Between Sand and City
STORY: NICOLE LAIDLER | PHOTOGRAPHY: JASON HARTOG
Featured in London/Stratford - Fall 2025
Nestled just outside the city bustle, Lynhurst is a small village with big appeal. Though easy to miss on the way to Port Stanley’s beaches or downtown London, this quiet community is becoming a destination in its own right, thanks in part to the thoughtfully designed and built houses by Hayhoe Homes.
“Lynhurst Heights has been developed in small phases,” says Shale Gauthier, design and marketing supervisor with Hayhoe Homes. “It’s always been popular because of its proximity to London, but it’s still a quiet, family-oriented community. There are parks and trails, and this phase of the development backs onto some dedicated green space.”
Founded in 1978, Hayhoe Homes has earned a reputation for delivering family homes with plenty of extras. At 2,012 square feet, the three-bedroom Wrencreek model exceeds expectations.
The covered front porch is the perfect spot to enjoy a morning coffee or a quiet afternoon chat. Inside the home, thoughtful details abound. A chic checkered tile floor in Anatolia Cinq Grey & White from Verne’s Carpet One Floor & Home adds a touch of personality to the welcoming foyer, where a built-in floating window bench provides a practical and stylish seating area.
The open-concept main floor boasts a soaring two-storey vaulted ceiling above the dining area and an abundance of windows. With walls painted Benjamin Moore Vanilla Milkshake and floors in Kentwood five-inch brushed oak, it feels spacious and bright.
The heart of the Wrencreek is its bold, designer kitchen by Casey’s Kitchens featuring counter-to-ceiling cabinetry in striking blue-grey steel that makes an instant statement. “As a designer, I’ve never been scared of colour,” says Shale. “I wanted to do something fun in this kitchen, to make it a focal point. Everything else supports that choice.”
A GE Café six-burner gas stove, french-door refrigerator and dishwasher in stainless steel with brushed brass finishes, all from The Brick, offer a warm contrast and complement the trio of elegant Z-lite Calhoun pendant lights in Heritage Brass from The Lighting Shoppe, installed by Covenant Electric.
A large centre island topped in Statuary Classique quartz provides plenty of space for prep work and invites casual family breakfasts or after-school homework sessions. Gauthier staged the adjacent dining area with a custom Scandinavian-inspired table by Canadian furniture designer Andrew McKillop of Mill + Commons. Furniture placement is key when decorating an open-concept floor plan like the Wrencreek, she notes. “You do want to create some defined areas.”
A gas fireplace from Cam’s Heating & Air and a clean white surround and mantel take centre stage in the living room. A covered wooden deck and concrete patio provide additional outdoor living space during warmer months.
The home’s tiled mudroom (Verne’s Carpet One Floor & Home) sits off the garage and does double-duty as a ground-floor laundry. A large coat closet and floating shelves ensure ample storage, while a corner of the room is a feeding area for the family dog.
Upstairs, the sun-filled open hallway links two generous bedrooms at the front of the home with the primary bedroom at the rear. Here, All Star Silver Lining carpet creates a cosy retreat while two large windows provide the perfect frame for a king-size bed. The en suite bathroom is painted a moody Benjamin Moore Smokestack Gray. Paint, applied throughout the house by DeBoer Painting, was supplied by Wallpaper Loft. Darker paint contrasts with the light coloured Calacatta Venice quartz countertops, accentuated by contemporary Moen faucets (J.K. Plumbing). Warm brass accents give the room a traditional feel, while a freestanding tub and large walk-in shower with a corner bench provide all the modern comforts.
This model home comes with a semi-finished basement. Gauthier staged the space as a television room, but it could easily be reimagined as a playroom, home office or home gym. With an adjacent room just waiting to be finished and plumbing already in place for an additional bathroom, the basement offers endless possibilities. “A lot of people might be looking for a fourth or even fifth bedroom,” Gauthier says. “This space offers a lot of flexibility.”
With its blend of bold design, functional spaces, and family-friendly surroundings, the Wrencreek makes a compelling case for putting down roots in Lynhurst Heights. OH