Cutting into a ridge to build a dream home has one disadvantage. “There’s a lot of rock to chip,” quips Brian Saumure of Maple Leaf Custom Homes, the company responsible for this chic, nature-friendly home on a three-acre lot in Dunrobin.
The benefits for the active, outdoorsy couple who live here are immense, however. Jeff and Nancy McAllister have the perfect home in which to live, work and party. In the past two years, there have been “lots of great get-togethers,” says Nancy.
It’s no surprise the three-bedroom home was a finalist at last fall’s Housing Design Awards put on by the Greater Ottawa Home Builders’ Association for custom homes under 2,400 square feet.
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![Jeff and Nancy McAllister wanted clean lines and a combined contemporary/rustic look for their Dunrobin home, which was a finalist in the 2014 Housing Design Awards.]()
Jeff and Nancy McAllister wanted clean lines and a combined contemporary/rustic look for their Dunrobin home, which was a finalist in the 2014 Housing Design Awards.
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![At the front of the home, a mix of materials — cedar, metal, cultured stone, polished concrete panels — add to the contemporary look.]()
At the front of the home, a mix of materials — cedar, metal, cultured stone, polished concrete panels — add to the contemporary look.
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![Maple Leaf designed the 2,030-square-foot home according to Nancy and Jeff McAllister’s esthetic. That’s echoed notably by the imposing kitchen island of polished concrete and quartz. The concrete portion alone weighs 600 pounds and had to be brought in on a flatbed truck. One of the room’s most intriguing features is one you barely notice. Black leather tiles installed under the breakfast bar blend beautifully with the adjacent hardwood and are resistant to scratches and gouges from chair legs. “I highly recommend them,” says Jeff. Far more eye-catching are the bamboo cabinets by Kitchen Craft Cabinetry and the sparkling red tile backsplash. “There are a lot of neutrals,” says Jeff, explaining their choice. “This adds a pop of colour.”]()
Maple Leaf designed the 2,030-square-foot home according to Nancy and Jeff McAllister’s esthetic. That’s echoed notably by the imposing kitchen island of polished concrete and quartz. The concrete portion alone weighs 600 pounds and had to be brought in on a flatbed truck. One of the room’s most intriguing features is one you barely notice. Black leather tiles installed under the breakfast bar blend beautifully with the adjacent hardwood and are resistant to scratches and gouges from chair legs. “I highly recommend them,” says Jeff. Far more eye-catching are the bamboo cabinets by Kitchen Craft Cabinetry and the sparkling red tile backsplash. “There are a lot of neutrals,” says Jeff, explaining their choice. “This adds a pop of colour.”
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![Most of the furniture in the home is from Phillip Van Leeuwen in the ByWard Market. It’s where Nancy and Jeff say they consistently found pieces with the right mix of contemporary and rustic. The dining table is a case in point, with tempered glass adding a smooth gloss to the rough-hewn wood. Behind the table is a wall of cultured stone from Merkley Supply that separates the dining area from the living room. A horizontal gas fireplace from Harding, operated by a remote, adds a cosy glow.]()
Most of the furniture in the home is from Phillip Van Leeuwen in the ByWard Market. It’s where Nancy and Jeff say they consistently found pieces with the right mix of contemporary and rustic. The dining table is a case in point, with tempered glass adding a smooth gloss to the rough-hewn wood. Behind the table is a wall of cultured stone from Merkley Supply that separates the dining area from the living room. A horizontal gas fireplace from Harding, operated by a remote, adds a cosy glow.
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![Nancy and Jeff credit designer Brian Saumure with the home’s perfect orientation. At sunset, the best spot to be is the living room, although they don’t get to spend as much time there as they would like. The cultured stone wall has a built-in TV and storage designed by Jeff.]()
Nancy and Jeff credit designer Brian Saumure with the home’s perfect orientation. At sunset, the best spot to be is the living room, although they don’t get to spend as much time there as they would like. The cultured stone wall has a built-in TV and storage designed by Jeff.
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![Snuggled into the ridge, the home is not visible from the road. The back of the house, where only one level is visible, is mainly cedar, which lends the rear view the feel of a cottage.]()
Snuggled into the ridge, the home is not visible from the road. The back of the house, where only one level is visible, is mainly cedar, which lends the rear view the feel of a cottage.
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![The McAllisters were impressed that builder Maple Leaf Custom Homes came in on budget (they declined to say what that was). However, says Jeff, “We didn’t.” After setting aside $2,000 for light fixtures, they spotted this dazzler for the stairwell at Multi Luminaire. The price tag was $2,100. There are no regrets, however. The light is the perfect complement for the dark-stained risers and railings, the glass panels and the chrome industrial-look hardware holding it all together.]()
The McAllisters were impressed that builder Maple Leaf Custom Homes came in on budget (they declined to say what that was). However, says Jeff, “We didn’t.” After setting aside $2,000 for light fixtures, they spotted this dazzler for the stairwell at Multi Luminaire. The price tag was $2,100. There are no regrets, however. The light is the perfect complement for the dark-stained risers and railings, the glass panels and the chrome industrial-look hardware holding it all together.
