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Serene Poplar Interiors Make You Stay Forever in this Vacation Home

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Located in the coastal community of Upper Kingsbur and just 15 minutes from Lunenburg, Nova Scotia – a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this 1700sqft Canadian home was built by renowned architect Brian Mackay-Lyons. The interior volume of this serene retreat is wrapped in warm poplar hardwood and features a long living zone with vast vistas of the surrounding landscape. With the natural variations in the poplar creating an organic pattern of linear motion broken only by the lengths of windows and the fireplace surround, this living zone is a study of still movement similar to the flickering of a fireplace or the soft motion of a water fountain. The poplar offers a relaxing visual statement – perfect for those wishing to unwind from the stress of urban life.

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The dining zone next to the fireplace is a simple grouping of an oversized table that can easily seat 10. The vinyl chairs repeat the tones of the poplar hardwood and 3 pot lights bath the table with light without breaking the plane of the views. The views are amazing. Countryside homes, with the ocean and forest just beyond bring brilliant hues of green and blue into the Sliding House.
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The living zone is as clean and simple as the dining. Two tufted black leather sofas create the perfect place to relax in front of the fire, while an unassuming door just beyond the seating arrangement leads to an outdoor deck.
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The deck is the perfect place to relax. Closed railings and short drops of wall from the deck ceiling keep the ocean breezes at bay while the cut outs allow the sun and views to pour in. Whether you sit in the shade or the sun, you can’t help but leave the stresses of city life behind.
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The ocean is ever changing and easily accessible. The two mile long Hirtle’s Beach is just a few minutes away by car and once there, beach walks, ocean swims, river sailing or even festivals are an enticing way to unwind on a sunny day.
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If you choose to spend your days indoors, the sofas are light and easy to move so that you can create the arrangement of your choice. Here they are positioned for a more social arrangement and the long bench beside the fireplace is outfitted with two pillows for additional seating.
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Tucked in between the living and dining zones is the kitchen. The kitchen features extra deep counters and modernist hand pulls on the poplar cabinetry. Facing away from the ocean views, it features vistas of the forest through a windowed backsplash. As with the dining area, a row of pot lights flood the counter with light without interrupting the views beyond.
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A stairwell leads to the upper level and the private zones. A skylight keeps the stairs light and bright and the open studs add a geometric double height pattern in contrast to the horizontal graining of the poplar clad wall on the left.
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The Master Bedroom is a spacious room comprised of built in storage, headboard and bed. A small work station is situated behind a pony wall offering views o the lower level.
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While on the other side of the room the view is of the outdoor vistas. This is one of two bedrooms in the home.
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The Sliding House sleeps four, making it an ideal vacation rental for a small family, a couple, or up to 4 friends. Here, in the second bedroom, vistas of nature are exposed through windows while the rest of the room is wrapped in poplar hardwood. Twin beds can be pushed together for couples, or kept apart for friends or children.
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The washroom breaks form by replacing the poplar with shades of blue. Deep navy mosaics on the floor feature a white grout, while soft sky blue mosaics on the wall feature a midtone blue grout. Brilliant blue paint covers the window casings, and of course all the accessories are in shades of blue as well.
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Sliding House offers serenity not just on the inside. Surrounded by natural landscape the home nestles into a peaceful setting of pastures with the only interruptions coming from nature itself – or the odd horse.
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The facade of Sliding House is harmonious with its setting. Rising gracefully from the ground in a geometric modernist form. The void created by the deck just off of the living zone breaks up the expanse of the building by creating a shadow line that is further enhanced by the series of windows that follow the planes of the deck.
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The deck void appears to be open to the landscape but actually makes use of a tempered glass panel to span the gap between the closed railing and the wall.
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On the end of the home a second void creates the covered entry easily accessed by a wide flight of stairs.
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The entry void balances the deck void to create an asymmetrical pattern that is accentuated by the slope of the land.
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Sliding House nestles into the slope, creating access on two levels depending which end you are on. Each entry is located near a stairwell and each stairwell is located so as not to interrupt the ocean views.
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While the views to the ocean are on one side of the home, stunning pastoral and forest views are visible on all four sides. Its hard to believe this stunning home, surrounded by this picturesque setting is a vacation retreat available for a one or two week get away. What an awesome vacation that would be!
Sliding House

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