Words by Adrienne Dyer. Photos by Jacob McNeil.
Rising above a sloped lawn on the edge of a picturesque cove in Sidney, this stately seaside retreat embodies an indoor/outdoor approach to design while capturing natural light and views from every angle. Masterfully designed to harmonize with its environment, the 4,000-square-foot oceanfront home was built by GT Mann Contracting and is currently on the market.
Curb appeal is impressive, with a gated driveway bordered by a meticulous landscape with simple plantings that blend naturally into the seaside setting. Exterior stonework and coastal wood beams are rich against stucco siding, metal roofing, and frosted-glass garage doors framed in wood.
The front entry leads directly into the voluminous primary living areas, where ceilings vault to twenty feet above a glittering mosaic marble-tiled fireplace bordered by symmetrical floating cabinets.
The kitchen and hidden butler’s pantry are finished in grain-matched cabinetry, white quartz countertops, and range backsplash that mirror the fireplace feature.
NanaWall accordion doors open the entire living area onto the vast patio with its gathering spaces including an outdoor kitchen and fire pit. From the patio, the sloped landscape leads down to a sandy beach. “One of our challenges and top priorities was to protect the shoreline environment,” says site superintendent Sam Dennison, who minimized impact on the waterfront by gently landscaping the property down to an existing set of stairs leading to the beach.
The patio and beach are also accessible through the master bedroom, which is nestled away on the main floor. A walk-in closet leads to a pristine ensuite bath finished in white cabinetry, marble-look porcelain tile and crystalline light fixtures that play off the glass walls that enclose the dual shower.
Up the floating staircase, lit from above by two twelve-foot chandeliers of cascading glass bubbles, an open walkway leads to three additional bedrooms and a media/games room well-equipped with a full bar. Throughout the entire house, touches of sparkle illuminate the natural, beach house palette of white and natural wood with just a hint of glamour. The design offers privacy while capitalizing on Sidney’s temperate conditions to construct a residence that epitomizes Vancouver Island’s outdoor lifestyle.
