Aluminum tracks, which guide the pool’s automatic cover, were levelled and set in place before the bullnosed (rounded-edge) Eramosa limestone coping was installed along three sides of the pool. The top and backside of the vanishing-edge were lined with glass tile. Tiling the pool’s interior was relatively straightforward; however, completing the hot tub’s interior finish was a little more difficult, as the design specified it to be entirely surfaced with 51- x 51-mm (2- x 2-in.) tiles. In total, this accounted for more than 10,000 individual tiles.
Numerous hydrotherapy jets were also scattered throughout the hot tub, requiring each jet placement and contour to be measured and templated precisely. The templates and sheets of glass tile were cut off site with a special water-cooled, glass-cutting hole saw. This method saved countless hours of hand cutting the tiles, which the pool contractor had painstakingly experienced on a previous project.
With the tiling complete, a coating was thermally applied to the pool’s walls and floor. This coating comprises a colour blend of polymer powder that is fed pneumatically through a nozzle and simultaneously through a flame, melting the powder so it adheres to the surface.
Finishing details
Denise Hulaj and Jason Bellaire of StyleHaus, an Ottawa-based interior design firm, completed the home’s interior finishes. Their vision for this project was to give the design a contemporary, elegant look, while maintaining a warm, livable space. Having worked with Wildeboer on previous projects, the interior designers already shared a collaborative approach. With the architect’s guidance, the interior design team selected finishes that would complement and respect the home’s exterior architecture by borrowing many of the outer finish materials and bringing them inside. The most evident example of this can be found in the living room, sitting room, office, and pool room.
The design of these spaces incorporate the same natural limestone that is used to veneer sections of the home’s exterior. This stone, known as Eramosa limestone, originates from quarries in a northern area of southwestern Ontario. It is popular for its distinct ‘fleuri’ and heavy veining, with a dark to light brown colour and black undertones. Many other natural sourced materials can be found strategically placed throughout the home. Intricate dark wood trim details and millwork can be seen traversing the ceilings on the main floor. Flooring details delicately converge between wide plank hardwoods to multiple varieties of porcelain tile.
The pool area continues to impress with its own variety of finishing details, including its dark-blue interior finish, which creates ideal reflections of the trees surrounding the property or evening sunset. Handmade glass tile imported from California was used on several areas of the pool, including the perimeter waterline, top and backside of the infinity edge, and the step markers. This tile was also used to line the entire hot tub. This custom blend of tile incorporates steel blue, bronze, and silver tones with a gold iridescent metal oxide.
Sunlight and the ripple of waves causes the tile to reflect and shimmer, creating a stunning visual array of colours. The deck surface surrounding the pool is capped with large rectangular slabs of Eramosa limestone. The flamed surface texture is achieved by passing a torch over top of the stones causing it to spall and flake, leaving a rough texture while accentuating the unique veining and colouring. Each stone measures 457 mm (18 in.) in width with random lengths—some exceeding 1.8 m (6 ft) and weighing more than 91 kg (200 lbs).
