P O I N T H O L M E S

InspiredB Y T H E S E A

he rolling waves of Point Holmes and the ebb and !ow of the tide inspired Jack and Lynda Hornstein when they set out to rebuild their beachfront home in Comox. Welcome mats placed at the front and patio doors are

beautiful mosaics set into the concrete. Images of seaweed, sand dollars and star"sh are artistically rendered with natural materials such as granite, marble and rock to represent tidal pools at low and high tide.#eir main entranceway is intentionally wide to make room for a gallery display of artwork by local artists but large windows surrounding the house ensure that the "rst thing you see as you enter, and the focal point of every room in the house, is an impressive view across the Strait of Georgia. “You see the ocean from every side,” smiles Jack proudly. Before they started rebuilding, the Hornsteins built a small carriage home, which enabled them to stay on the property while their dream house was being built. Both agree that being on-site to answer questions as the builder and various contractors worked was invaluable. It also made the 14 months that it took to complete the project go by much faster than if they had been o$-site.#e Hornsteins wanted their house to feel like a west coast lodge. “We love the feel of a lodge,” says Jack, “where you

T

14 TRIO MAGAZINE | WINTER 2013

walk in and immediately feel warm and comfortable and you just want to sit down and relax– ! at’s the feel we were trying to get here with " r cabinets and so# green walls.”“It feels comfortable and homey,” Lynda says, pointing for example to their cozy library with $ oor to ceiling books. “We are all book collectors and avid readers so we knew it was important to have an inviting space where we could become lost in a favourite book.”Using natural materials such as soapstone, red alder, and limestone gives the home an organic, earthy feel that $ ows with the beachfront environment. ! e Hornsteins made a point of matching the exterior colour of their home to the ocean. “It took a long time to " nd the right shade of blue, green and grey to match the hue,” says Lynda. ! e main $ oor is open concept with a comfortable living room, dining room and a large kitchen, perfect for entertaining. ! e soapstone countertop in the kitchen is

both beautiful and functional. It is so# to touch yet incredibly durable.“You can put hot pots down without worrying about damaging the counter,” explains Lynda. ! e " r cabinets are stunning, providing a fantastic amount of storage space while maintaining the sleek, elegant look of the home. A butler’s pantry is one of the most interesting features. ! is kitchen behind the kitchen provides extra storage space as well as a place to prep meals. A unique window between the butler’s pantry and the main kitchen opens and closes with a weight and pulley system that allows supplies to be passed between rooms in style.“It all $ ows very nicely,” says Lynda. ! e dropped wood ceiling adds de" nition to the kitchen area, while giving it the feel of a large ship’s galley, complete with a beautiful granite sink and a unique backsplash made up of pressed leaves between clear acrylic. A wide staircase leads upstairs to the sleeping

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KAREN MCKINNON

area. ! e master bedroom is spectacular, with not one but two master bathrooms! His has an expansive shower and dark-stained " gured-maple cabinets that show o# the natural texture of the wood. Fossilized limestone countertops have a distinctive yet natural beauty. Her bathroom has a beautiful claw foot tub with a chandelier hanging above it, and a wall-to wall mirror in her walk- in closet that opens to shelves of scarves and accessories.A stateroom e# ect is what the Hornsteins were hoping to achieve when designing their master bedroom. Lynda did not want to install blinds, preferring the so$ folds of drapery. With the press of a button the room transforms from bright and sunlit with an expansive view across the beach, to a cozy and dark space beckoning the couple to shut down for the night.One of the most remarkable features of the home is the curved roof, which is designed to represent the rolling waves that surround them.“It took me a long time to get the % ow of the curve just right,” explains Jack, who hired Glenn

Mitchell Design to help make his vision reality. “I knew what I wanted but it was hard to " gure out the rise. We spent a year going back and forth over the design. We re" ned, re" ned, re" ned, until we had it exactly right.”“Jack came up with the idea in 2006,” says Lynda. “He made this model out of cardboard with the idea that the curve would follow the direction of the ocean but then Glenn suggested we change the direction of the wave. It worked out very well.”! e Hornsteins are not new to Point Holmes. ! ey had lived on the property for eighteen years before being faced with the decision to move, renovate or rebuild. “We feel such a strong sense of community here and we have such great neighbours,” says Lynda, explaining that the decision to stay on their Point Holmes property was an easy one.Jack and Lynda are thrilled with their new home. “Someone asked me the other day if we would change anything,” says Jack. “And there is really nothing we would change.”

by Jennifer Cox | Special to the Comox Valley Record

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