We’re still steps away from the entrance when the front door swings open and joyful greetings fill the air. The smiles on the faces of homeowners Ray and Cathy are matched only by those of Bill and Paula Frame, who I’ve been following on the picturesque winter drive to the Okanagan Landing home.
They welcome me inside, and I can’t help but grin as the couples exchange hugs and family updates in the spacious entry with its soaring, double-height ceiling.
“This is going to be fun,” I think to myself.
I am immediately struck by the home’s extensive millwork and quality of the finishing. This is a house that has been designed and built with immense thought and care at every stage. And industry experts clearly agree; the house is the recipient of multiple awards, including Best Detached Custom Home in its category at the CHBA National Awards for Housing Excellence.
Ray and Cathy will be the first to admit that they were uncertain about whether or not an Okanagan-based builder would be able to bring their vision to fruition. The retired couple had purchased a unique half-acre property along Okanagan Landing Road with a park-like lakeshore lot located on the other side of the street. They envisioned an estate that would be the perfect foundation for their long-held dream of constructing a multi-generational legacy property, complete with a putting green, swimming pool, views and lake frontage.
However, with their previous construction experiences in major cities, they had become accustomed to working with top-notch professionals. The pair wasn’t sure what to expect in the smaller Okanagan area.
Interviewing four local builders, one candidate, Bill Frame of Frame Custom Homes, stood out from the start.
“From the very first time we spoke, we had a good relationship,” Ray smiles. “You don’t want to be talking with somebody for the next year or more and feel like there’s a discomfort there. You’re looking for someone who can do what you want to do, but who you can have a relationship with as well. With Bill, we felt both of those things right from the very beginning.”
Bill agrees, saying, “It was like I had known you forever. It’s a great feeling.”
The homeowners came to Bill with an existing design plan, but they were open to his feedback and experience along the way. That spirit of openness and collaboration extended both ways. For example, the couple requested that the builder consider working with a Calgary-based millworker they had used on a previous home.
The solution-driven Bill travelled to Calgary to meet the millworking team at Martin’s Custom Finishing, scoping out their work and, more importantly, their personalities. Bill and Paula are considerate of their people. They insist that everyone on the Frame Custom Homes team is “likable” with a good attitude. This was particularly crucial for a new millwork team as they would essentially live on-site for over three months and be a vital part of the construction. In the end, the new relationship worked so well that they have partnered on additional projects in the time since.
“We really appreciated Bill taking the time to come to Calgary to investigate that option for us. A lot of people wouldn’t do that, and it would have been really easy for him to say, ‘No. We can’t do that,’” Cathy explains.
As we tour around the home, I am consistently struck by the thought put into it. Paula says that the goal was to create a family home that could accommodate everybody, regardless of age. With some clever thinking and design, Ray and Cathy got everything they wanted without compromise.
The entire home has been oriented back-to-front. The grand front entry is located at the back of the house on the second floor, and it opens onto a formal great room with a spacious, west-facing deck. The kitchen and family room are located on the bottom-most floor in what would otherwise be a walk-out basement. With this design, the living areas open onto the patio, barbecue area, swimming pool and putting green in the front yard.
Ray explains, “Ordinarily, everything happens at the back of the house. But we wanted the pool and the putting green and the lake view, so we turned it all around.”
The comfort of guests and family who may be staying for weeks at a time was also important to the couple. Each of the three guest rooms is incredibly spacious with a king-sized bed, large nightstands, a television and a dedicated bathroom. All showers are designed as doorless walk-ins to minimize the need for cleaning glass, and bathroom counters are large enough to be used as changing tables for grandchildren. The lone bathtub is low to the ground, selected for kids and Cathy’s 91-year-old mother.
An elevator makes it easy for guests with mobility issues to access all three levels of the house, with a fourth stop at the slightly lower garage. There are also three dedicated workstations spaced throughout the house, providing a place for guests to take care of any necessary business while on holiday.
Ray and Cathy were similarly thoughtful regarding Frame Custom Homes and their tradespeople. The couple knew that they would need to allow the necessary time for creativity and attention to detail to flourish if they were to get the product they truly desired. It takes time to build a legacy home that will be the setting for generations of family memories.
There are several small gallery halls throughout the house, each with a selection of beautiful black and white family photos hanging on the walls. The frames are already filled with cherished memories from the new family home, including hot summer days on the lake and a wedding. But there’s one photo that represents a particularly touching moment: Cathy’s mom standing in the driveway, meeting her great-grandson for the first time.
“One of my favourite memories in this house is when Theodore came for the first time with everybody. That was kind of that moving into the next stage of life,” reflects Ray. “This is all about our kids and their kids. That’s what we built it for, and now it’s coming to fruition. So standing out in the driveway, realizing that was happening, was really special.”
Listening to Ray recount the memory, I am overcome with emotion, and tears roll down my cheeks. But, I am not the only one, and when it’s time to say our goodbyes, we hug like old friends, even though we met just hours before.
Notable Suppliers:
Home Builder: Frame Custom Homes
House Design: MKL Design Studio
Interior Design: Ginette Interiors
Millwork: Martin’s Custom Finishing
