Words by Adrienne Dyer. Photos by Jacob McNeil.
Complete privacy isn’t always easy to come by in the Greater Victoria region, but this Saanich estate is a six-acre oasis, designed for tranquil living. Built by GT Mann Contracting, the home includes over 6,000 square feet of indoor living space, plus a resort-like pool area with a complete outdoor living room, circular concrete fire pit, and an infrared sauna inside a cabana.
“The property is surrounded by a park on two sides and sits on a very quiet road,” says Graeme Mann, owner of GT Mann Contracting. He adds that the lot required significant grading and filling to raise and level the house above the road so that the surrounding land could be preserved potentially for agriculture. “There are also strategic plantings around the property, so it’s very private.”
A roundabout driveway with a central stone fountain leads to a drive-through timber frame portico crowning the front entry—an impressive introduction to the house that Mann says is particularly stunning when it is lit up at night. Inside, 22-foot ceilings and pool views through the great room immediately capture attention, along with coffered ceilings and a full-height stone fireplace.
“The hearth is one giant slab, held in place by notched metal brackets that make it look like it’s floating,” says project manager, Luis Ambriz-Gomez. The mantel is solid fir, adding its rich tones to the grey stone of the fireplace, complemented by flanking walnut cabinets and long plank oak floors. Raised wall panels add another layer of symmetrical detail to the fireplace wall and also dress up the front entry, a staircase, and the upper glass breezeway that leads to two bedrooms connected by a shared ensuite.
“The staircase is timber frame, with open risers and hidden fasteners, plus glass panels and ‘floating’ rails,” says Ambriz-Gomez. The tiered crystal chandelier is so heavy it required scaffolding to install it.
It’s a grand portal to the master suite, which has its own balcony, overlooking the pool, plus a spacious ensuite with dual showers, walnut cabinetry, and a freestanding tub with views of the garden and bordering trees.
Central to the home’s integration of indoor and outdoor spaces are the accordion doors that open up the main floor to the patio and the pool.
The kitchen is a chef’s dream, with a fully equipped prep kitchen tucked in behind, with a pass-through window to the outdoor dining room and the TV lounge.
For indoor entertainment, there’s a temperature- and humidity-controlled tasting room, just around the corner from the kitchen. Behind glass shelving, a venetian plaster wall is luxurious against the rustic panelling, showcasing a cocktail lounge-style tasting bar.
It’s one more feature—along with the pool, the grand entry, and the seamless integration between indoor and outdoor luxurious living spaces—that gives this home the ambience of a private resort.
