August 14, 2025 | DESIGN & INTERIORS
a LAKESHORE RETREAT of QUIET LUXURY
words Matteo Pazzagli
photos Doublespace Photography
Along the southern shore of Lake Ontario, where the horizon opens wide and piers frame the water’s edge, a private residence unfolds as a sensory journey. Conceived by ACDO — the Toronto-based studio co-founded by former Yabu Pushelberg designers Abe Chan and Sam Khouvongsavanh — this 10,000-square-foot home merges the calm of a retreat with the drama of generous, double-height volumes.
What began as two penthouses became one seamless residence, designed to offer its owner a sense of escape. Here, intimate spaces — an ensuite tucked away, a solarium suspended on a bridge — flow into expansive zones for living, dining, and gathering. The design takes cues from panoramic bay views and the quiet luxury of Aman resorts, balanced with the refined elegance of Hong Kong’s Mandarin Oriental and Peninsula hotels.
LIGHT AND SHADOW DANCE OVER WEATHERED WOOD, MOROCCAN ZELLIGE, AND COOL TRAVERTINE, SHAPING A SHIFTING ATMOSPHERE
The palette is deeply considered, shifting with the seasons: rich blues for summer, grey-green tones for winter, walnut that nods to Asian teak, and matte oaks recalling driftwood along the shore. Light and shadow play across weathered wood, handcrafted Moroccan zellige tiles, and cool travertine, creating an ever-changing atmosphere. The owner’s art — from Vietnamese lacquer paintings by Bui Huu Hung to sculptural works by David Salazar and Romain Langlois — anchors the spaces in a worldly sensibility.
There’s an ease here that comes from layering influences. Coastal references meet Asian details: latticed wood ceilings, the soft grain of walnut, the hush of stone underfoot. “The lakeshore setting dictated the direction,” the designers recall. “The uninterrupted view of the water’s horizon provided a sense of tranquility that became central to the inspiration.”
This is a home shaped as much by memory as by place — travel through Asia and Southeast Asia distilled into materials and proportions. It’s a setting where a dramatic living space can host a crowd, yet a bedroom can cocoon you in stillness; where every surface holds the light in its own way, and the lake’s presence is felt in every room.
