Cottages
August 31, 2022
Inside An Entrepreneur’s Prince Edward County Beach House With Tranquil Views
When Belinda Labatte swings open the door to her PEC, Ont., home after a two hour–plus drive from Toronto, she breathes deeply. The mother of two and CEO of a critical minerals company dreamed of having a beach house in the county long before it became the creative mecca it is today. In 2017, she found a peaceful property with a view of the dunes and marsh in the distance. “The view reminded me of lookouts we stopped at when I was a kid hiking with my parents in northern Ontario,” says Belinda.
Shortly after purchasing her plot of land (which came with a squat, uninsulated cabin), she called up local design-build firm Structural Anomaly, and plans for a complete rebuild were finalized within weeks. The 2,720-square-foot (including the basement) four-bedroom, three-bathroom house took four years to complete and, in that time, Belinda and her eldest daughter, Dahlia, also co-founded Dahlia S L, a contemporary event-based art gallery in nearby Picton, Ont.
Scroll down to step into this tranquil retreat!
To furnish the home, Belinda turned to her friend, designer Jennifer Ferreira (pictured), who’d helped outfit her city condo. “Jennifer has an eye for space and function, and I love her custom work, so when I was struggling with certain design decisions, I looked to her for advice,” she says.
Jennifer encouraged Belinda to install a wood-burning fireplace in the living room for chilly nights. A Beni Ouarain rug adds warmth to the breezy space. “I wanted a home that felt spacious, open and spa-like — that says beach house as soon as you walk in,” adds Belinda.
Jennifer dreamed up bespoke pieces including the director’s chairs for the dining room and, for the living room, a waterfall coffee table crafted in whitewashed wood. “This home’s strength is in the subtlety of the natural light and all the open space,” says Jennifer. “For the interiors, I drew inspiration from the natural, organic elements outdoors.” Woven pendants give the dining area a Moroccan feel.
Bleached wood floors and white walls created a neutral envelope for her treasured paintings, sculptures and photography. A whimsical sheep sculpture was one of Belinda’s earliest purchases for the house.
For the kitchen, Belinda was in the mood for more color. “I wanted robin’s egg blue, the shade of the shells you find all over the beaches here,” she says of the painted cabinets. The white oak cabinets complement the blue tones in the kitchen. For the backsplash, a deep blue Moroccan tile nods to the hues of the nearby marsh and Lake Ontario. The airy space functions like an inviting café, where the family gathers and also helps themselves.
With its French modern touches juxtaposed by local artisanal pieces, this home enjoys a relaxed elegance that’s anything but precious. Jennifer offered creative direction on art placement. “Because the furniture was so neutral, Belinda (pictured) could go really wild with art,” says the designer.
Beachy texture in the principal bedroom comes by way of a woven wall light and a rattan headboard from Ikea’s Tom Dixon collaboration. “I spent a lot of time considering proportions and finishes in Belinda’s home,” says Jennifer. “I wanted to find the right balance of organic textures and simple forms to create a feeling of serenity and calm.” Now, for Belinda and daughters Briony and Dahlia, their county home is both a breath of fresh air and a welcome retreat.
Square, bubblegum pink tile gives the spa-like principal bathroom a retro feel.
Sunny yellow throws and accent pillows bring cheer to the guest room.
Patterned wallpaper by a local PEC artist makes waves in the powder room.
Valerie Wilcox
House & Home July/August 2022
Interior: Jennifer Ferreira; Design-Build: Structural Anomaly