Molly’s Cabin in Objekt
Molly’s Cabin in Objekt International
The house has been built on a private island in a rugged archipelago in Georgian Bay, a three-hour drive north from the Canadian city of Toronto. Beneath the clear skies and sitting on Precambrian rock, the stage director Molly Thom (widow of the Canadian architect Ron Thom) commissioned a ‘nature house’. The scenery—particularly on a clear day—is breathtaking. Ancient rocks form natural islands in an almost limitless bay. This is where, some eight miles from the nearest marina, Molly Thom had her son and daughter-in-law design a holiday retreat for the family. The design was to balance comfort with the bare necessities, and thus enable its inhabitants to engage fully with the surroundings.
Life in the cottages along the bays and lakes in this region is extremely pleasant and is enjoyed to the full by many people from Toronto and other towns in the area. OBJEKT International has featured numerous reports on the cottages at Lake Muskoka, and the prevailing interior style. Invariably the quilt style of decorating predominates, with sailboats moored at the jetty—unlike this cottage, the interior of which is quite basic.
The house is anchored firmly on the rocks and comprises a living room with library nook, a bedroom and a dining room/kitchen. A small loft serves as a sitting area and studio, playroom and extra bedroom. Although the main house is open-plan, its L-shape provides for privacy as well as interaction between the various spaces. The interior extends outdoors by way of wooden decks and outdoor spaces inspired by the vernacular architecture of the islands.