Bringing ‘the outside in and the inside out’

The designer says he was very happy with the final result, adding “you don’t get to do a lot of houses like it.”

“It’s a great example of how you can bring the outside in and the inside out,” he says.

Cheryl brought many of her own design ideas to the project, after having set up so many other homes from Parksville to Vancouver and London, Ont. during their marriage.

She began gaining her design expertise with the couple’s very first home the year they met.

“Greg’s dad guided us along and it really came together. I had never done anything like that before. Making all the choices really builds confidence,” says Cheryl of her father-in-law, who was a building contractor.

With the new Shawnigan Lake house, Cheryl chose everything from flooring to paint colours and wasn’t intimidated by the size of the project. Their three-bedroom, three-bathroom home is 3,500 square feet.

The only change the couple asked for after seeing Lunt’s initial design was for him to include a wood-burning fireplace in the living room.

The couple said choosing the right construction team was also crucial in having the project completed on time and to their exact specifications. The complete build took just eight months.

Credit for that goes to KD Construction, a Langford company owned by their two nephews, Dallas and Kelsey Johnson.

“They pulled out all the stops for Uncle Greg and Aunt Cheryl. They only wanted the best for us,” says Cheryl, adding Dallas also came up with many innovative ideas for the house.

For instance, three glass panels were placed in what was initially going to be a solid wall between the dining room and the stairway, which helped to flood the main living space with even more light.

“We trusted it would turn out and it did beautifully,” says Cheryl.

He also suggested adding three long windows above the sleek, kitchen cabinets, which highlight a row of maple trees behind the house.

The kitchen is a showstopper and views are highlighted here as well, even in the painted glass backsplash, which reflects the waterfront from seats facing away from it at the kitchen island.

The kitchen island’s granite top has a unique waterfall, raw-edge wood top at the end, which is another signature design statement for the couple.

“We fell in love with live edge and it all began with our collection of live-edge cutting boards,” says Cheryl.

Raw-edge wood pieces are dotted throughout the house and include an architectural display stand, a maple shelf under the television, and a custom, raw-edge table in the living room with twisted metal hairpin legs designed by a neighbour.

One of the most significant wood features in the home is the front door, which opens onto a doubleheight ceiling and brings a sense of airiness as soon as you step inside the home.

The fir pivot door, with clear glass insert, was custom built by Aaron Stevenot of Karmanah Wood Design.

The exterior of the two-storey house is a combination of ledge stone, hardiplank and cedar accents.

“We’re extremely pleased with the house. It’s very functional and everything is designed to work well,” says Greg.

Cheryl adds that while the other house was a “great summer place,” this is the home where she’s most comfortable finally settling down.

“It’s only been four months, and summer months, too, but we already know it’s perfect for us.”