Architectural Collaboration Delivers Glass Floor and Waterfall
April 12, 2018
| PHOTOGRAPHY BY
STEVE POMERLEAU
Windsor-area waterfront home is a soaring masterpiece of glass, steel, stone and concrete.
A version of this article originally appeared in the Spring 2018 issue of OUR HOMES Windsor & Essex County, p.28. Find local businesses in our Windsor directory.
Built in 2013 by Dan Caster of Caster Custom Homes, this 12,000 sq. ft. home is a soaring masterpiece of glass, steel, stone and concrete and it commands a perfect waterfront view. Designed by Kevin Akey of AZD Associates Inc., the home was a collaborative process that fulfilled the homeowners’ wishes for a modern home with a water view.
“We love to entertain, especially outside," say the owners. To accommodate the homeowner’s love of cars, there is a three-car garage for everyday commuting and two lower-level garages that can store up to eight cars as well as a number of motorcycles. A specially-designed glass floor in the couple’s office provides a view to the car collection.
In the foyer, a 30-foot waterfall brings an organic feel to the modern structure. The stone columns are built on an angle to allow the water to drop, which creates interest and drama. The exterior has Prairie-style design elements paying tribute to details found in some of the iconic homes built by Frank Lloyd Wright.
Two kitchens by Frank Cremasco Fine Cabinetry are equipped with professional-level appliances. The central kitchen allows the owners to entertain with an expansive quartz island. The kitchen leads into a large bar area equipped with a custom-made banquette and glassed-in, temperature-controlled wine room that can hold up to 500 bottles of wine. The room is a favourite place for the couple to entertain as it opens onto the covered patio and fully equipped outdoor kitchen. The double-sided fireplace (Forest Glade Fireplaces) encourages the flow of traffic from the inside out.
The master bedroom cantilevers out over the back patio, creating the sense of being on a ship and providing a serene and relaxing view of the water as well as the lap pool and the ipe wood dock that leads down to the lake and the homeowners’ boat.
The lower level offers a gym and the owner's personal hair salon. The salon is unabashedly girly with pink chandeliers and a swivel-arm sink that rises out of the floor – a detail the homeowner spotted while having her hair styled on a cruise ship.
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Photo 1 of 18
Photography by Steve Pomerleau
The water-facing home has a spectacular 10-foot overhanging roofline and an angled curved ceiling that covers the outside bar. The ipe wood dock leads from the pool to the homeowner's boat.
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Photo 2 of 18
Photography by Steve Pomerleau
The home’s front entry is via a suspension bridge that leads from the upper driveway, crossing over the underground parking below.
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Photo 3 of 18
Photography by Steve Pomerleau
The radius curve roof is one of architect Kevin Akey's signatures.
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Photo 4 of 18
Photography by Steve Pomerleau
“This was one of the most challenging and rewarding projects I have ever had the privilege to be involved in,” comments builder Dan Caster of Caster Custom Homes. “The homeowners were amazing to work with and I am grateful for the trust they put in me.”
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Photo 5 of 18
Photography by Steve Pomerleau
One interior wall is built on an eight-degree angle to accommodate a waterfall and upright on the other.
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Photo 6 of 18
Photography by Steve Pomerleau
The multiple treyed ceilings with LED rope lighting are great examples of the clean, sophisticated lines throughout the home.
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Photo 7 of 18
Photography by Steve Pomerleau
Wood veneer panels were custom made to match the metal outdoor panel. It creates a seamless transition from the exterior to the interior and fulfills the goal of “bringing the outside in.”
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Photo 8 of 18
Photography by Steve Pomerleau
The suspended, reflective bulkhead is the exact same size as the island. The rift-cut oak cabinetry has a sideways grain, which adds to the clean lines the homeowners wanted.
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Photo 9 of 18
Photography by Steve Pomerleau
The butler’s kitchen comes equipped with double ovens, a full-size fridge and freezer. It is behind the main kitchen and beside the bar so it is the workhorse kitchen in the home.
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Photo 10 of 18
Photography by Steve Pomerleau
The 20-foot onyx bar is suspended on clear, acrylic railings which light up, giving the bar area a nightclub effect.
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Photo 11 of 18
Photography by Steve Pomerleau
Art and functionality meet in the multi-fabric banquette created by designer Richard J. Laney as a way to define the seating area.
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Photo 12 of 18
Photography by Steve Pomerleau
The floor of the office is triple-pane, one-inch thick glass engineered to withstand 1,000 pounds of weight. The wall is curved as well as tilted at eight degrees creating a subtle and interesting effect.
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Photo 13 of 18
Photography by Steve Pomerleau
The master bedroom has a cruise-ship-style window, tilting away from the house so that when looking outward the walls of the house are not visible.
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Photo 14 of 18
Photography by Steve Pomerleau
The zero-entry shower and tub are modern and classic. Custom, linear drains and rope lighting complete the look.
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Photo 15 of 18
Photography by Steve Pomerleau
Everything in the dressing area is beautiful but functional. Each panel in the white acrylic cabinetry is illuminated from behind, making it easy to find things.
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Photo 16 of 18
Photography by Steve Pomerleau
The owner's personal hair salon is a retreat in pink.
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