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Let us introduce you to the very talented designers/decorators who live and work here in stylish Southern Georgian Bay.
Cutting-edge Canadian design and quality home accentsTHE PLACE: Found in a historic building on the main street of Thornbury that originally housed a bakery, Interior Motives serves up a menu of furnishings, accents and giftware that will make homeowners' mouths water. It's a location owner, Leslie Lewis, has always coveted. "I wanted to put my roots down in a town like Thornbury and do something I love to do. I've been coming to the area for 15 years. It's a four-season recreational area. If anyone says they're bored,
Zoom in. Invisible winds gather on the vast expanse of Georgian Bay and rush inland, sending waves crashing over a grey shale beach, buffeting the ornamental grasses that sway on a sculpted beachfront east of Thornbury.The waterfront is a jewel on this stretch of the bay – shaped by the imagination of the homeowners and landscape designers. The rugged beauty of the bay is enhanced by the artful use of multi-coloured granite boulders, a variety of grasses, groundcover and poplar, cedar and white birch trees. A series of stepped flagstone
The history of this farmhouse on Irish Mountain in Meaford begins long before the stones were put in place. For centuries, artists and photographers have spent hours on this property, appreciating the view and rendering its magnificence. One of these artists, renowned painter Anne Marsh Evans, has captured the scene of the old plum trees overlooking the bay, which now graces the cover of St. Vincent: A Beautiful Land.This book explains the history of the land and retells the story of the settlement of this very property. When the glaciers
With dream bedroom designs and the latest in technology, this young family of four has created a custom home in which to grow, love and play.From the front of their Walkerton home, the only evidence of Randy and Michele Saunders’ little boys, Cole, 3, and Zach, 5, are two painted rocks, given to Randy on Father’s Day, which lie in a border garden surrounding the front porch (landscaping by Brian Folmer).
Toad Hall Soars to Solar Heights with the Wind Beneath its WingsIt all began with a child’s bedtime story and a dream.
THE PLACE: Royal Oak Kitchen & Bath was born 18 years ago in owner Glen Small’s garage. What started as a hobby expanded into a 6,000 sq. ft. showroom and production shop, ideally located on Hwy. 9, between Harriston and Clifford. Being in the heart of Southwestern Ontario means the company can draw on a wide range of communities.
They work hard for the money and take pride in their work. Meet the trades of Grey and Bruce.
THE STYLE: A combination of traditional and modern country.
On Christmas Eve, Dr. Robert Mason and his wife Denise plan to relax in front of their fireplace, chat with his parents and anticipate the excitement of their son and daughter when morning comes and the youngsters can explore the treats under the colourful designer tree.Meanwhile, the heat from the fire complements the warm browns and blues in the abstract design of the custom hand-knotted carpet underfoot. Inspired by nature, this rich colour palette was chosen to wash the developing interior in a comforting glow.
James Schneider grew up with a hammer in his hand and a burning desire to build.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.
Just past the bridge, on scenic Marchmont Road, west of Orillia, lies an enchanting wonderland of sculptures that excite the imagination and delight the eye. Here, chickens, roosters, eagles and black birds take flight and fish swim in mid-air among fantasy tropical flowers.This imaginative world has been lovingly conjured from steel sheeting by sculptor Rebecca Allen, whose business is appropriately called Iron Maiden. Creativity runs in Rebecca's family. Her mother, Pam, creates collage-style brooches, an eclectic mix of antique jewelry and found objects, while her father, Paul, fashions rustic wood
A busy family of five finds relaxation and lasting memories at their new Lake Muskoka cottage, where they spend the vast majority of each summer on the waterfront.A small beach is tucked behind a u-shaped dock, housing a couple of speed boats currently at rest from ongoing waterski/wakeboard/tubing marathons. A canoe, paddleboat and kayaks litter the nearby rocky shore.
Howling wolves are comforting sounds for David and Debra Wright. Hearing those wild, lonesome calls means they’re back at their waterfront retreat in the Haliburton Highlands.“I can envision us living here,” says Debra. On their two-and-a-half-hour drive from the city, she can feel herself unwind the closer they get to their country cottage. “Hopefully, some day, this will be our northern home when we retire.”
Georgian Bay’s Treasure HarbourSTYLE: A Mix of Classic Cape Cod Cottage and Rustic Labrador Lodge.
Glenn Ward enjoys bringing ideas to life.A custom furniture maker for a dozen years, Glenn helps people put their thoughts into form. “They may know what they want, but don’t know how to get there,” says Ward, creative director of Eidos Design Studio, his furniture design and production company.
If you listen carefully, you may hear strains of "The Mettawas Waltz" (from the former Hotel of the same name) wafting across the waterfront, where the new "Mettawas on the Beach" townhomes are located. The last vestiges of the glory days of the grand hotel and casino, envisioned by whiskey magnate, Hiram Walker, and designed by Detroit architects, Mason and Rice, were destroyed in a fire in 2000. But the memory lives on, thanks to Ali Fayaz, co-owner of Windsor-based Peaco Construction.Fayaz's new development is slated to include 31 Cape
Jo-Anne and Mark Stiers still talk in terms of "finishing touches." They welcome people to their spacious home in Russell Woods with details about incoming furniture and plans to finalize accents to the décor, but they don't need to. The French Château-style, lakefront home is the perfect backdrop for this busy family."We never aspired to live on the lake, but once we walked in and saw the view it was great," Jo-Anne says. "You get two in one. For us, it was like having a cottage and a house in
"Everything to Everyone."THE PLACE: Marquis Tile and Fireplaces
Once upon a time, a psychology graduate from the University of Windsor, who dreamed of being an artist, moved to Toronto to study. There, he met a beautiful student who had dreamed of being either an “astronaut or a glass artist.” In the fullness of time, the psychology graduate and the beautiful student realized they shared a passion for creating stunningly original works of art from glass. They married and channeled their talents and passion into creating a business where their art could flourish. And life was good.
A celebration of comfort… and luxury.
Janet Perry chose a career in the hospitality business and consciously decided when and where to invest time and money. She took a chance by remodeling and adding to her stately, century home in the heart of Guelph. It was a big risk, but it was worth taking.
If the yellow brick farmhouse built in the 1800s on the Saugeen River southwest of Mount Forest could speak, it would tell you about its remarkable resurrection, beginning with the arrival of the new millennium.The farmhouse owes its rebirth to Bob and Donna McFarlane, who purchased it and the surrounding 70 acres in 2000. From the start, the McFarlanes knew it was a daunting task to refurbish this vintage property. But Bob, who always wanted to farm, saw this as an opportunity to fulfill his dream.
THE PLACE: The village of Erin's motto is "Experience the charm!" Nowhere is the phrase more aptly applied than to Beaver Mills Design Inc. "I like the heritage aspect of the commercial area - it's sophisticated country," says owner Ann Stubbs, explaining why she located here two years ago. Stubb's shop reflect a blend of the elegant and the functional, with its wealth of rare antiques and comfortable furnishings for the contemporary home.
The fact that Forge Ahead, Jim Barton's eight-year-old ornamental iron company, doesn't have a showroom is in keeping with the man himself. He's not showy in the least.
In fact, his humility makes him engaging in a quiet, solid way. Barton says it best in his straightforward fashion. "We don't have a shop because what's in the shop is what we're working on at the time."