Ashley Botten Design Crafts a Tailored Lake House Retreat

Inspired by high fashion’s attention to detail and fine tailoring, Ashley Botten Design (abd) takes pride in collaborating closely with clients who share a similar reverence for meticulous craftsmanship. This shared vision is beautifully realised in the renovation of a family lake house in Muskoka, Ontario, where abd seamlessly blends refined elegance with the casual ease of spending summers near the water. Tasked with updating the six-bedroom cottage, the studio’s approach honours both the home’s natural surroundings and its architectural heritage, creating a harmonious retreat that exudes quiet sophistication.

While the exterior bones of the cottage have remained intact, abd reimagined the interiors by removing select structural walls, enhancing the flow between spaces and carving out quieter, more intimate areas. Core features, such as the classic sash windows and the majestic flagstone hearth—a hallmark of the Muskoka region—were preserved. The studio’s distinctive touch is evident throughout, with custom-designed furniture thoughtfully tailored to each room, offering a personalised expression of the home’s unique character.

Ashley Botten Design excels in creating experiential interiors that resonate on a sensory level, and this project was no exception. The studio’s modern sophistication shines through in their meticulous attention to detail and calming sense of balance and proportion—principles that echo their broader design philosophy.

Upon entering the cottage, guests are greeted by a striking curved sofa that draws the eye toward the stunning lake views. Designed to comfortably seat up to six, the sofa is rich in micro-detailing, such as seamlessly railroaded fabric that wraps around the back without visible seams. This careful craftsmanship creates a subtle yet powerful visual impact, allowing the sofa’s expansive contour to flow uninterrupted.

Nearby, a custom curved bench in white oak hugs the sofa, transforming previously unusable space into a functional area for a small sculpture or a seat to remove shoes. The area is anchored by a sculpted carpet with three-dimensional patterns that cast blush shadows, creating moments of quiet luxury.

On the ground level, a bold interplay of materials creates a sense of dynamism. Wide-plank Douglas fir flooring contrasts with the straight-grained larch that encases the half-turn staircase, leading up to a catwalk hallway. The kitchen cabinetry, also in larch, pairs beautifully with slabs of honed charcoal bedrock on the countertops, backsplash, and range hood. This rich palette is further enhanced with an open aluminum shelf for displaying dishware and an island kitchen surrounded by nubuck leather counter stools.

The primary bedroom and ensuite adopt a softer, more subdued tone, with walls painted in a textured sea salt hue and woven linen window coverings that diffuse dappled light. The bed frame, tightly upholstered in wool suiting, along with strategically placed millwork, offers an alternative passageway to the ensuite, enhancing the room’s functionality and flow.

Throughout the house, abd’s attention to sensory experiences elevates everyday living. In the ensuite, the studio designed an extended metal towel rack that doubles as a resting tray for burning incense, infusing the space with a serene ambiance. Privacy is thoughtfully considered with glass pocket doors in the bar lounge to buffer television noise, while an upholstered pod near the living room serves as a cosy nook for children.

Ashley Botten and her team at abd are known for their curated approach, where every detail is intentional and fits naturally within the dimensions of a room. From the selection of nuanced materials to the positioning of furniture, abd’s work reflects a deeply refined appreciation of quality and artistry. This family retreat, with its timeless style and careful attention to refinement, is designed to evolve beautifully with use and memories, becoming a layered and beloved home for generations.

Credits

Design: Ashley Botten Design

Builder: Tamarack North

Photography: Patrick Biller

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AKB Architects Designs a Kite Surfer’s Secluded Retreat in Harmony with Nature

Nestled within the dramatic freshwater landscapes of Pointe Au Baril, Whistling Wind Island offers an extraordinary retreat for a passionate kite surfer. Located three hours north of Toronto, this region of Georgian Bay is renowned for its untamed beauty, where Precambrian rock archipelagos create narrow waterways that challenge even seasoned boaters. Here, both permanent and seasonal residents cherish the untouched landscape, a sentiment reflected in the design of this secluded cottage.

 

Whistling Wind Island, one of the most remote inhabited islands in the area, is enveloped by open waters and vast skies. The island’s ever-changing environment, marked by fluctuating water levels and unpredictable weather, is the perfect setting for the owner’s love of kite surfing. The cottage, designed by the Toronto-based studio AKB Architects, is a testament to building in harmony with nature.

The retreat consists of four pitch-roofed structures, each carefully scaled to fit within the island’s one-acre footprint. Clad in silver-weathered cedar shingles, the buildings blend seamlessly into their surroundings, appearing almost as natural extensions of the brownish-grey rocks. The main cottage, perched at the highest elevation, is complemented by a bunkie, a sauna, and a boat storage building with a small fitness room. These structures are connected by wooden plank gangways that meander over the rugged terrain, linking boat landings and bridging gaps between outcroppings.

