Hastings Highlands, Ontario

This compact home is tucked into the trees beside a stream that feeds into Lake St. Peter in Hastings Highlands, Ontario. The design keeps a light footprint on the site, using simple forms and careful placement to sit comfortably within the surrounding woodland.

Clerestory windows bring natural light deep into the living room and kitchen/dining area, while the bedrooms and bathroom are set into the lower portion of the house for privacy and quiet. Large windows face the creek, strengthening the connection to the water and the forest beyond.

The exterior is clad primarily in dark grey corrugated metal for durability and a subdued presence in the landscape, with pine boards at the covered porch adding warmth and texture. The result is a small, efficient home shaped by its setting — straightforward, bright, and closely tied to the stream and trees around it.