“Treetops” On Lake of Bays: Home is Where the Heart is!
Listed at $1,995,000
Arriving at Treetops, you are immediately awed by the first glimpse of the magnificent Panabode cottage – custom crafted of B.C. red cedar – that stands in the middle of a clearing in the forest.
When Mervyn and Agnes Couse built their retirement vacation home in 1992 they named it Treetops in homage to its location on a ridge along the treeline overlooking a spectacular view of Lake of Bays. You can preview the stunning views and beauty of the home in this video of Treetops.
A detached Normerica double garage has an unfinished loft area, which could easily be completed for use as a studio or as a bunkie for guests, sits adjacent to the cottage.
The property is dominated by granite outcroppings and mixed forest. To one side of the south-east facing house, terraced stairs lead to the waterfront while on the other side a meandering trail offers an alternative route. The simple, natural landscaping allows Treetops to claim centre stage, at least until a view of the lake sweeps into view.
Down at the 290 foot waterfront is a gem of a private, hard-packed sandy beach complete with a long, sturdy L-shaped dock.
Mervyn, a retired civil engineer, acted as the general contractor on the build. Agnes remembers walking through the dense bush with her husband who, in his excitement, kept forgetting to hold back the tree branches that swatted her as they explored their nine acre property. She recalls the many happy times when the house was filled with family, friends and laughter, including one memorable visit when her siblings re-enacted the couple’s wedding as part of an anniversary celebration.
The interior is immaculate, timeless and tasteful with cedar-clad walls, a soaring cathedral ceiling and windows that flood the home with sunshine and lake views. Despite its generous size of 4,500 square feet on three levels, the comfortable decor and selected pieces of heirloom furniture create a cozy feeling. This is as much a home as it is a cottage; Mervyn and Agnes lived here from spring to late fall in retirement.
The Couse family has deep roots in Muskoka, having vacationed here for more than 65 years. A painting of their first cottage on Tooke Lake occupies a place of honour in the living room.
Mervyn and Agnes enjoyed giving back to their beloved Muskoka. Mervyn sat on the Bracebridge hospital board and then chaired it for two terms and Agnes spearheaded many hospital fundraisers. Their daughters helped out at the various craft and bake sales that their mother organized.
Treetops feels like a happy place. It is so easy to imagine it packed to its rafters with joyful generations enjoying games and meals and celebrating both momentous milestones and simple family vacations. 20 people have been accommodated in the six bedroom, four and a half bathroom home, which very comfortably sleeps 14+.
The youngest daughter’s favourite memory is renting the SS Bigwin steamship for her wedding and then having a catered reception for 70 at the cottage. Mervyn was gone by then but she says, “Dad would have been so pleased.” She reminisces, “In the fall my girlfriends would come up and we’d do the CIBC Run For The Cure and the Muskoka Studio Autumn Tour.” She admiringly recounts, “My mother completed the walk well into her 80s.”
One Christmas the entire extended family gathered at Treetops for the holidays. It was quite an adventure to visit the cottage in the days before the road was plowed. A daughter recounts, “We used a snowmobile and sled to transport people and baggage. The snow was so deep we couldn’t even open the side door so we went in through the front and set off the alarm! Dad was not too happy!”
All of the daughters agree that Treetops is special. One of them mused, “It was where we could gather as a family, catch up with one another and make memories. She recounts, “I surveyed the property with my dad in 1991. I wanted to make sure that the beautiful sandy shoreline was incorporated into the parcel.” Luckily it was and that sandy bottomed beach became the perfect spot for the entire family to enjoy as they swam, picnicked and cruised over to Langmaid’s Island. She adds, “In 2005 I fulfilled the deal I made as a teenager to buy a boat if we built a cottage on Lake of Bays; we named it ‘Promise’.”
The Couse family’s most fervent hope is that Treetops’ new owners will enjoy it every bit as much as they have. Memories of the cottage will stay in their hearts forever; it gives them great joy to imagine a new family creating a lifetime of their own happy memories.
If you are in the market to create your own happy memories in a waterfront home or cottage, in the relaxing Muskoka region, put the care and expertise of the Wearing-Parrott team to work for you. Please call us at 705-788-3535 or email at [email protected] today!
When you are ready to buy or sell your home, cottage or condo, you want a team whose expert advice you can trust and count on. Achieving your real estate dreams begins with an in-depth conversation about your wants and needs. The Wearing-Parrott team not only provides over 55 years of combined experience helping their clients, they believe in the power of listening too. You will be center stage through the entire process. Contact us to set up an obligation-free appointment, and find out how you can put our real estate team and experience to work for you.
Please call 705-788-3535 or email us at: [email protected] today!
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