Cottages
October 18, 2023
Don Tapscott And Ana P. Lopes’ Guesthouse Is A Tranquil Hideaway
Hidden rooms behind secret doors — it’s the stuff of fairy tales. In the case of this guesthouse on Muskoka’s Lake of Bays, the magic is in the kitchen. Pantry cabinet doors open to reveal not canned goods and dried pasta, but a tidy foyer leading to two cozy bedrooms, each with king-size beds. “It’s a miracle cabin, like fishes and loaves,” says owner Don Tapscott. Don is a consultant, speaker and renowned author of many books including the bestselling Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything and Blockchain Revolution: How the Technology Behind Bitcoin and Other Cryptocurrencies Is Changing the World, and his wife, Ana P. Lopes, is a corporate director at The Tapscott Group as well as a director for many not-for-profit organizations. Though a modest 1,040 square feet, the cabin feels three times as big, with not a single inch wasted. “It’s a perfect little puzzle with no dead space,” says Ana. “There’s nothing superfluous.”
The Toronto couple has successfully renovated several properties over 40 years of marriage including their cottage, dubbed “The Lodge,” featured in House & Home’s May 2011 issue, and their condo, in the March 2017 issue. The next project was to rebuild their original cottage bunkie and create a four-season guesthouse with the help of builder Mike McCabe of Foxpoint Construction. Ana asked Clarisa Llaneza of Clarisa Llaneza Studio in Toronto to spearhead the interior design and improve the layout while keeping the footprint in order to adhere to the area’s bylaw restrictions.
The guesthouse includes a foyer, living and dining area, kitchen, two bedrooms, a laundry closet with stacked washer and dryer, a full bathroom and a powder room. To complement the Adirondack lodge–style main cottage, they decided on a moody “Belgium meets Muskoka” vibe. Clarisa echoed the main cottage’s brown exterior and went soulful and spare in the new space, layering in earthy hues and black shades to blend in with the craggy Canadian terrain.
In the new layout, the bedrooms are tucked behind the kitchen. “Guests might think the double door leading to the bedroom corridor could easily be a fridge or a pantry, giving the impression of a larger kitchen,” says Clarisa. The door also limits sound transfer; guests can chat into the night and not disturb anyone’s sleep. Don jokes he’s getting used to hearing a familiar refrain: “People settle in and say, ‘Do we have to come out? Maybe we’ll just see you in a while.’ ”
Keep scrolling for a look inside!
“We wanted the building to disappear into the setting,” says Don of the gabled-roof cabin. “And we try to keep the grounds as natural as possible,” adds Ana. “All of the plants are local, including the wildflowers.”
The rustic wood bench in the entry is so old, it had to be bolted to the wall.
A light fixture sculpted from folds of fibre strikes an organic note.
The elegant dining table extends and is just 30 inches wide, making for easy conversation.
Ana, working at her laptop in the kitchen.
Clarisa created a hidden bar backed by a bronzed mirror that she likens to a “cabinet of curiosities.”
An outdoor seating area with a Corten steel firepit can be glimpsed through the window.
Striking marble in the powder room reminds Clarisa of water that flows off the nearby cliffs.
The bedrooms and a laundry closet are accessed through doors disguised as cabinets in the kitchen. The black backsplash adds drama.
In one of the bedrooms, embellishment-free shiplap walls and muted tones draw the eye outside.
The double sink maximizes space and a neutral palette makes the bathroom seem larger.
Concrete-look porcelain slabs line the bathroom walls. “Don and Ana have grandkids, so they wanted a tub,” says Clarisa.
Designer Clarisa Llaneza is pictured in the living room.
Keep scrolling for our rapid fire Q&A with Anna!
How do you keep clutter at bay?
“If we bring in anything new, we take something away. There’s also lots of storage, so kitchen items are kept hidden.”
Did you have to buy new furniture?
“Yes. This is a custom space where comfort, livability and functionality are top priority. Everything was measured very carefully.”
Your best small-space decorating tip?
“Start with your target end use. We needed two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a comfortable entertaining space. We thought about our guests and worked from there.”
How did you make the space feel bigger?
“The uniform color palette gives the guesthouse a more open and spacious feel, and there are lots of textures, textiles and natural fabrics to please the eye.”
If you could add one thing here, what would it be?
“According to our guests, it’s perfect. They typically suggest they move in.”
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Lauren Miller
House & Home
Architecture and landscape architecture, Robert Packman; design, Clarisa Llaneza; builder, Mike McCabe, Foxpoint Construction.