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Colin and Justin: Great Canadian cottages

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As hosts of Cottage Life’s brand new docu-series “Great Canadian Cottages”, Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan throw open the doors to a veritable wonderland of vacation magic…

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Navigating this country’s rich landscape, we’ve visited cottages in all shapes and sizes.  From gravity defying architectural gems, to a Hansel and Gretel style log cabin built literally inside a large contemporary edifice (it’s a cottage within a cottage – Russian doll style – that has to be seen to be believed) we’ve swooned at everyturn.  And then swooned some more… 

Aye, across a demanding – but nonetheless fun – shooting schedule (cue twenty four utterly unique respites) we encountered singular identity in each artfully composed retreat.  But as much as they’re all different – they share one thing in common: each represents the realisation of a dream. 

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And the dreamscape, for you, dear readers, kicks off this Thursday (October 18th)at 10pm on Cottage Life.  Okay, so Mother Nature’s chillier fingers may be tightening their vice like grip – with the mercury’s descent already begun – but, courtesy of the show, we guarantee to keep the heat turned up for the next eight weeks. 

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So come on, pack away your winter woollies, discard that fleecy toque and join us as we celebrate the people, the homes and the landscapes closest to the hearts of Canadians. You won’tbe disappointed. 

To kick things off during Thursday’s premiere, we’ll be talking glass, timber and straw – each component a primary build material for one of the three homes that star in our inaugural episode. 

House number one is‘The Glass Boathouse’, completed in 2009 by architect Patricia Hanson (of gh3*) for Larry Williams, one of Canada’s foremost photographers.  Chatting with Larry, we learn that the naïve structure occupying the existing site was demolished to make way for the multi-purpose space for which Hanson won a Governor General Medal in Architecture. 

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Larryexplains he dreamed of a vacation home that would also serve as a photography studio and event space, adding that his ambition was more than generously fulfilled. Transparent glass walls throughout the 1,800 square feet structure allow for continuous natural light, whilst a geothermal lake-water system manages air-conditioning. It truly is a magical home from home, with a studio and living area spread across the ground floor and an open plan bedroom/bathroom arranged above.  

Next up we visit the home of Bryan Down. Designed in 2012 by Shawn Hunter ofDiscovery Dream Homes, its timber frame was constructed using locally sourced Eastern White Pine from Northern Ontario. 

Because of the placement of an original structure on the property, the new build was ‘grandfathered’, which allowed for its positioning closer to the shoreline than many of the area’s properties. The 1100 sq. ft., two-bedroom proposition gives the illusion of floating on the lake, thanks to its open pier structure and clear sight lines. 

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The casually attired interior boasts exposed timber beams, with soaring eighteen feet ceilings.  Bryan suggests sourcing unusual pieces (such as the old canoe hanging in the hallway: a wonderful conversation piece by all accounts, and a celebration of local history) to proffer a time worn, curated vibe.  He also suggests making personal furniture choices, even if those choices run against trends, to develop a space that’s truly ‘you’. 

Property number three is The Straw Bale House, a fascinating fairy tale abode designed in 2004 
by contractor Chris Magwood for his Mom Sandy.  Chris, for the most part, enjoyed free reign with the design, with just one clear instruction: there shouldn’t exist any straight walls. The resultant 1,3000 square feet amorphic cabin delivers an abundance of atmosphere and is an energy efficient home of which Sandy is extremely proud. 

So now you’ve had an early peek at three of the twenty-four homes that feature throughout our new docu-series.  Over the next two months, in these very pages, we’ll unlock more doors, affording you, as we do, a candid peek at that which lies in store.  And be assured: each of the profiled domiciles is entirely different to the other 23, but each is exciting in its own way.  We hope you’ll have as much fun watching, as we did filming the show.  It’s a fascinating ride!

Great Canadian Cottages airs on Cottage Life from Thursday 18th October at 10pm 

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