Residential Fine Homes Archives - Summerhill Fine Homes

The Perch

Dave Godsall — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 19:58:06 +0000

This residence, designed by architect Michel Laflamme, who refined his craft under Canadian modernist Arthur Erickson, stands on a dramatic granite outcrop overlooking the Salish Sea. Created for connection with nature and wellness, this quiet refuge is nestled in the bedrock, preserving the unique character of the landscape as it shapes a contemporary retreat.

While a restrained facade greets visitors, expansive floor-to-ceiling glass opens the home to the oceanfront. Black cedar-clad volumes hover above sculpted stone and layered terraces, with a restrained exterior palette of concrete, stained wood, and native grasses giving way to an interior of pale woods and neutral tones. Evoking a refined, spa-like calm, the generous, interconnected living, dining, and working spaces provide both purpose and sanctuary. Expansive glazing dissolves the boundary between home and landscape, as the ever-changing light of the ocean and forest permeates the home. Perched delicately from the cliff, the living room is transformed into a suspended lookout by the signature cantilevered construction, while broad concrete stairs and terraces choreograph the steep terrain into a series of outdoor rooms for contemplation and gathering.

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Woodlands Dream

mckenneth — Thu, 19 Dec 2024 23:46:02 +0000

Designed to honour the vision of the client’s late father, a Vancouver architect, this family home is a work of meaningful art that celebrates light, views, and thoughtful design. Care and collaboration informed every decision, from the building’s orientation to make the most of the light and views, to the finishing touches of fine craftsmanship. The result? A home that is a true testament to the client’s family legacy and a gathering place for future generations.

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Madison Place

mckenneth — Thu, 19 Dec 2024 23:45:46 +0000

With expansive views of Howe Sound and the North Shore mountains beyond, this hillside home in Upper Granthams Landing blends meticulous design with high-performance building practices for a one-of-a-kind custom home. Crafted with the latest in building technology, features include an ICF foundation, triple-pane Cascadia windows, exterior ROCKWOOL insulation, and a 12 kW solar system. Close collaboration with Sandrin Leung Architecture led to a home that not only exceeds expectations, but will cost a fraction of similar size homes to operate for years to come.

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Seaview Lane Main

mckenneth — Thu, 19 Dec 2024 23:45:29 +0000

This multi-generational family retreat sits on Sechelt’s most exclusive strip of beachfront, and it makes fine use of it: undulating paths lead from the home to a private tiki bar and idyllic pebble beach nearby. The house itself is designed with open floor plans and covered decks, offering flexible spaces that capture the essence of luxurious seaside living. Other thoughtful touches include a double queen bunk room, a fully equipped gym, and a six-person steam room, making this a cherished family escape with stunning views of Georgia Strait and the Trail Islands.

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Shoal Lookout

mckenneth — Thu, 19 Dec 2024 23:45:11 +0000

Situated on a rocky outcrop with wraparound views of Howe Sound and the Strait of Georgia, this LEED Gold residence blends sustainable design with sheer elegance. Some highlights include a glass-enclosed hydraulic lift connecting the upper and lower levels, extra wide sliding doors, and showers designed without any barriers at the floor. The home also features continuous insulation, solar hot water, and a heat recovery ventilation system, with infrastructure ready for future photovoltaic cells and a wind turbine. At once dramatic and inspiring, this home epitomizes luxurious, forward-thinking coastal living.

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Passive Concrete House

mckenneth — Thu, 19 Dec 2024 23:44:56 +0000

This future-ready home was designed to capture solar heat and retain energy, creating a reduced ecological footprint over an impressive 150+ year lifespan.

Built with high-performance Passive House principles, the home faces south for winter solar gain, while a large overhang provides summer shade to keep it cool. Thick, insulated concrete walls and floors regulate temperature year-round and a Zehnder HRV system ensures continuous fresh air for occupants. To further round out energy efficiency, LED lighting, a heat pump dryer, and Energy Star appliances are used throughout the space. The home also features an 11-kilowatt solar system that feeds electricity back to the grid, reducing operating costs, and a 9,500-liter rainwater collection system to support toilet flushing, plant watering, and car washing. In a final green flourish of design, an electric car charger ensures that sustainability extends beyond the home itself.

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Tree House

mckenneth — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 13:03:50 +0000

Fondly called the Tree House, this unconventional home is nestled in the trees and overlooks the Strait of Georgia. It was designed to preserve the forested site’s raw beauty while also offering new ways to experience it. Strategically placed between two dense tree stands, the home’s elevated design is very much in tune with its natural surroundings and minimizes its impact on the forest floor. A screw pile foundation protects root systems, while cantilevered floors and a central bridge connect two wings, creating the feeling of living in the tree canopy and providing views of the water. The bridge, itself a bold architectural feature, also holds many functions: it connects the wings to expand the primary living area, allows for privacy on both sides while also keeping them connected, and immerses occupants in light and nature.

Clad in black-stained cedar shingles and Corten steel, the home’s exterior blends in with the landscape and pays homage to the site’s history as a shingle mill. Inside, exposed ceiling joists, plywood millwork, and a double-sided wood-burning fireplace create a cozy, inviting space.

Photography by Dolf Vermeulen.

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Fern Valley House

mckenneth — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 13:03:09 +0000

With its sophisticated black metal siding and mid-century inspired design, this reimagined Bonniebrook home is a stunning statement set amongst West Coast ferns and forest. Not only does it achieve a seamless balance between indoor and outdoor spaces, the home was also built under tight timelines and budget constraints, to great success.

Built with a sloped roof, expansive decks, and large overhangs, this single-story home was also constructed on an angle—its larger lot size meant the structure didn’t have to fall in line with surrounding homes. These characteristics all work to invite natural light and allow for year-round enjoyment of forest views and filtered sunsets through highly efficient triple-pane windows. Ample plywood, with edges exposed, was also used as a design detail in many of the finishings, such as the windowsills. The end result is a family home that embodies style, comfort, and a deep connection to the surrounding landscape.

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Marine Drive

mckenneth — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 12:23:50 +0000

Connection is everything at this legacy family property, which unites ocean and North Shore mountain views with exquisite architecture, connecting land and sea in one stunning space. Open floor plans and large folding doors blend indoor and outdoor spaces, while a deck with overhead heaters welcomes social gathering and a private outdoor shower offers a serene connection to nature. Constructed with longevity in mind, every detail speaks to the property’s purpose: to create memories for generations to come.

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Skyline

mckenneth — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 12:23:12 +0000

With a prime location and views over Howe Sound, this Gibsons home combines urban sophistication with the natural bounty of its surroundings. A short walk connects the owners to the local marina and market, while the picture-perfect vistas create a stunning West Coast space for entertaining. Highlights of the home include local carver Dean Hunt’s barn door art piece—it slides open to the master bedroom, doubling as a dining room focal point—the benefit of single-level living with additional accommodations, and a design focused on simplicity and natural materials for a beauty that will endure for many years to come.

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