Set on a picturesque 90-acre property in the Caledon Hills, John and Kelly’s recently constructed custom-built stone-house overlooks two ponds. It was, in fact, those ponds which convinced them the property was the perfect site for their house.
As the owners of a landscape company, they were quite familiar with the property which they maintained for the previous owner for several years. They also lived in an adjacent property.
“We purchased the property in 2016 with the hope of building our dream home someday. A home where we could host our many friends and family as much as possible. We are outdoor people, and this property is absolutely beautiful,” says Kelly.
Fast forward a few years and the couple decided to move forward with their plans for that dream home. They also had some fairly firm ideas of the kind of house it should be, which included a bungalow with a basement walkout on the same footprint as the previous house overlooking the ponds.
Initially, they had reviewed and considered a number of house designs, but eventually decided a custom-built approach was the best option and would provide the amenities and features they wanted.
That approach started with sketching their concepts on a piece of paper and consulting two different architectural firms, before hiring Custom CADD, a Barrie-based architectural firm which specializes in custom new homes and renovations.
As the design process first started during the height of the COVID pandemic, all of their consultations with Custom CADD principal Phil Lamadeleine had to be conducted via ZOOM, which was not always an easy process, says Kelly.
“But Phil was very receptive to our ideas and then made them become a reality with an amazing flow.”
Facilitating that design process was the fact that John is a professional landscaper which was instrumental in determining elevations.
Some of the design considerations included the need to accommodate overnight guests and that is why the house has three extra bedrooms.
“Our children do not live with us, but we always want to have a comfortable space for them, family and friends to stay,” says Kelly.
By the spring of 2021 the architectural design had been completed, but the HVAC and septic designs also had to be finished before the complete plans could be submitted to the Town of Caledon and Credit Valley Conservation. That submission occurred near the end of 2021.
On the strength of recommendations from friends and associates, they hired Dufferin County-based BCON Custom Carpentry as their contractor. In June of 2022 the old house was torn down and construction of their home began two months later in August.
“We worked very collaboratively with Brian and his team,” says Kelly, in a reference to company president Brian DeLenardo.
“They were very diligent, hardworking, and professional and took great pride in their work. Brian has an awesome team, some of whom we have become friends with. We couldn’t have asked for a better contractor.”
Also crucial to the project’s smooth transition from concept to completion was interior designer Brittney Pasqualini of Silver Birch Design. The couple describes her as a person with amazing vision and talent.
“Brittney was instrumental in working with us to find our style and focus on the little things that we could never have thought of as first-time custom-home builders,” says Kelly.
The interior design was a full-depth consultation which encompassed recommendations for every room of the house, John points out.
Construction of the house was substantially completed in January of this year, but there were some finishing and decorating touches which had to be completed and in March the couple moved in.
With a four-car garage, heated flagstone walkways to the mudroom and front entrance, safety is a top priority and makes maintenance a breeze.
As you enter this home, you are greeted by a beautiful tri-coloured natural stone feature-wall, adorned with an oversized mirror and custom-made timber-framed entry table. An added touch of comfort is conveyed through the heated floors that span throughout the house.
At the heart of this home is an open concept kitchen/living/dining room featuring a large floor to ceiling glass wine gallery, a collaboration between Brittney, BCON, H&Z Custom Woodworking, and French Glass Company of Orangeville. This wine gallery is the focal point of many gatherings and conversations.
The kitchen boasts a walk-in pantry with sliding doors to the deck accessing the covered barbeque nook.
The master bedroom is definitely not your typical bedroom. Not only does it have a substantial walk-in closet and ensuite, but also includes a coffee/wine bar, fireplace and sitting room offering full access to the deck and beautiful views overlooking the ponds.
French Glass supplied and installed all shower enclosures, hardware and master ensuite mirror. Their expertise was instrumental in the creation of the contemporary look and feel of the powder room, and ensuites.
Other subcontractors which played a pivotal role in the success of the project were All-Mont Garage Doors of Orangeville, tile supplier Local Tile Company of Shelburne and electrical contractor, Hogg & Nevills of Orangeville. The Fireplace Stop of Schomberg were responsible for supplying and installing the five fireplaces and barbecues. The roof, which is approximately 10000 square feet, was installed by Orangeville’s Dan Lormand & Son Roofing and the paint was supplied by Sherwin-Williams, also in Orangeville.
Asked if construction of their house went smoothly or whether there were some unexpected complications along the way, Kelly said they had no idea of what to expect when they embarked on the process.
“We expected some hiccups and there were some, but they were minimal. Although living on the adjacent property and not having a hard deadline made it much easier to monitor the progress and provide input.”
Another question posed to Kelly and John was the lessons which they learned along the way that they can pass on to other potential owners of custom-built homes. Their answer is to exercise patience to ensure the selection of a reputable contractor, treating that contractor with respect and to always use an interior designer.
WRITTEN BY: DAN O’REILLY | PHOTOGRAPHY: PAUL SPEARS
STAGED BY: WENDY POUND of PROPERTY STYLING REDESIGN AND STAGING
