Iroquois Bay Cottage

Sudbury, Ontario

This three-season, off-grid cottage is located on a small island in the Iroquois Bay west of Killarney Provincial Park. The desire to delicately blend the cottage into the beautiful surroundings and emphasize its unique location were the main design principles.

Modern cottage dining room with modern harvest dining table and hanging pendant lighting
Open concept cottage main room with lowered living room, Douglas fir ceilings, and large douglas fir trimmed windows

The two-storey, 2,000 sq. ft. cottage features an open-concept living space on the lower level and three bedrooms on the upper level. The generous living room steps down from the dining and kitchen area, offering a panoramic view of the bay. A large patio wraps around the southwest corner of the cottage and makes a perfect spot to enjoy sunsets across the bay. Large openings on the north, west and south offer breathtaking views of the bay and vegetation surrounding the cottage.

Modern cottage kitchen with stainless steel Gas range and Vent hood, quartz countertops, custom cabinetry
Lowered living room stair with custom Douglas fir treads, and whitewashed birch plywood risers
Custom built in place Douglas fir staircase, wood interior curtain wall, offset glass panel wall
Bathroom with light-blue subway tile, Douglas fir door trim, and cantilever vanity with Basin sink
Cottage hallway with whitewashed birch plywood walls, and Douglas fir roof rafters and ceiling

The interiors are clean and bright with extensive use of wood as the main material. Whitewashed birch plywood walls and Douglas fir ceilings connect the interior of the cottage to the surrounding nature; and a traditional wood-burning stove in the living room provides warmth on chilly evenings.

Exterior sunroom-with dining room table. Large modern table with bench seating, wrap around Douglas Fir windows and Kebony decking
Off-grid Canadian island cottage, with high efficiency design and passive considerations

Sustainability was one of the driving forces behind this project, which is reflected in high-performance building enclosure design, use of energy-efficient lighting and appliances, and natural ventilation and passive cooling. Off-grid power is provided by solar panels.