Unlike many summer homes that prioritise a single scenic view, the cottage and bunkie on Whistling Wind Island are designed to embrace panoramic vistas in every direction. Wrap-around decks encircle the buildings, allowing residents to fully engage with the natural beauty that surrounds them. The asymmetric shapes of the structures echo the natural contours of the land, with steps and angles that flow harmoniously with the rock formations. The design further blurs the lines between indoors and out, with triple-pane operable glass walls that open fully to invite the outside in, providing natural thermal control through cross breezes to cool the interior. Deeply recessed windows with carved overhangs punctuate the facade, offering shade from the intense summer sun and helping to reduce solar heat gain.

Inside, the cottage features a spacious open-plan living area, with a kitchen, dining space, and a living room anchored by a full-height fireplace made of local Muskoka granite slabs. The interior walls are clad in custom-made cedar boards, whitewashed to reflect the ever-present horizon of water and sky. Matching wood planks line the cathedral ceiling, providing a contemporary interpretation of a gabled wood form found in traditional cottages. This same warm, natural materiality extends to the bunkie, creating a cosy, enveloping atmosphere that contrasts with the rugged exterior.

AKB Architects, led by Robert Kastelic and Kelly Buffey, brings a holistic approach to their designs, merging interior and exterior spaces into a seamless experience. Their work, as exemplified by Whistling Wind Island, is characterised by a clarity of vision and a commitment to capturing the poetic qualities of space. The studio’s dedication to detail and conceptual integrity ensures that each building not only endures but also engages with its environment in a profound way.

Sustainability is at the core of this project. The buildings are constructed on the original footprints of preexisting structures, minimising their environmental impact. Triple-pane operable glass walls and deeply recessed windows help regulate temperature naturally, while wood-burning fireplaces eliminate the need for mechanical heating systems. Water conservation measures include low-flow plumbing fixtures and an on-demand hot water system. The outdoor shower, soon to be added, will use lake water, further reducing the environmental footprint. The lighting fixtures were selected to mimic the soft mood of candlelight and exterior lighting was eliminated altogether, in respect to the night sky and the moon’s reflection on the water. The interior glow is enough to illuminate the surrounding decks.

The short cottaging season at Pointe Au Baril ends as the lake begins to freeze in November. To protect the retreat during the harsh winter months, the design includes recessed aluminum garage-like doors that roll down to cover the windows, and the floating docks are removed from the water.

Whistling Wind Island is more than just a summer home; it is a sanctuary that exists in perfect harmony with its surroundings. AKB Architects have created a retreat that is not only resilient against nature’s elements but also profoundly connected to the landscape it inhabits. 

Credits

Architecture: AKB Architects

Architecture team: Kelly Buffey, Robert Kastelic, Donald Peckover, Byron White, Tim Wat, Antonio Morais, Nicole Rak

Furniture Curation: Anne Hepfer Design Inc

Photography: Doublespace

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Vipp Transforms Historic Log House into Tranquil Riverside Retreat

Vipp’s 9th guesthouse sees a former listed fisherman’s house from 1876 gently relocated to one of Latvia’s most spectacular nature parks, the Salaca River Valley. Situated on the bank of the river, the old log house has been transformed into a blissful hideaway and design retreat.

Arturs Martinsons, founder of the design studio xcelsior and owner of 17 hectares of landscaped meadows and woodland in Salaca National Park, oversaw the meticulous relocation of each log to its new site, where the house was rebuilt on a foundation of 180 stones. With a strong passion for architecture and design, Martinsons approached Vipp to include the house in their growing guesthouse portfolio around the world.

After thoroughly remodeling the interior layout, Vipp’s design team transformed the decaying holiday residence into a contemporary cottage. The new space blends Scandinavian minimalism with the character and charm of the original log house architecture, seamlessly integrating the built and natural environments. The magical surroundings are only fully revealed once you enter the guesthouse where large picture windows flood the space with light and provide an unobstructed view of the Salaca River.

Divided over two floors, the collection of small rooms have been replaced with a large open-plan living areas oriented towards the river views, giving new volume and life to the house. A black Vipp V1 kitchen is fitted into one corner of the living area and is paired with a combined dining and seating area. On one wall is a fireplace surrounded by mirrors that reflect the stunning greenery, bringing nature inside.

On the first floor the master bedroom features a freestanding bathtub overlooking the living area below. A narrow X-shaped window allows just enough sunlight to filter in while maintaining privacy. On the ground floor, there is a second bedroom with two single beds and a window facing the woods, along with a bathroom, entrance hall, and the combined living area and kitchen. The ceiling, painted in a dark grey-brown hue to preserve its original character, together with the dark brown log walls, creates a dense, cave-like ambiance. This is complemented by Vipp's neutral coloured furniture pieces, the V1 kitchen and items from nearby craft shops and vintage finds.

The house opens to large decks with views of the water, furnished with Vipp outdoor furniture. Perfect for lounging after a day of exploring the area or taking part in endless activities such as kayaking, canoeing, salmon fishing, biking, cross country skiing, mushroom hunting, or a swim in the river. Additionally, a separate terrace equipped with a wood-fired hot tub offers a 360-degree panoramic view of the surrounding landscape.

Images courtesy of Vipp

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