Custom Residential Design & Renovation
Spotlight
Clovelly Cottage
Adjacent to the open expanse of Georgian Bay, three modest cabins were dramatically transformed to enhance the qualities of their island setting. The primary cabin’s kitchen replaced a covered porch dramatically opening the main living space. An addition provided a utility room, washroom, and mudroom, while a timber-framed screened porch, and a large, glazed sitting...
Lytton Park Ravine Residence
This spectacular ravine site in Lytton Park had a complex and unresolved architectural pedigree. The original residence, a compact 1940s stone cottage, received an ambitious but compromised modernist addition in the 1970s. ERA was asked to stitch the two eras and architectures together into a more cohesive whole. ERA’s custom residential studio excelled at finding...
Granite Pines Retreat
Granite Pines Retreat is a striking three-bedroom seasonal retreat, tucked among a quiet community of low-lying islands on the western edge of the Georgian Bay archipelago. Surrounded by windswept pines, shimmering water, and timeless granite stone, the cottage blends seamlessly into the rugged northern landscape. Drawing inspiration from the traditional Canadian cottage typology, the design...
Craigleith Chalet
Set in a forested neighbourhood enclave where vintage homes meet modern retreats, this striking chalet blends traditional Austrian alpine architecture with a contemporary edge. Located in the Georgian Bay community of The Blue Mountains, just minutes from winter’s snow-covered ski slopes, ERA was engaged to design a new winter family getaway intended to embrace its...
Windward West Island Compound
Located on an outer island within the Georgian Bay Archipelago, ERA was tasked with developing a small-scale master plan for this undeveloped five-acre island to evoke a sense of togetherness while offering distinctly private accommodations for visiting guests. The family compound includes a 3,000 square-foot main cottage, serving as the central hub and reception space...
Pinewood Cottage
Pinewood Cottage, located on Ojibway Island, represents a respectful reimagining of a site with a rich history. The only remaining feature of the original cottage was a tall, free-standing fieldstone chimney and fireplace from a previous structure — a compact three-bedroom cottage that had burned down in the early 80s. The ERA team took on...
Sauna Sanctuary
Nordic-style saunas are a fixture of Canadian cottage life. They inspire physical and mental wellbeing in their users and offer an increasingly rare luxury: a private wellness retreat in which one might completely disconnect from the modern world’s distractions. ERA was pleased to work closely with the owner of a private island to design a...
Waaseya Island Cottage
This newly designed cottage seamlessly integrates with its pristine island setting, offering a sophisticated yet grounded approach to modern architectural design. The project comprises a main cottage and a self-contained bunkie, meticulously planned to cater to family living while respecting the natural landscape. The design draws from traditional Bay architecture, characterized by its use of...
Bijou Cottage
The Bijou Island compound, which includes a historic main cottage, a secondary cottage, a bunkie, and a boathouse, is nestled deep within the archipelago on a tiny island of just 0.6 acres. The first phase of the project focused on overhauling the main cottage. The new owner wanted to improve the cottage’s layout, make it...
House in Wychwood Park
This early 20th century Eden Smith designed residence in Wychwood Park had seen many alterations, additions, and conversion to apartments when the new owners purchased it and asked ERA to consult on an authentic restoration. Sited within the Wychwood Park Heritage Conservation District, but also facing a municipal street (Alcina Ave), both the park and...
Sturgeon Bay Cottage
Located on an inlet on the north side of Sturgeon Bay, our client envisioned a multi-family development where many people could come and enjoy summers on the Bay together under one roof. This prompted the design of a six-bedroom cottage. From the outset our goal was to create a great space with lots of accommodation...
Grosse Pointe Estate
This residence is a significant landmark in Grosse Pointe. It was designed in 1921 by renowned New York architect Alfred Hopkins and Associates and is surrounded by landscape designs by Ellen Biddle Shipman. Illustrated in Hopkins’ 1931 book, Planning for Sunshine and Fresh Air it is an excellent example of his approach to residential design....
Caledon Log Cabin Restoration
Underneath layers of siding, on what appeared as a forgotten agricultural outbuilding, hid a 150-year-old log cabin. ERA was hired to assess the viability of restoring the existing structure and reimagine it into a private artist studio hideaway nestled into a rustic landscape estate. To better understand the heritage of the site and the structure...
Hamilton House
Working with the young and savvy family, ERA designed a functional addition and associated alterations to the Stockbroker Tudor house. Built in 1937, modifications to the registered historic home needed to blend seamlessly blend with the Tudor exterior and the clients’ clear and established vision for the interior. Centered around a large kosher kitchen, the...
