an ontario brick fireplace warms gorman’s otter lake ... · the building so the living and dining...
TRANSCRIPT
the good lifeON OTTER LAKE
BY WALTER FRANCZYK // PHOTOGRAPHY BY SANDY MACKAY
An Ontario brick fireplace warms the living room of Judy and Richard Gorman’s Otter Lake cottage.
RIGHT: Unfinished pine panels cover the cathedral ceiling and walls of the open-concept living room.
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TThe first time Judy and Richard Gorman saw their cottage property it was covered in snow. Their realtor had warned them the original cottage was ugly. But they had summer photos of its two sandy beaches, the hill overlooking the lake and its sunny, southern exposure. Having already seen many other properties without being thrilled, they knew this was the spot. “I realized this was going to be a beautiful place,” Richard says.
The Toronto couple had fallen in love with the water and forest of Otter Lake when visiting friends on it. Their friends encouraged them to look for a property on the lake. After plenty of searching, they found a 17-acre waterfront retreat that’s become a treasured refuge from city life. Richard, a psychiatrist, and Judy, who teaches Greek and Roman art at the Royal Ontario Museum, come to the lake nearly every summer weekend. Winter brings them north to ski and snowshoe, mainly on the frozen, snowy lake. “It feels like a huge break for us,” says Judy, who loves to cook on a grand scale for family and friends. “I like the smell of fresh bread in the cottage,” she says. “When I’m up with friends I make a bread every day.”
A large cherrywood counter, where Judy Gorman serves her
delicious, informal meals, spans the width of the kitchen.
RIGHT: A large, walk-in pantry is an essential ingredient of the
architect’s recipe for this cookery.
Continued on page 26
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The Gormans encourage guests to feel comfortable enough to do their own thing as well as socialize. But everyone gathers for communal meals, breakfast or lunch on the dock or deck. “She makes a beautiful table,” says Richard who reveals that a day at the cottage is as restful and calming as three days elsewhere. He’s an avid sculler who often explores the lake, its bays, nooks and crannies. “You just see stuff that you wouldn’t in the city,” he says. Sounds and smells are more striking. The sight of hungry hawks swooping in to pluck scurrying chipmunks is impressive. Long Arm, a six-kilometre, narrow channel on the east side of the lake is perfect for rowing flat out. “I just love it,” Richard says.
The Gormans settled in at Otter Lake by cleaning up the old 1960s bungalow that had served as an ice fishing camp and guys’ winter getaway. They spent two summers there, enjoying the backcountry and the pleasures the lake offers. Judy cooked dinners on a two-burner hot plate. “We had some great meals,” Richard recalls.
When it came time to build a new vacation home they hired Architect Harry Morison Lay. “He specializes in cottages,” says Judy. “That was something that appealed to us.” Lay spent hours on the roof of the original cottage, watching the sun rise and set, observing prevailing winds and gleaning cues from the natural surroundings to help shape his design. “We were impressed,” says Judy. “We had a very good feeling about Harry.”
Richard and Judy did not want a prominent palace on the lake. They
preferred a house that would complement its surroundings with little impact on the shoreline. “We wanted a cottage that wouldn’t overpower the land,” Richard says. It had to blend into the forest backdrop, sleep six or eight, and offer a choice of outdoor spaces that were sunny and bug-proof, explains Lay. The kitchen was to overlook the fireplace area, the dining room was to be intimate, and a study was to pick up the slack when solitude was needed. “We were looking for a fusion of a classic Ontario cottage with something modern, simple and maintenance-free,” says Lay.
Designing the cottage to sit on a small spit of land, the architect turned the building so the living and dining rooms have panoramic views of the lake. In the master bedroom, just off the living room, Judy wanted plenty of sunlight and a bay window overlooking the lake where she could sit and read. A large pantry was also essential. Lay designed the kitchen with a big, curved, cherrywood counter to hold the savoury edibles Judy serves for informal meals. In the study, the sharp-angled walls and windows point to the lake like the prow of a boat. “I love sitting at the desk and just looking out through either side, through the windows,” says Richard. Facing east with a view of the bay, a screened porch is large enough to fit a dinner table yet small enough to be a comfortable spot to read a book alone. Upstairs, two bedrooms, with windows at pillow height, offer views of the forest, bay and lake.
Studio windows give the dining room plenty of morning light and a view of the bay.
Continued on page 28
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Steve McDowall, a licensed carpenter for more than 20 years, says the Gorman cottage was the first home he built as a general contractor. “The toughest part was getting it started,” McDowall says. It was difficult getting busy sub-contractors to show up when promised, he explains. But, determined to use the best available tradespeople, he did much of the work in the winter when contractors were more readily available and prices were lower. Retired carpenter, Jim True, who does great finish carpentry, was a big help. “I managed to un-retire him for a year,” laughs McDowall, who welcomes the challenges inherent in building. “I enjoy problem solving and getting the architect’s idea across.” He pays great attention to detail and does fine work, the Gormans say. “He did a beautiful job,” says Richard. “We’re very happy.”
LEFT: The elevated, classic Ontario porch, screened to keep the bugs out, feels almost like a treehouse.
TOP: A sit-in bay window overlooking the long view down Otter Lake offers a comfortable place to read in the master bedroom.
ABOVE: Even the en suite bath has a view of the lake.
Continued on page 30
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Weeks Construction excavated the building site and installed the septic system. Bay Area Electrical Co. Ltd. wired the home for electricity and put in the plumbing. Tom Hulcoop of 1st Choice Kitchens built the cherry cupboards in the kitchen. Mike Eberhard tiled the kitchen backsplash and downstairs tub. A&A Enterprises of Parry Sound installed the tavern-grade maple flooring on the main floor. Richard Buttineau was the drywaller and Windows First supplied the windows. Emsteel Roofing contributed durability and acoustic pleasures to the cottage with a steel roof that resonates in the rain. “I love
the sound of water on the metal roof,” says Judy. “I feel very cosy.”An added benefit of this woodsy sanctuary is more visits by the Gormans’
adult children Daniel and Joanna. Judy and Richard have enjoyed family gatherings at the cottage and getting to know their children’s significant others in this idyllic setting. Joanna got married in November and Daniel is engaged to be married in May. The Gormans created more space for their children by building a two-bedroom bunkie in the maple forest behind the cottage. “It’s quite enchanting,” says Judy, who hopes her family grows and that eventually grandchildren will enjoy this special place in the country. OH
TOP LEFT: Paul Langford of Parry Sound built the granite wall and hearth for the wood stove in the pine-panelled bunkie.
TOP RIGHT: Designed by Architect Harry Morison Lay, the 400 sq. ft. bunkie shares the modern palette of colours and materials of the main cottage.
FAR LEFT: Cottage owner Richard Gorman helped install the tongue and groove pine panelling in the bunkie where large, flanking windows make the bedrooms seem spacious.
LEFT: Tucked into a hillside, the cottage has an unusual profile that affords top-floor bedrooms panoramic views of the lake.
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