The handcrafted tiles were discovered in Lebanon, while the formal living and dining areas were designed for entertaining. When local business owners with four kids and a large extended family decided to build a custom home, they knew what they wanted: luxurious yet functional space.
What they got was undeniably both beauty and ease—an elegantly traditional 4,600-square-foot, five-bedroom residence with four bathrooms and two half baths, plus a finished basement with an additional bedroom suite.
From the stately front entrance to the all-season sunroom overlooking the backyard pool, these homeowners are thrilled with the outcome. “We love our home,” says the lady of the house.
It’s by Oakwood, the award-winning, family-run Ottawa company that specializes in high-performance design and build solutions. And it exemplifies the advantages of working with innovative experts to create a home that’s tailored to your specific needs and lifestyle priorities.
For instance, not only was the spacious kitchen inspired by a love of cooking, it was configured to easily facilitate informal dining for the whole large family. What’s more, mom can be in the kitchen and see the kids in the backyard, so she doesn’t have to worry.
The home’s layout also makes it easier for these parents to maximize their time at home. The principal bedroom suite, conveniently located on the main floor, is connected to a home feature that’s coveted nowadays: an office.
“These local business owners spend many late nights together in their home office, long after the kids go to bed,” explains Patricia Liptak-Satov, OakWood’s vice president of operations. In her words, “They wanted a home where they could have large gatherings and room for everyone to be together but also areas where smaller groups could break off to chat or do other activities.”
A couple of years before the project commenced, land was bought in an area close to the family’s old neighbourhood and convenient to both work and school. There were lots of trees on the property, plus room for outdoor amenities. “We wanted to enjoy some leisure time with our kids before they got married,” the homeowner explains.
The summer building started, she notes, there was a trip to Lebanon, where they chose distinctive, luxurious tiles. A beautiful mosaic was selected for the principal en suite, and another tile design was designated for the in-laws’ en suite downstairs “to keep them connected to home.”
There are also other nods to Lebanon in the design. “The grand entry porch with its arches, columns and high ceiling reminds them of the homes in Lebanon,” Patricia mentions. For the same reason, the homeowner says she loves the natural stone on the exterior.
For entirely different reasons, though, she’s delighted with the all-season sunroom that flanks the back of the house. With access to the backyard, it connects the main living areas and it features a cedar ceiling, a fireplace and a heated floor. She calls it “a triple AAA luxury.”
The striking staircase it another hit. “Our girls want to come down the stairs for their weddings.” Yes, they’re thinking ahead.
For now, there are four bedrooms for the children on the second floor, along with two shared washrooms. There’s also an open loft area, where the youngsters can relax and play. Laundry can be done on both the main and second floors.
Other conveniences include a secondary stairwell to the basement. It’s from the garage and functions as a service entry with direct access to a storage room. Actually, there’s an abundance of storage at this address. Not only are custom cabinetry and fittings in every closet, bathroom and pantry, they’re also built into many rooms. Beyond the living space, practicality continues. Tasks such as doing yard work, taking out the garbage and putting away bicycles are made easier thanks to a smaller, rear door in the garage.
And while the family certainly appreciates all the comforts of this deluxe new home, when Patricia lists some of the features that aren’t visible, there’s a whole lot more to appreciate:
AeroBarrier was used to make the home airtight.
A reverse osmosis system was designed into the second floor, taking advantage of gravity to deliver drinking water to multiple taps on each level in the home.
A single boiler was used for the domestic hot water, space heating and heated floors in the basement.
A second air handler was added to allow the homeowners to control the temperature separately on the main and second floors.
From sun exposure, floor joists and window grilles to custom millwork in the recessed ceiling of the formal dining and living rooms, countless details have been thoughtfully addressed so that the happy days continue here, complete with walks down that staircase.
