Nadeau Residence 22 Elmwood Avenue Grand Bend, Ontario, Canada

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I teamed up with my brother Charles Nadeau, General Contractor, to construct a hip place for Charles to reside for the summer months. Located in the small beach town of Grand Bend, Ontario, this new home included keeping the cottage look from the exterior while making the interior in a contemporary style under a tight budget.

Planning started in the summer of 2002 with construction beginning early 2003. Since Charles did much of the work himself, the home has only recently been completed.

Grand Bend, which is located on the shores of Lake Huron, about 40 minutes north of London, is a town with a winter population of about 1,000 but explodes to over 10,000 in the summer months. Young vacationers rent rooms and cottages during this time and spend their days at the beach and nights at the local nightclubs.

Grand Bend, Beach on a Sunny Day		Grand Bend, Lake Huron Dock

Located only 4 blocks from the beach, this location was prime for a new modern home. This project began as a dilapidated single story bungalow that really had no life left in it.

Existing House, From the Street		Existing House, From the Backyard

The Owner decided to demolish the existing 750 square foot home and rebuild a new larger 2-story 1,200 square foot home in its place. He wanted to keep the 'cottage' feel on the exterior to blend in with the local architecture but also wanted a contemporary interior to match his lifestyle. The result was a wood batten exterior with a metal roof with an open-concept interior including solid maple floors, custom professional kitchen with stainless steel appliances, exposed steel beams, and custom lighting.

Planning permission was required as the size and location of the new proposed home deviated from the local code regulations. This delayed the project but did not deter the client as he was excited by this new design.

The following are the floor plans of the new house:

Some of the highlights of the new design include:
Exposed steel beams
Solid maple wood floors and commercial grade carpet in bedrooms
21' ceiling to exposed steel beams
Professional kitchen with stainless steel counter open to dining area
Gas fireplace with stone hearth
Standing seam metal roof
Landscaped yard
200 amp. electrical service
Located a few blocks from the beach

Kitchen/Dining: Highlights include professional appliances, stainless steel backsplash, stainless exhaust hood, custom maple cabinets, slate flooring, under-cabinet concealed heating, large glass block window.

LivingRoom: Highlights include: Gas fireplace with stone hearth and 21' high stucco face, custom built-in cabinets, exposed steel beams, glass block to exterior, recessed accent lighting, Pre-wired for a/v installation.

Second Floor: Highlights include: Custom steel and glass handrail, custom lighting panels, solid core birch doors with stainless steel hardware.

	Second Floor Bathroom: Highlights include: custom cabinets, slate floor, glass block to exterior, custom light fixtures and high sloped ceilings.

Credits: Interior Designer - Philip Nadeau General Contractor - Charles Nadeau Hardware Supplier - Trillium Hardware Carpet Supplier - Gordon T. Sands Structural Engineer - NCK Engineering Ltd.

Philip Nadeau is a Professional Registered Interior Designer (ARIDO) who is currently based in the Middle East. There, Philip is responsible for managing the Interiors and FF&E documentation on multi-million dollar projects at Qatar Foundations Education City. After graduating from Ryerson University in Canada, Philip worked in Toronto for several years before relocating to Bermuda then the Cayman Islands. He now resides in Doha, Qatar.