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Aster + Maine lupine exterior view

Surrounded by cedars on Vancouver’s North Shore, the Japanese-inspired home was originally designed as an artist retreat.

To pick a site for the buildings, Matt used his drone to scan the site and then Daybreak created a 3D model to test out options for placement.

The biggest savings here were found in labour: Liz and Matt got hands on with almost everything, and called in favors for the electric work.

"I believe that if there’s a place for everything then nothing is out of place, and I’ve tried to incorporate that into a lot of the furniture design and functionality,

The custom cabinetry for the bathroom is made of laminated pine board with a water-base finish that's resistant to color change and similar to what you see in the rest of the house as we wanted to create a consistent story,

An expansive picture window frames the natural surround in the living room, where a built-in sofa and bench provide perches for soaking in views and sunlight.

Open shelving in the kitchen

The interior of the micro cabin is finished with pine plywood walls, ceiling, and floors that lend pattern and an organic quality. Stainless steel cabinetry, counters, and appliances in the kitchen offer a more industrial quality that balances the materiality of the wood.

An enormous bread oven was uncovered during the works, completely changing the vision for the new kitchen. As a result, the couple had to re-apply for planning permissions to incorporate it into the kitchen. The blue Verner Panton Flower Pot pendant lamp over the center island is a nod to the blue staircase and acts as a counterpoint to the earthy tones. “It’s one of my favorite purchases for the house,” says Simon.

In warmer weather, the family can leave the doors wide open, connecting the deck with the living space. “In the afternoons, the soft light floods into the living pavilion,” Greg says. “The place captures light in a special way, whether reflecting off the hemlock fascia or streaming in through the floor-to-ceiling windows.”

The pavilion closest to the road is the family’s sleeping quarters. It has a full bath, sleeping loft, and space for mechanical equipment. The second volume is a living space with a kitchenette finished in white oak, a lounge space with a wood-burning stove, and a sleeping loft for guests.

The group was budget-conscious when designing the kitchenette. They used Ikea cabinets with custom-built faces in a white oak, cabinet-grade veneer. Braithwaite extended the same material to the ceiling beneath the mezzanine to define the kitchen zone. As a result, “it feels like it is part of the same language,” he says. Instead of traditional plumbing, the group added a filtered water collection system to the metal roof, and opted for an incinerator toilet.

Vertical Maibec siding elongates the structures visually. Peter used his preferred exterior color, black, to keep the emphasis on the landscape.

Greg Knapp and Robyn Traynor worked with architect Peter Braithwaite to design a nature retreat for their family on a slice of Canadian wilderness. It has two shed-roofed structures joined by a boardwalk elevated above a preexisting walking path on the couple’s land.

Tongue-and-groove cypress clads the house as well as the rear deck, which is a favorite gathering spot for parties and the couple's annual "Fakesgiving