nortehaus
Architect: MAFCO House
Location: Kawartha Lakes, Ontario
Type: Cabin
Year: 2023
Images: Katrina Ramsvik
Nestled above the ground, surrounded by river and trees, nortehaus was designed as a getaway and grounding space, away, but not too far from the city. Drawing from Nordic and Japanese influences, nortehaus honours simplicity, good company, sustainability, and all things hygge.
Space Description
The following description is courtesy of nortehaus. Minimalist in its overall design and maximalist in natural textural elements, nortehaus allows the surrounding nature to be the focal point of its design with wall-to-wall / floor-to-ceiling windows. Enjoy, reflect and let go from the many distinctly designed relaxation areas: a soak in the primary bedroom’s bathtub, cozied up next to the fire in the living room, or lounging on the outdoor patio – a view of the forest and river can be enjoyed from all.
The primary bedroom features a queen-size 12-inch memory foam mattress, a large bathtub, and a beautiful ensuite bathroom and of course, the view speaks for itself. Go to sleep and wake up surrounded by nature.
The living, dining, and kitchen area is open concept. Expansive in its design and one with nature. The kitchen is fully equipped with everything you could need.
Off the kitchen is the second bedroom, a cozy space with a 12-inch memory foam mattress and a full ensuite with a floor-to-ceiling tiled shower.
All elements throughout nortehaus were selected with an appreciation for high-end materials.
Steps from the coziness of the indoors is a short walk down to the riverfront where our guests can go for a lazy swim in the summertime or a cold plunge in the cooler months.
Personal Story
We both were living fast-paced lives in Toronto working in the tech industry. A few years ago, we began looking for a place to slow down and relax. A place that incorporated our values, which have a lot to do with nature and a slower lifestyle.
Randomly, we were looking on a website and found a plot of empty land in the middle of a forest beside a river. So we drove up to a place called Kawartha Lakes, just south of Algonquin National Park. As soon as we drove into the forest, we were like, this is magical. It was a crystal clear winter day and it had just snowed the day before. We could immediately envision building something that would allow us to take a break and be in touch with nature. So we started designing a cottage from scratch that is vastly different from what is in the area.
We wanted something that we could look at in 20/30 years but still regard as a modern build. In the future, we want to do some more landscaping around the cottage, although it is a careful balance between leaving nature as it is and creating the space we want.
We’re hoping to integrate a sauna into the forest behind the house and build a path down to the river, which flows all year, even when the surroundings are covered in snow.
The atmosphere and interior design of nortehaus
nortehaus’s architecture and design draw inspiration from nature’s perfect balance of sharp lines and curbed flows. Nestled above the ground, surrounded by a river and trees, it was designed as a getaway and grounding space, away, but not too far from the city.
Drawing from Nordic and Japanese influences, nortehaus honours simplicity, good company, sustainability, and all things hygge. I think that nortehaus is a place of comfort but also playful excitement.
The interior design is an interesting mix of Japanese and Nordic styles. It combines our love of Asian cultures with that coziness or hygge you want with the long winters here. My wife is Ecuadorian but has lived in Canada for 12 years and I’m German but have lived in the US, Canada, Ireland, the Philippines and Portugal. So there are a lot of cultural influences that we are trying to balance.
From the things we’ve seen and the place we’ve been exposed to – you’ll find those tiny elements in the house. Depending on the time of year you visit, the atmosphere is vastly different. In winter and spring, you can have the fireplace going and it’s very cozy. Then in the summer, you can sit out on the porch and enjoy the long days while watching the river flow by. For most people, there is an immediate slowing down in pace as soon as you arrive. You hear the river and the birds in the trees.
You can take a breath of air and a moment to chill. I get that feeling every time I’m there. To you personally, what is so special about nortehaus? It’s designed for us. The initial concept of Airbnb was to offer your house to someone else. But in recent years, places are being designed as rentals and there is often the potential to cut corners.
We wanted to make nortehaus for us and when Covid hit, we even thought about giving up our house in Toronto and living here. It’s a reflection of us. We wanted to make it exactly the way we wanted it to be and it’s this that makes it special.
