Built in 2013 by Dan Caster of Caster Custom Homes, the 12,000 square-foot home addresses just about every want the homeowners could have. Designed by Kevin Akey of AZD Associates Inc., the home was a collaborative process that fulfilled the homeowners’ require- ments for a “modern home with big open rooms and big windows, 90 per cent of which must have water views.” It all started when the home- owners were able to acquire one hundred feet of lakefront property. “Our next objective was to make the most of that fantastic lake view,” they say. Accordingly, they put together a wish list and set out to find an architect and builder who could deliver. They were already good friends with Caster and found Akey through the recommendation of another friend. “We sat down and told him what we like to do, not what it had to look like,” they say of the process. “We love to entertain, especially outside. We love to boat and we love to cook.” The home- owner is also interested in cars, so having room to house his vehicles was another of the big things on the list.
Taking all the information and synthesizing it into the perfect home is an art and a science. Given the couple’s direction that the house should be modern, the design incorporates soaring glass windows, angled stone pillars and concrete. To accommodate the homeowner’s love of cars, there is a three-car garage for everyday commuting and two lower-level garages that can store up to eight cars as well as a number of motorcycles. A special car storage space on the lower level allows the homeowner to display his love of all things automotive and is visible through a specially-designed glass floor in the couple’s office.
“This is one of our most-used spaces in the home,” the couple says of the office. A 30-foot waterfall in the foyer adds an organic feel to the modern structure. The stone columns are built on an angle, which creates interest and drama. The stone continues from the exterior of the home, a Prairie-style design element that pays tribute to details found in some of the iconic homes built by Frank Lloyd Wright. There are two kitchens (Frank Cremasco Fine Cabinetry). The main kitchen, which is equipped with professional-level appliances and an expansive quartz island, is where the couple loves to entertain. The espresso-co- loured wood cabinetry is modern but warm at the same time.
Behind the main kitchen is a butler’s kitchen that is sleek, white and “is where all the mess happens,” according to the homeowners. “We can keep the main area tidy for serving and entertaining.” The kitchen leads into a large bar area equipped with a custom-made banquette and glassed-in, temperature-controlled wine room that can hold up to 500 bottles of wine. The room is a favourite place for the couple to entertain as it opens onto the covered patio and fully equipped outdoor kitchen. The doublesided fireplace (Forest Glade Fireplaces) encourages the flow of traffic from the inside out. “We have great times here,” the couple says, “playing cards and hanging out with friends.” The master bedroom cantilevers out over the back patio, creating the sense of being on a ship and providing a serene and relaxing view of the water as well as the lap pool and the ipe wood dock that leads down to the lake and the homeowners’ boat. They each have separate walk-in closets. Indeed, her dressing area is as beautiful and alluring as a Fifth Avenue boutique. There is also a nanny suite accessed via a glass bridge that connects the main house to the self-contained apartment. Downstairs, there is a fully equipped gymnasium with his-and-her TVs. The entire home was wired for security, entertainment and convenience by Factory Auto Sound.
There’s also a professional hair salon. The salon is unabashedly girly with pink chandeliers and a swivel-arm sink that rises out of the floor – a detail the homeowner spotted while having her hair styled on a cruise ship. “We knew what we wanted,” the homeowners say of their spectacular residence. “We got everything on our list and couldn’t be more thrilled with the results.” They clearly have all the angles covered.