.svg)
Timbershore Cottage is a dark, disciplined timber-and-stone lodge set quietly on the shore of Lake Simcoe. A double-height great room, cathedral lakefront terrace and a full wellness lower level turn a compact footprint into a complete family retreat. Every move is tuned to the water, the structure and the reality of cottage life.
The cottage includes roughly 3,900 sq. ft. above grade, supported by a club-style wellness and recreation floor of about 2,300 sq. ft. on the lower level. An integrated garage and woodshop add approximately 730 sq. ft. of practical, back-of-house space, and a covered outdoor great room of about 510 sq. ft. extends the main living spaces toward the shoreline.
Inside, the plan supports a main-floor primary suite plus six additional family and guest bedrooms, wrapped around a program that includes a bar, theatre, gym, steam and sauna facilities and a screened pavilion.
The cottage is conceived as a tailored modern lodge: dark cladding, layered timber structure and a stone base that settles the house into the trees instead of shouting over them. Inside, a strict service spine deals with the mess of real cottage life — mud, gear, guests, groceries — so the rooms facing the water can stay calm and glassy.
A fully programmed lower level works like a private club, turning what could have been a buried basement into a bright, active floor of the house.
.png)
From the street, Timbershore reads as a disciplined lake lodge. Dark horizontal siding, a solid stone base and exposed timber framing stretch across the lot, giving the cottage a low, confident presence rather than a tall object dropped onto the site. The massing feels anchored and deliberate, with the structure tied into the treeline instead of fighting it.
At the front door, a timber portico marks arrival with controlled weight. Layered posts, black steel strapping and a warm wood soffit frame the entry and hint at the volumes and structure inside. The detailing signals that this is a serious, all-season home rather than a seasonal cabin — quiet and understated, but resolved.
Inside, a two-storey foyer under a wood ceiling leads the eye straight through to the water. Glass railings and a floating stair keep the space open, so the lake is visible from the moment the door swings in. The foyer holds the formal edge of the house but immediately pulls you toward light, timber and the great room beyond.
The great room is the heart of the cottage. A full-height stone fireplace anchors one side while a two-storey wall of glass frames the shoreline. Timber beams and a restrained interior palette keep the room warm and tactile without competing with the view. The proportions are generous enough for long weekends with a full house, yet the space still feels comfortable when it is just two people and a fire.
At the glass edge of the great room, a quiet corner pulls you right up to the lake. A pair of swivel chairs sit almost in the windows, offering a wide view of water and treetops for morning coffee or end-of-day calm. This small moment captures the intent of the entire project: structure, glass and lake working together to make simple rituals feel special.
The kitchen and dining area sit under a more intimate ceiling, opening directly to the lakefront terrace and screened pavilion beyond. A navy island, pale cabinetry and exposed timber tie the interior to the outdoor cooking and dining sequence. Large sliders pull the terrace into the everyday routine so meals can move easily between inside and out. Behind this calm edge, a service spine handles pantry, storage and circulation — keeping clutter out of the sightlines to the water.
Above the great room, a glass-railed catwalk crosses the double-height volume and connects the family bedrooms. From this loft-level gallery, you can read the entire section of the house at once: the foyer at the front, the stone fireplace, the full height of the lake wall, the lawn and the water beyond. The circulation reinforces the idea that the cottage is one continuous volume tied to the lake, rather than a stack of unrelated floors.
On the lake side, Timbershore breaks into clear, legible forms: the glazed great room, the more private bedroom wing and the timber pavilion stepping with the grade. The dark palette and stone base allow the house to recede into the treeline while the glass does the talking. Retaining walls, terraces and stairs are detailed as part of the architecture, so the house feels grown into the slope rather than perched on a platform.
At one end of the terrace, a cathedral-like timber pavilion becomes the true outdoor great room. A masonry fireplace, pizza oven and generous dining and seating space make this the social anchor in three seasons. Screened openings keep bugs at bay while still making you feel exposed to the lake air — the pavilion earns its place as the default gathering spot whenever the weather allows.
The main-floor primary suite is kept deliberately calm. A wall of custom millwork with an integrated fireplace conceals storage and media, keeping the room visually quiet. A single large window frames the dock and trees, so the lake is present even when the curtains are only partly open. The suite sits close to the main living spaces for ease of use, but feels like a private retreat within the larger retreat.
Lakefront projects come with real constraints: shoreline regulations, grading, drainage and extensive glazing all have to be resolved long before finishes are chosen.
At Timbershore, the structure, timber frame and envelope were coordinated early so the great room could be largely glazed without performance penalties. The grading and retaining strategy were tuned so the lower level reads as a bright club floor that opens to the terraces, rather than a buried basement — all while staying comfortably within local rules and long-term maintenance realities.
.png)
Timbershore Cottage was led by Philippe Lamadeleine, with architectural services delivered under Custom CADD Inc. and presented as part of Lamadeleine Design – Bespoke Luxury Homes, in collaboration with Integrity Home & Cottage and LVZ Design.
Timbershore stands as one of our benchmarks for serious, wellness-led lake lodges: every square foot working hard, every elevation disciplined and the lake always in view.
A brief, focused conversation to review your site, goals, and timeline — and to confirm whether Lamadeleine is the right studio for your home.
