Located on a secluded island in the heart of Georgian Bay, Ontario, Pine Island Cottage blends seamlessly into its natural surroundings.
With interiors designed by Bureau Tempo and Thom Fougere Studio, this serene family getaway features as a series of gathering spaces that cascade along the island’s sloped stone formations.
The interior aims to be both rugged and serene. The texture of the wood grain walls, the sturdiness of the wrought-iron handrails, and the grip of the flamed stone underfoot in the shower gesture at the notion of friction.
In the central living area, four distinct zones: the kitchen, dining room, living room anchored by a fieldstone hearth, and outdoor porch, aim to encourage togetherness, while the sleeping quarters, located at a higher point on the island, offer a peaceful refuge.
Guests are welcomed by a pebble shaped oak door handle and led into a low, gently lit, oak-lined entryway. The space opens as the floors terrace down, the ceiling height grows, and the material palette lightens, revealing the main living space.
Burnished concrete floors in the living space sit close to the landscape and reflections of colour subtly tint the neutral lime-plastered walls. Materials were selected for their ability to age gracefully to embrace the marks of time and use.
Vistas of waters and skies are dotted with trees and nearby islands in each opening of the cottage.
“The design process for the cottage was as beautiful as the final product, with many personal discoveries alongside the client and site-specific cues that directly informed our decision making. The kitchen island as a ritualized gathering point was one such instance – it became not only an experiment with materiality, but also a highly functional element of the kitchen,” said Thom Fougere.
The kitchen is complete with a pantry, bar and breakfast nook. The custom designed cabinetry is crafted of white oak, walnut, and limestone. Each detail and item was considered down to the ceramics, cookware, cutlery, and linens. The pantry was reimagined as a functional market-style space with produce and food on full display.
“Lighting was often at the heart of the decision making process. We did not want to disturb the serenity of the darkness on the island and how finishes would feel when very dimly lit was paramount in selecting materials,” said Adam Robinson, Bureau Tempo.
A custom heavy timber dining table and bench overlooks the living room and hearth framed by the same fieldstone as the kitchen island.
Framed by a bespoke walnut sofa and integrated stair on one side and a fieldstone hearth on the other, the living space was envisioned as a calm place to gather.
The double-sided hearth is central to the cottage’s circulation, warming both the interior and the screened outdoor porch. Repeated use of custom cast wall sconces and wrought iron handrails crafted by a local blacksmith aim to create a tactile rhythm to the experience.
The bedroom wings are connected to the main living area by an elevated breezeway. A guest bedroom and children’s room with bunk beds are located on one side, a private office and primary bedroom with ensuite on the other. A shift from concrete, to wood, to locally sourced Eramosa stone aims to denote the experience of traveling through the cottage. The stone floor has been flamed to create a weathered, timeworn appearance and foot feel.
The primary bedroom features expansive storage, oak-lined at one extent blending with custom rug-fronted closets suspended on iron frames at the other. Echoed use of fieldstone provides a backdrop to the bed and vanity.
In the ensuite bathroom, a custom double-basin stone sink, a flamed stone shower floor, and a ceramic tub create a relaxing setting.
Collaborators:
Interior Design: Bureau Tempo, Thom Fougere
Architect: Green Weiss Architect
Builder: Coulter Dawe & Associates
Landscape: John Lloyd & Associates
Photography: Alex Lesage, Thom Fougere
Details:
Plaster: St Leo (col. Herluf Trolles Gade)
Windows: Tilt Co
Wood Flooring: Moncer Flooring (spec. Premium European Oak)
Stone Flooring: Select Stone Supply (spec. Flamed Eramosa)
Countertops: Select Stone Supply (spec. Cascade Limestone)
Millwork: Barber Millwork
Masonry: DeWinter Masonry
Pewter Bar: Atelier Bernard Chaudron (spec. Raw Pewter)
Bathtub: Studio Loho (spec. Clay Series)
Custom: Halibut Woodworking, Kit Lighting, Mark Krebs
