When we began planning our home on Vancouver Island — fondly referred to by neighbours as “the Cottage” — it was never simply about building a house. It was about shaping an environment — one that would hold both daily life and creative practice.
From the outset, we imagined a south-facing garden, quiet corners for reading, generous natural light, and a dedicated studio space for making. The goal was not trend-driven design, but atmosphere: a home that felt grounded, bright, and quietly expansive.
I was drawn to the idea of a modest white home near the sea — something modest, intentional, and deeply connected to its surroundings. A place where materials feel honest and light moves freely through the rooms.
Far from the city’s dust and heat,
I get but sounds and odours sweet.
Who can wonder I love to stay,
Week after week, here hidden away,
In this sly nook that I love the best–
This little white house like a ground-bird’s nest?
~Ella Wheeler Wilcox
The landscape itself became part of the vision. Proximity to the ocean, woodland paths, and open sky would shape not only how we live, but how I work. Light, in particular, became a guiding force in design decisions — influencing window placement, paint tones, and surface choices.
We are not designers by trade, yet we approached the project with clarity and intention. Each material selection — flooring, tile, lighting — was considered for how it would contribute to a cohesive and calm atmosphere.
In many ways, this house was the beginning of my studio practice taking physical form. The decisions made during its planning would later inform how texture, tone, and space interact within my fibre work.
What began as a vision for a home by the sea gradually became something more foundational: a place where living and making are inseparable.
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