Light & Landscape

STORY CAELI MAZARA | PHOTOGRAPHY SANDY MACKAY

As seen in the Grey Bruce Summer 2026 issue.

In Ontario’s Lake Huron region, where shoreline living attracts both retirees and families, one custom build in the Kincardine area highlights what’s possible when a homeowner’s vision meets a builder’s flexibility and expertise.

For homeowners carol and Rick Hanslep, the move north was years in the making. “My husband and I have been coming up to the area for about 20 years,” Carol says. “We always said we’d love to retire here.” After three decades in Mississauga, the couple began searching for a home to make that vision a reality, but nothing felt quite right.

“We just didn’t fall in love with anything,” says Carol. “We couldn’t picture anything as our dream home.”

A recommendation from family led them to a local development – and to builder Bogdanovic Homes. What followed was a unique experience.

“They just welcomed us,” recalls Carol. “It felt like a small-town experience, like I’d known them forever.”

Instead of steering the couple toward a standard model, the Bogdanovic team encouraged them to refine their ideas.

“We’d say, ‘We like part of that model, and part of this one,’ and they made it work,” says Carol. “They weren’t trying to sell us something – we were building it together.”

Bogdanovic Homes is a family-run builder and developer with almost 30 years of history in the region. The Crimson Oak Valley development represents an evolution to a fully integrated builder, developer and designer.

The company is a true family affair: Olivera Bogdanovic and her mother Biljana manage operations, her brother Aleksandar handles estimates and he and their father Steve act as site supers.

Their hands-on approach allows them to guide clients through every stage, from selecting a lot to final finishes. “The clients pick the lot, then we work together to create a house plan,” Olivera explains.

With control over both development and construction, the Bogdanovic team maintains a cohesive vision across the community while still supporting individual customization. They work alongside design partners such as Lineworks Design Group.

The Hanslep project unfolded over roughly a year, giving Carol and Rick time to shape the design in detail. Central to the vision was light and openness. “I always imagined walking in the front door and seeing a wall of windows at the back,” says Carol.

That intent is realized immediately upon entry. The far wall draws the eye straight through the home to the rear bank of windows supplied by Golden Windows Limited, flooding the interior with natural light and reinforcing a connection to the landscape beyond. Achieving this feel required structural adjustments, including raising the window heights to follow the home’s peaked roofline.

“There was no ‘we can’t do that,’ ” says Carol. “It was just, ‘Okay, let’s figure it out.’ ”

The finished result is a bright, open-concept main floor anchored by 11-foot ceilings and expansive glazing. Even functional elements were carefully considered to preserve light flow. The staircase to the lower level, crafted in white oak by Neerhof Custom Woodworking, is positioned just off the kitchen and enclosed in glass, allowing it to integrate without interrupting sight-lines or sunlight. Elsewhere, glass elements define spaces without closing them off, including a light-filled art studio where Carol, a painter, now enjoys spending her spare time. Her vision of the space – framed by industrial-style paned glass on either side of the entry – was a striking choice.

Throughout the home, the Hansleps blended contemporary finishes with meaningful heirloom pieces. “I tried to incorporate old with new,” explains Carol. “Pieces from my mother and mother-in-law alongside modern elements.”

Underfoot, engineered white oak flooring from Saugeen Valley Carpet & Tile runs throughout the main living spaces, while tilework in key areas adds texture. The kitchen reflects that balance, with custom cabinetry by Johnson Woodworks topped with stone surfaces by KW Granite Countertops. A 10-foot island became a focal point, and a butler’s pantry adds storage and personality.

Material and design decisions were often collaborative. A square-set herringbone tile in the mudroom offers a subtle variation on a familiar pattern, while trim and mouldings from North Pole Trim & Supplies Ltd. provide a refined finish. Lighting selections became a standout feature with guidance from Olivera, with fixtures sourced from The Lighting Shoppe in Cambridge. Window coverings and closet organization systems supplied by Wilson Solutions bring privacy and order to the home.

“I didn’t know what to do with lighting,” admits Carol. “Olivera helped me find pieces I never would have thought of.”

The builder also provided practical boundaries where needed. “If something didn’t work, they’d explain the reasons,” says Carol. “It had to fit the house.”

That balance between creativity and expertise extended to the trades. Masonry work by Russell Masonry, with exterior stone supplied by West Shore Stone & Brick Inc., adds durability and character, while finishing trades ensured each detail aligned with the overall vision, including the garage doors from Peninsula Garage Doors Owen Sound.

“They were so proud of their work,” Carol says. “After the house was finished, they came back just to see it completed.”

From custom millwork to tile installation, attention to detail was consistent – even when it meant reworking elements to get them right. “They wanted it to be perfect,” explains Carol. “That says everything.”

The lower level reinforces the home’s livability, with nine-foot ceilings and oversize windows that defy typical basement expectations. Finished with luxury vinyl plank flooring, the space includes a gym, guest rooms and a family area.

Exterior elements complete the property, including porch space, a fire pit and landscaping by Outdoor Concepts, framing the home within the garden, forest and lake beyond.

At just over 2,100 square feet on the main floor and an additional 1,500 square feet below, the home offers both scale and comfort. More importantly, it reflects the personalities and priorities of its owners – from striking feature walls, some wallpapered by Lockwood Painting, a central stone fireplace to curated furnishings that connect past and present.

“We had a year to think about everything, and it all came together,” Carol says. “It’s just a beautiful space.”

Asked what advice she would offer to those beginning a build, she doesn’t hesitate: “Go with Bogdanovic Homes!”

Carol immediately breaks into laughter alongside Olivera – the recommendation both heartfelt and unmistakably certain. OH