Home tour: a net-zero lake house on Eugenia Lake, Ontario, designed for a family of five

Angular rooflines, large overhangs and a material palette of wood, stone and metal characterise the exterior, which the architects scaled to sit comfortably within the lakeside landscape. Clean horizontal lines and expansive windows combine contemporary design with mid-century modern influences. But the true technical achievement lies beneath these aesthetic choices. Working with specialists in geothermal systems, solar panel installation and passive design, the team oriented the building to account for facade shading, cross-ventilation and stack-effect principles. This approach maximises natural ventilation and minimises energy use without compromising on the panoramic lake views.

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The construction of the main house took approximately 15 to 16 months. Locally sourced limestone, coordinated by stone masons, forms part of a material strategy that included specialists in high-efficiency building materials. Passive house standards require airtight construction, high-performance insulation, and heat-recovery ventilation. This residence meets these benchmarks while maintaining the spatial generosity and the visual connection to the lake that the family had requested.

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Sheree Stuart of Sheree Stuart Design, who was brought into the project by the architects, shaped her interior design around the family’s particular requirements. One result is a curved cedar ceiling that moves through the ground floor in a continuous plane, creating the home’s most distinctive interior feature. “The two primary challenges were maintaining the monolithic appearance of the curved cedar ceiling that sweeps through the ground floor and integrating the large pizza oven,” says Stuart. Custom trimless plates hide the lighting and ventilation systems while preserving the ceiling’s uninterrupted surface. The lighting needed to be subtle yet effective, which led Stuart to specify minimalist fixtures including Archier pendants in the kitchen.

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Stuart positioned the pizza oven, a non-negotiable element of the client brief, adjacent to the dining area, where it serves as both functional equipment and architectural anchor. Its substantial dimensions made placement critical. “Serving as a focal point, the pizza oven replaces the absence of a fireplace, aligning with passive house priorities and featuring a thermally sealed door,” Stuart explains. Clad in porcelain that matches the kitchen worktops, the oven’s rear facade extends into the entry hall, where it aligns with the floor-to-ceiling walnut millwork.

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Blues and greens, the clients’ preferred palette, appear throughout the interior in ways appropriate for a lakeside property. “We kept the architecture of the interior modern, warm and minimalist,” Stuart says. “We added textures and colours through area rugs and furnishings.” White walls balance the abundance of wood surfaces. In the bedrooms and recreation room, where the clients wanted spaces their children would enjoy, Stuart incorporated the requested blues and greens.

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Durability factored into every furnishing decision. “There would be lots of kids running around, so everything we put into the house had to withstand the high traffic,” Stuart notes. Sofas and ottomans in the family room are custom pieces designed for heavy use, with pillows from RH and area rugs from Y&Co.

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A 2,550 sq ft gym building stands apart from the main residence. Space for basketball and other sports accommodates the family’s preference for physical activity as a shared experience. Large double sliding doors bring in natural light and frame views of the surrounding landscape, connecting physical wellness with mental health through an unhindered exposure to nature.

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“The sources of inspiration for designing and decorating the house were primarily driven by the natural surroundings and the homeowner’s preferences,” Stuart says. “The serene lake views and surrounding nature played a significant role in shaping the design.” Her clients, who use the house for both summer hiking and winter skiing, asked for a generational abode suitable for extended stays. They wanted, in Stuart’s words, “a comfortable and understated atmosphere that blends with nature and the surroundings, but has a playful and fun demeanour.”

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