Get Cozy by the Sea in This A-Frame Cabin Asking $649K
Seven years ago, the sight of a dilapidated A-frame stopped Christine Boyer and Anthonie Scholtz dead in their tracks. The couple had been in route to see nearby properties on Vancouver Island, but they instead fell in love with this charming, midcentury-modern dwelling—never mind that it was falling apart.
With their young children in tow, the couple sold their Toronto home to move into the seaside cabin—at that time a cramped one-bedroom—and embarked on a years-long renovation that saw a full interior overhaul.
Completed between the birth of their third child and Anthonie’s doctoral defense, the built-in library is one of the couple’s favorite features in the cabin.
Working alongside Kai Lawrence of Standingbear Construction, Christine and Anthonie replaced the cabin’s 1970s turquoise walls and shag carpeting with a minimalist and modern aesthetic, full of Scandinavian influences that draw from the couple’s Danish roots. In honor of their heritage, they christened their 1,401-square-foot house "Kyst Hus," which translates in Danish to ‘coastal home.’
Originally built in 1974 as a kit home, the A-Frame was constructed with cedar siding and metal roofing. The house faces east toward the water.
Located in Vancouver Island’s Craigdarroch Beach neighbourhood, Kyst Hus overlooks stunning vistas of Gilles Bay and offers easy access to kayaking, canoeing, and swimming.
After years of crafting Kyst Hus into a warm and welcoming home—and a celebrated design icon for the community—the family of five has sadly outgrown the two-bedroom cabin and has listed their A-frame for $649,000.
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The home is heated primarily by wood, but has electric baseboards in the main living area.
The kitchen was revamped with new modern appliances, including a dishwasher. The custom kitchen island was built from two IKEA cabinets on wheels, topped with an aluminum countertop, and wrapped in salvaged cedar-fence panels.
"Our initial plans for this house were to hide the strong lines of the A with a giant porch and tons of timber," says Christine. "But then we stopped and listened to this little building. It was through that listening-and-learning process that we decided to preserve this cabin and to make decisions while living here that maintained the integrity of the midcentury architecture and minimalist design of the A-frame."
Bathed in natural light, the upstairs master bedroom overlooks views of the living space below.
The master bedroom enjoys direct access to the outdoor balcony.
Christine created the ‘Abstract No. 10, The Heavens Are Weeping’ artwork hanging in the upstairs bathroom. Both bathrooms in the property feature heated ceramic floors.
"The only way five people (and three furries) can live full-time in a 1,400-square-foott A-frame is if everything has a place, and we are respectful of each other in the space," notes Christine. "It has been quite the experience to live in a home that would fit inside most other family homes."
Decorated with colorful flags handmade by Christine, the kids’ light-filled play-space can easily be converted into a second bedroom.
The cozy loft-space above the kids’ playroom can be used as an additional sleeping area.
"A small space encourages strong family bonding, and then an immediate and intense desire to get outside! Which is amazing for our bodies and minds. Kyst Hus has nurtured us in such an important and everlasting way. Today is thanks for small spaces where a person can recharge, be themselves, connect with loved ones, and re-establish ‘self’."
The covered second-floor balcony boasts stellar ocean views.
The back of the home opens up to an outdoor patio, hot tub, and fire pit.
Next to the A-frame sits a low-lying outbuilding (partially concealed by vegetation) that was converted from a garage into a woodshed and artist’s studio.
4753 Kilmarnock Dr., Courtenay, Vancouver is now being listed by Leah Reichelt for $649,000. See the full listing here.
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