鈥淭he one side of the house facing the water is a bit more of an expansive experience. Then you turn around and have a more intimate experience because the rock is creeping up toward the house and almost touching it in some areas,鈥 architect Julian Carnrite says.聽
鈥淲hen you鈥檙e looking out towards the water through the trees, it鈥檚 more of an experience of freedom, whereas when you are looking back towards the rock where it鈥檚 kind of nestled in, it鈥檚 just a more intimate and sheltered experience,鈥 says architect Julian Carnrite.聽
鈥淢y favourite part of the home is the great room,” says homeowner Steve Vertes. “In the summer, we have the sliding glass doors wide open and it’s just magic, especially at sunset. Julian worked with us for a long time determining the overall aesthetic and style of the house, which ended up being West Coast Modern.”
All of the exterior floors are concrete with a bit of a texture to it so it has some grip. 鈥淚t gives your foot something to grab onto,鈥 says architect Julian Carnrite.
Look inside this luxury island retreat, where you鈥檙e so close to nature, bears raid the beer fridge!
Vertes Retreat, Sakinaw Lake, B.C., sits in the middle of the lake with its own bay. “We really wanted to bring the outside in and the inside out,” says the owner.
鈥淭he one side of the house facing the water is a bit more of an expansive experience. Then you turn around and have a more intimate experience because the rock is creeping up toward the house and almost touching it in some areas,鈥 architect Julian Carnrite says.聽
The first challenge for homeowner Steve Vertes was to get his hands on the property he loved. The second was to connect with the right architect to make his dream home come true. Then they had to build it.
Vertes had originally built himself a home on Sakinaw Lake on in 2011, but he spotted another property that stole his heart. 鈥淓veryone drives their boat around and sees what projects are going on and what properties come up for sale. Because this one is right in the middle of the lake and has its own bay, it’s hard to miss聽鈥斅爒ery unique.鈥
When the property came up for sale in 2017, Vertes snapped it up.
Then residential designer, Phillip Van Horn, connected Vertes with architect Julian Carnrite of聽. Van Horn and Carnrite worked together on the project鈥檚 early stages. Vertes was very involved.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
鈥淭he great thing about Julian is he allowed me and my wife, Selina, to be part of the design process from start to finish,” he said. “We began by meeting for site visits, walking and analyzing the undeveloped land and debating where the ideal location would be for the main house.鈥
The couple originally favoured a spot closer to the lake, but Carnrite advised choosing a location higher up. Says Vertes: 鈥淲here the house ended up was not at all obvious; it required significant blasting to get the house located at the perfect west-facing vantage point to maximize the overall use of the lot.鈥
The 4,110-square-foot home is L-shaped and has a single-storey wing that encompasses the living areas and it also has a double-height wing that consists of the bedrooms, media room and garage. The home has concrete floors, white drywall walls and cedar ceilings.
鈥淲e were really trying to make the architecture fade away and showcase the natural surroundings. There鈥檚 no human artist that can compete with the artistry that nature produces, so complex, so beautiful. We really wanted to bring the outside in and the inside out,鈥澛燙arnrite says.
Vertes says he feels a part of nature. 鈥淎side from the trees and the lake and mountains in the distance, there is an incredible amount of wildlife hanging around all the time: deer, geese, beavers and the occasional bears, who really enjoy raiding my beer fridge!”
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