Royal Annex, Picton, Ontario

Photography by Doublespace / Graydon Herriott

Occupying space that used to house stables connected to the 19th-century Royal Hotel, the entirely new Annex reimagines a charming shed in harmony with the new gardens, porches, and pool of the Royal Hotel. Inside, a set of intimate stairs, just wide enough for two, are flanked by a striking chartreuse guard that is a shot of colour in the otherwise earthy palette of concrete floors, bronze screens, and Kebony wood cladding. The space expands at the stair landing—punctuated by a custom pendant light—into a strategically lit corridor decked in ceiling-to-wall Tectum panels. The top floor’s five rustic suites maintain the main hotel’s attention to detail, with floor-to-ceiling wood volumes defining each entrance. Concrete floors and exposed Kebony cladding give a sense of evolution over time. Each suite boasts ceiling ‘scoops,’ wood rafters, and wool felt chandeliers, while unique touches like a continuous stone bench with a farm trough sink and metal backsplash add to the eclectic charm.