A new cottage designed by smpl Design Studio tends to catch the attention of those passing by. There’s the unconventional nature of the layout, comprising two wings connected by a glass-encased sunroom, for one thing. “It’s quite modern,” says founder, CEO, and creative director Joel Tanner, “but in a way that even people who tend to favour traditional design can fall in love with.” Adding to the appeal is the almost anachronistic way such a contemporary structure is nestled in among the trees as though it’s been there for centuries. “One of our mantras,” Joel says, “is to never compete with the landscape. We try to design homes to feel like they’re part of the surroundings, not superimposed on them. And that’s especially important in Muskoka.”
Raised in Oakville, Ontario, Joel started smpl Design Studio in 2010 while he was living in Nelson, B.C. In 2012, he and his young family made the decision to move back to Ontario, and since then, smpl Design has been growing steadily and working on projects in Muskoka and throughout the GTA. They hired their first full-time employee in 2016 and now employ a full-time staff of 20, including three architectural designers. As the creative lead, Joel ensures that all projects are team-based and sees it as his role to push the creative boundaries of the group. “I always stay very connected throughout each project to the clients and our team,” Joel explains. “We find that regular collaboration among team members with different areas of expertise is what makes the end product truly unique.”
smpl Design Studio has both a residential design and an interior design team under one roof. In the case of this cottage, smpl did the architectural design, interior design and decor, and worked closely with Planit Green Landscapes. Step one, though, is always figuring out what can be done on the property, given municipal by-laws and other constraints. “We have a full permit and planning team,” explains Joel, “because before we get rolling in designing an amazing home, our first job is to understand the regulations in place, and how we can work with them.”
According to Joel, the lake was the driving force behind the architectural design for this project. “There was an existing structure there; we knew we were removing it, so the question was, how close can we get to the water?” By bringing the footprint forward, smpl was able to create a feeling of floating over the lake from the vantage point of the living room, dining room, and kitchen area in addition to the back patio. And to further emphasize the lake as a focal point, those approaching the front entrance are treated to a clear view across the water through the central cube of the sunroom.
To provide the same square footage, smpl Design Studio could, of course, have stacked one box on top of another, but another important consideration was the multigenerational makeup of the client family and an understanding that ‘a weekend at the cottage’ holds different promises for different people, regardless of age. Some love to go to bed early and enjoy sunrise from the dock; others prefer to take in the stars and then sleep in. The design of the separated wings, therefore, was intended to create distinct sleeping and entertainment zones. “Each has a different sense of intimacy,” explains Joel. “In the living area, you’re floating above the water, but when you retreat to the bedroom wing, you’re tucked behind the tree canopy. The way we split the volumes was very intentional.”
Clients and designers agreed, cottages don’t make a lasting impression with size; in fact, the goal was to achieve human scale, to enhance the experience of living. The six bedrooms and four baths in the bedroom wing comprise a tidy 3,100 square feet. “The way we looked at it,” Joel explains, “the scale of the bedrooms is designed for sleeping, the bathrooms are designed for using, and the living space is designed to embrace the outdoors. Those are the factors that drove the square footage.”
The exterior finishes, including Maibec wood siding, ACM Metal banding around the cube, standing-seam roofing, and stone details, were all selected for their longevity and low-maintenance upkeep, as befitting a second property.
Sometimes, prospective clients will approach smpl Design Studio with the hope to replicate a cottage they like the look of on a property they own, but that’s not something Joel and his team are interested in. “The intent is that every single one of our projects is 100 percent custom, unique, and tailored to the client and the property,” he says. With a handful-plus of projects underway in Muskoka, they take pride in how distinct each one is. “If a client is paying for a home or cottage like this, then they deserve to know it is truly one-of-a-kind. That’s what keeps users and buyers interested in a design, and that’s what keeps us engaged in our work.”
