Toronto Star – Saturday, March 6, 2004
By Robert Avery
Collingwood – Redwood Homes Inc. has been so successful in turning the use of insulated concrete forms in new home construction into an art form that the company has landed a top design award from the Canadian Home Builders’ Association.
The Collingwood-based builder beat out four other finalists in the single detached home in the 2,000-3,000-square-foot category last week at the association’s annual conference in Banff.
“We’re certainly very honoured,” said Redwood owner Jeff Becker.
The 3,000-square-foot Muncaster model is built on a hilly two-hectare lot near the village of Nottawa south of Collingwood, but with the walls built of insulated concrete forms, the home stays warm and snug even on the windiest days.
Brickwork and two columns, which frame the front door, accentuate the exterior; but it’s the use of glass that makes this home so spectacular.
The showpiece of the three-bedroom, three-bath home is the stunning glass-encased staircase that floods the home with natural light. It leads to a suspended landing, which links the two bedrooms on the upper floor.
The master suite is on the main floor, a design that is becoming increasingly popular with baby boomers moving to the Collingwood area, said Becker.
“The homeowners can live on one level, while having guest accommodation when they need it upstairs,” said Becker.
The living room has walnut floors, floor-to-ceiling windows and a soaring cathedral ceiling. Glass doors lead to a stunning octagonal sunroom built to take advantage of the views of the rolling hills surrounding the home.
Designer Bill Leithhead worked with a concept the homeowner had in mind and turned it into a workable design, said Becker.
“He did a wonderful job,” he said.
Becker who has been building homes in the Collingwood area since 1988, builds six to eight homes a year and currently is building in the Historic Snowbridge development across the road from the road from the Intrawest Village and Blue Mountain.