A River Runs Through It

Built in 1857 and situated picturesquely on the banks of the Rocky Saugeen River, and perfectly reflected in its own adjacent mill pond, this no-nonsense stone building has become an iconic image deeply embedded in the local psyche, due to its high visibility from a major thoroughfare. 

While keenly aware of not disturbing the strict historical nature of the exterior, with the client’s encouragement, we were asked to jettison it forward by a century and a half! We were inspired by his insistence that the interiors be “edgy” in keeping with his interest in collecting large scale contemporary art and photography. This was to be no half-hearted renovation!

“To be given ‘carte blanche’ on this spectacular historic structure and tasked to meticulously reimagine it as a contemporary residence – it is a definite highlight of my design career.”


— David Powell

For all involved, this extraordinary project was a profoundly gratifying experience, one which inspired innovation, expanded imaginations and challenged capabilities to produce appropriate, clever, often bold solutions.