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![The water in the spacious master bath shower always feels just right, because it can be turned on by a remote control equipped with a temperature setting. Instead of the more conventional double sinks there is a single long one with two sets of faucets. Clutter, a pet peeve of Jeff’s, is kept at bay with a pull-out drawer under the sink and storage hidden behind the mirror. The curvy standalone tub is at just the right angle to permit a view of the driveway and beyond, while protecting the bather’s privacy.]()
The water in the spacious master bath shower always feels just right, because it can be turned on by a remote control equipped with a temperature setting. Instead of the more conventional double sinks there is a single long one with two sets of faucets. Clutter, a pet peeve of Jeff’s, is kept at bay with a pull-out drawer under the sink and storage hidden behind the mirror. The curvy standalone tub is at just the right angle to permit a view of the driveway and beyond, while protecting the bather’s privacy.
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![Nancy and Jeff like to rise with the sun, so there are no curtains on the master bedroom's three walls of windows. “We wake up with the sun in our face,” says Jeff. At night, the bedside light fixtures create playful shadows. The flooring is the same engineered hardwood with a rough-hewn look that is used throughout the main level. Around the corner on the right is the walk-in closet and a short hall that leads to the master bathroom with its door-free entry.]()
Nancy and Jeff like to rise with the sun, so there are no curtains on the master bedroom's three walls of windows. “We wake up with the sun in our face,” says Jeff. At night, the bedside light fixtures create playful shadows. The flooring is the same engineered hardwood with a rough-hewn look that is used throughout the main level. Around the corner on the right is the walk-in closet and a short hall that leads to the master bathroom with its door-free entry.
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![The faux skin rug in the living room was one of Nancy’s finds at HomeSense. In winter, they can snuggle on the sophisticated leather sectional. In summer, massive sliding doors open to the spacious deck. With this much glass, insulation and the home’s exterior air barrier were key. The air barrier in this home wraps from the exterior to the interior at the foundation sill plate and continues on the interior foundation wall.]()
The faux skin rug in the living room was one of Nancy’s finds at HomeSense. In winter, they can snuggle on the sophisticated leather sectional. In summer, massive sliding doors open to the spacious deck. With this much glass, insulation and the home’s exterior air barrier were key. The air barrier in this home wraps from the exterior to the interior at the foundation sill plate and continues on the interior foundation wall.
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![The 800-square-foot lower level, including the garage, sits on a polished cement slab. There you will find Nancy’s well-appointed office, where she often pauses to watch deer or wild turkeys pass by. A multi-purpose room (not shown) has a work area for Jeff, and holds the comfy outdoor furniture that spends the summer months on the main deck. The laundry and mud room are efficiently designed with cabinets purchased from Ikea and modified by the builder. A guest room and full bathroom complete the level. The whole area is kept cosy with underfloor heating, which also radiates to the upper level, reducing the demand on the home’s high efficiency propane furnace by about 25 per cent. “I walk around barefoot,” says Nancy.]()
The 800-square-foot lower level, including the garage, sits on a polished cement slab. There you will find Nancy’s well-appointed office, where she often pauses to watch deer or wild turkeys pass by. A multi-purpose room (not shown) has a work area for Jeff, and holds the comfy outdoor furniture that spends the summer months on the main deck. The laundry and mud room are efficiently designed with cabinets purchased from Ikea and modified by the builder. A guest room and full bathroom complete the level. The whole area is kept cosy with underfloor heating, which also radiates to the upper level, reducing the demand on the home’s high efficiency propane furnace by about 25 per cent. “I walk around barefoot,” says Nancy.
Photos: Building a home into a ridge
Maple Leaf Custom Homes uses the Dunrobin landscape to create two ground floors.
The surprise in the design is that this house has two ground levels. Enter the front door, climb the dramatic staircase to the kitchen/dining area and you are once again at ground level, with walkouts on three sides to a deck, a barbecue area and a hot tub. It’s the happy result of all that rock chipping. Beyond are 100 acres of woodland and glimpses of the Eardley Escarpment.
Touring the home with Nancy and Jeff, who are both 43, you can feel their enthusiasm, so it comes as a surprise to learn the two-year-old home has just gone on the market. Jeff, recently retired from the military, has joined Nancy in her network marketing business. It means they can live anywhere, and they are considering Kelowna, B.C.
