kids in the lower level and the adults dining upstairs in peace," he says.

Schneider and friends gather in the basement home theatre. The basement is designed for fun and entertaining.

Schneider's all-encompassing vision for the future includes integrating green building technology, off-grid solar power and computer technology into the construction process – while, of course, designing smart, fun homes.

With the recent addition of two new designers, Adam Vokes and Amy Wilson, as well as Director of Finance, Deb Fitzsimmons, Jasper Architectural Design is positioned to handle 3D concept development ideas and final drawings required for building permits and construction.

Where does Schneider see himself in five years? "Living in a funky, cool house up near the mountain, with a waterfall in it," he says.

"I just designed a house with a waterfall for a client and it has a big bridge that runs through the middle, and the waterfall cascades over it. I'd like to do the same in my next place."