Not everyone can brag that a former deputy FBI director got fatally shot in their yard. Or that a domestic terrorist plotted in their living room. Lorraine Huinink and Kirk McNamee can.
Their Scandinavian Scribe log chalet occasionally serves as a setting for TV and movie shoots, such as the episode of “Designated Survivor,” where fictional character Jason Atwood meets his end.
But the chalet’s main purpose is to serve as the place Huinink and McNamee call home.
The two were looking for a lot to build a log house. They happened on a chalet, constructed in 2003, on a one-acre lot on the Oak Ridges Moraine in Durham Region.
“We came to an open house here in October, 2015, and, as soon as we walked in, we looked at each other and knew we wanted it,” says Huinink.
The two were taken by its massive round white pine logs, 23-foot great room ceiling, floor-to-ceiling fireplace and sloping lot high on the moraine.
But their delight at buying the house soon met the cold wind of reality. An air-blower test revealed it was under-insulated and costly to heat. So all of its tongue-and-groove ceilings were removed, new insulation and vapour barrier installed, the ceilings reinstalled, and some window frames resealed. The couple changed out the old oil furnace and aged air-conditioner with air-source heat pumps. These moves reduced their greenhouse gas emissions and utility bills dramatically.
“We’re running a very efficient shop and I’m proud of that,” says Huinink.
The great room is pretty much unchanged from when they bought it. Although it has a dramatically high ceiling, the room is casual and inviting; it’s finished with a live-edge coffee table, and comfy leather chairs and sofa. Here, Huinink and McNamee enjoy relaxing with their dogs Willy and Mackenzie.
The couple renovated the master bedroom and ensuite, including adding a window so they can enjoy the woodsy views from bed. They expanded the kitchen, finished the basement and added propane fireplaces in their bedroom and basement.
“We completely re-did (the) back of (the) house,” says McNamee. It’s a spectacular space for relaxing or entertaining, with a private fenced yard for their dogs.
“The closest neighbour is a Par 5 away,” says McNamee, an avid golfer, who is retired from owning a financial services company.
The couple tries as much as possible to stay with Ontario or Canadian products for their home projects. The house is made from Ontario logs, the stone in the master bathroom is from Owen Sound, Ont., and many other finishes and accessories are made and sourced from the province.
Huinink, an urban planner and transportation consultant, owned a home-decor-art-gallery in Bobcaygeon, Ont., for several years and some pieces from that store have found a place in their home.
“Neither Kirk or I are trained (designers), but we’re having fun,” she says of the projects they’ve completed and of others planned for their home. “The next job will be lighting.”
Huinink jokes that the log house is “50 shades of brown” and muses about painting the tongue-and-groove ceiling white, but McNamee likes the all-wood look, so the ceiling won’t be touched.
“It’s rustic, and that’s the way it’s going to stay,” she says.
To join the conversation set a first and last name in your user profile.
Sign in or register for free to join the Conversation