Enchanting View
STORY RENEE ALKASS | PHOTOGRAPHY SANDY MACKAY
You can change a cottage, but you can’t change a view. This is exactly what Dave and Carol Callingham thought when they first toured their 1907 cottage in the Baysville area in 1994. The view of Lake of Bays – the second largest lake in Muskoka – was wildly enchanting.
“We looked at several other properties, but we kept coming back to this one,” says Carol as she stands in her living room, looking out at the water. Thirty-two years later, the sight still sweeps her off her feet.
Originally, there was a traditional cottage on the property, but the couple tore it down and rebuilt with modular home builder Bonneville. Their reason for choosing modular was due to its fast construction and quick move-in timelines. “Our home is comprised of five modules,” says Dave. “They trucked them in on special trailers and a 200-tonne crane dropped them onto the foundation.”
Rudy Wallman of Wallman Architects, a friend and neighbour of the Callinghams, helped with the elevations, floor plans and permitting. Cheryl Mundy, another neighbour, assisted with the interior design and finishes.
Once the structure was secured, Carol dove headfirst into decorating her home. She turned to Veranda, her favourite home store in Bracebridge, to begin furnishing the new space. The couple have been customers of the store for more than 15 years.
Veranda, owned by Elise Boyer, opened nearly two decades ago and has become one of Muskoka’s most coveted destinations for home furnishings with design services. The Veranda collection features an exquisite blend of classic and contemporary products that are affordable, high quality and meant to last a lifetime.
Just last year, the business took on its largest expansion yet and moved into a 35,000 sq. ft. showroom and warehouse in Bracebridge. The new space allows visitors to shop Elise’s entire collection, which includes everything needed to style your home. From rugs and linens to lighting and bedroom sets, they have it all.
Carol was introduced to Veranda’s principal designer Laura Ranft and the women immediately got to work. Laura, who’s been helping clients transform their houses into homes for more than 20 years, was thrilled to take on this project.
Laura has mastered the design process. She conducts a preliminary site visit, organizes colour palettes, prepares layouts and selects appropriate items in store with her client’s approval. “I like to first see the space inside and out,” Laura says. “It helps me come up with a design that will suit the whole home.”
When she did one of her first walk-throughs of the Callinghams’ property, she was enamoured with the view. She knew the lake was going to lead her design style.
The cottage embodies a contemporary look with nods to a classic cottage-core elegance. There are also colourful, whimsical touches throughout, as requested by Carol. “Red and yellow are my favourite colours, but I know they aren’t in,” says Carol. “I just wanted some attitude in here.”
Carol brought Laura a set of design goals as the project took flight. She wanted different living spaces, pops of playful colour and a large table she saw at Veranda.
“I really wanted this table,” says Carol, standing beside a maple and beechwood round table with a thick pedestal base shaped like an onion. “I saw one just like it in Architectural Digest in 1982. It stayed in my mind all those years,” she recalls.
It’s become the perfect statement in the cottage’s main living space. Along with this piece, many other unique Veranda products are spread throughout. Patterned fabrics are featured in the living room, burnt-orange light fixtures hang above the kitchen island and a tree-branch chandelier makes a statement over the circular table.
“As I say to everyone that comes into the store, I want your vision to come to life, and it’s a collaborative process,” says Laura.
The Muskoka room takes on a nautical charm with striped fabrics in shades of blue, a canoe-shaped coffee table and coordinating side table shaped like a paddle.
Dave and Carol love spending time in this room, especially since it features a large window wall purchased from Magic Windows. The doors open to a small patio space where the couple can enjoy the view.
While a gas fireplace was chosen for the Muskoka room, Carol insisted the main living room feature a wood-burning fireplace. “It has become a piece of art in here,” says Carol. The stone was purchased from The Muskoka Stone Co. and expertly installed by Muskoka Rockstar Masonry.
The primary bedroom is one of Carol’s favourite places in the cottage. While the rest of the bedrooms are upstairs, the primary suite is on the main floor so the couple can age in place.
Laura leaned into blue and brass while designing the palette for this room. The space feels serene and soothing. A gas fireplace keeps the room cosy and custom hemlock built-in cabinetry crafted by Brian Yeo allows for optimal organization.
“The en suite is so elegant,” says Laura. She introduced Carol to a playful yet romantic floral wallpaper that adds sophistication and colour to the room. Carol loves the result.
Now that the home is complete, the Callinghams and their whole family gratefully enjoy the space year-round.
Even though most of the work is done, every now and then Carol finds herself roaming the Veranda showroom to find new pieces to add to her home. “She’s an excellent client of ours,” says Laura, smiling. OH