A Place To Love Each Other
Story by Michael Seguin
Photography by Michael Pietrangelo
You might have caught glimpses of it. It’s not obvious. Not at first, at least. Many people have no idea this treasure exists in their own backyard.
An unassuming street turns into another. A line of trees decorates the horizon, forming a natural curtain. An equally unassuming cul-de-sac waits at the end of the road. You turn into a narrow driveway.
And then, the curtain lifts.
Welcome to the World House.
Although you might be a guest, something about the atmosphere that closes around you suggests otherwise.
For now, you’re home. For now, everything under that roof is your entire world.
The doorway opens into a wide hallway. A mahogany set of drawers stand brilliant against the white walls. A clock and a jar of flowers wait atop it.
The World House invites you to travel deeper. And the Kitchen might just be the World House’s most well-traveled path. Eggshell-white cupboards flank a glittering quartz island. Two ovens stand next to a stove. A massive, stainless-steel fridge catches the late afternoon glare. A clear glass table sits in the corner, circled by a row of black leather armchairs.
There’s a sign on the wall. It’s a sign that lays out the World House’s ethos, the ground rules:
“Family Rules: Keep your promises. Say please and thank you. Learn from mistakes. Be kind with your words. Hug a lot. Respect each other. Embrace differences. Laugh everyday. Be thankful. Have a sense of humour. Show compassion. Do your best. Take care of each other. Don’t hold grudges. Say I love you. Always tell the truth. Love each other.”
But let’s continue our tour of the main level.
Next to the kitchen is the formal Dining Room. A vaulted ceiling stretches overhead. An oak table waits beneath. Eight cushioned grey chairs wait for loved ones to gather around. A dark China cabinet stands nearby. The doors are glass, reminding everyone that the dishes—and, by extension, a warm family meal—are always within reach. A window looks out onto the backyard, which is still ringing from the family’s latest exploits. The whole area was expertly designed by Urban Home, and it might just be one of their greatest accomplishments.
Nearby is a Home Office. And, at first glance, with all that shimmering oak and that hard slab of a desk (both courtesy of Wayne’s Custom Woodcraft), it seems intimidating. It seems as though only serious business is conducted behind those doors.
But there are little hints of personality that soften the room’s hard edges. A set of bookshelves swallow two whole walls. Various odds and ends are displayed. A football. A trio of decorative owls. Books on iconic artists like Bob Dylan and Neil Young. A race car. And, of course, lots and lots of family photos.
This is indeed a Home Office. But the home half is clearly winning out.
At the end of the day, the family often meets in the Living Room—which was also the product of Urban Home. It has a traditional feel, with a lovely brick fireplace and a mounted flatscreen television. All sorts of accoutrements rest on the shelves—a set of fans, speaker, a set of crystal balls, other works of art.
As well, some leather sofas gather around an eye-catching centerpiece. A glass countertop rests on a wooden frame. But, instead of showing the carpet beneath, the “table” is filled with stones.
It’s an interesting statement: a reminder of the places beyond the World House’s walls, calling to mind past adventures.
And the main level contains one more special treat: a Theatre Room.
There, on winter days, the family gathers around a glowing 120-inch screen to watch a race or a football game. The room comes equipped with another stone fireplace, another bar and five traditional theatre recliners. A poster of Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones is suspended above the seats, generously allowing Hayden Christensen, Natalie Portman, Ewan McGregor and Yoda an unobstructed view of the screen.
At night, when the sun goes down, the sounds of Disney movies often travel throughout the whole house.
Seen enough? Good, let’s take a trip upstairs and see what else is waiting for us.
There are four bedrooms upstairs. The Master Bedroom and Master Bathroom have just been redone by Family Home Improvements. An unused soaker tub was completely torn out. A couple walls were also blown out, opening up the Master Bedroom’s closets. Now, the room has an absolutely stunning walk-in closet.
One of the other bedrooms demands your attention. The oldest daughter’s bedroom is painted in a Paris theme. It took a local painter weeks of work to create several murals celebrating life in the City of Lights.
And, keeping with the European theme, another room—a “Bonus Room,” as the owner describes it—showcases murals of life in Italy.
Much like the centerpiece in the Living Room, the murals serve both as a reminder of the places beyond the World House, and a promise. A promise of adventures—both past and future.
Anyway, that about concludes our tour of the World House.
You’re reluctant to leave. And who could blame you? It’s a magnificent piece of architectural engineering, bordering on a work of art. It has an effect that travels, that lingers.
And that is perhaps the World House’s final treasure. It’s not a feature or a centerpiece. It’s not a pattern or a color-scheme. It’s not something with easily measured dimensions. It’s not something that can even fit under a vaulted ceiling.
It’s something else. Something insubstantial. Something abstract. It’s a sense of warmth. It’s a feeling of home.
It’s the way an entire world of expert craftsmanship and love radiates out each room.
And it’s a feeling that you will take with you, even as the trees close behind you and the curtain falls.
Windsor Life Magazine is always searching for interesting homes, landscaping, gardens, patios and water features to show our readers what others in the community are doing with their living spaces. If you have a home that you feel would be interesting please email photos to info@windsorlife.com. Photos need to be for reference only. If your home is chosen we will arrange for a complete photo shoot. If you wish, you may remain anonymous and the location of your home will not be disclosed.
Add comment