Set just beyond view from a gravel road, this home in East Mulmur, Ontario is designed to honor its past while supporting modern living. It rises gently from a stand of white pine, overlooking an existing barn, rolling fields, a pond, and the Mulmur Hills beyond.
Designed by Turkel Design, Mulmur Hills Farm balances locally sourced materials with prefabricated precision. The result is a home that feels both grounded in its landscape and thoughtfully constructed for generations to gather.
Granite Walls and Blackened Ash Define the Exterior
A low wall of stacked local granite organizes the home and references the field stone walls that once marked boundaries across the property. Prefabricated panels made of domestic engineered wood products were used to create the home, while also reducing on site noise and vehicle trips.
The exterior palette relies on locally sourced woods, concrete, stone, and blackened metal accents. Black cladding made from thermally modified ash strengthens durability while giving the structure a quiet presence against forest and pasture.
A Warm Welcome With Hidden Function
Inside, the material story continues with wood surfaces that feel warm and durable. A wood shelf with a hidden drawer adds subtle function at the entry, offering storage without disrupting the simplicity of the space.
Built-In Spaces for Shared Moments
Designed for gathering, the built-in couch reinforces the home’s intention to bring multiple generations together in comfort.
Concealed Storage That Adapts for Entertaining
The rooms open graciously to views and fields, encouraging easy movement between inside and out. A low cabinet with a built in record player lines the wall and introduces a personal touch within the open plan living room.
Custom cabinetry continues the theme of concealed function. A bar cabinet with fold out doors allows the space to transform during holiday gatherings.
Open Plan Entertaining
At the heart of the home, a large kitchen island anchors celebrations and shared meals. The kitchen and dining areas sit beneath laminated Douglas fir beams and western red cedar soffiting, reinforcing the connection to natural materials while accommodating the rhythms of family life.
Exposed Douglas Fir Beams and Open Air Flow
The interior spaces extend outward to both views and fields. Exposed beams stretch across the ceiling plane, while breezes move freely through the home, welcoming the flow of family, friends, and dogs alike.
A Sheltered Space Between Indoors and Landscape
An enclosed outdoor room offers a quieter place to reconnect with nature. Here, the landscape remains present while providing shelter from shifting weather.
Quiet Rooms Rooted in Natural Materials
Private spaces are conceived for warmth and durability. The bedroom areas continue the restrained material palette, supporting rest within the larger setting of forest and pasture.
Plans That Reveal the Home’s Relationship to the Land
Architectural drawings reveal the clarity of the plan and the relationship between interior rooms and surrounding land. They show how the home settles at the edge between forest and pastureland, reinforcing its careful placement on the site.
This modern home feels both enduring and open, shaped as much by its landscape as by the family it serves.