2025 AT STEEP HILL - A YEAR IN REVIEW
It feels as though we were just sitting down to write the last year in review and yet another 12 months have flown by. Let’s take a look at all the projects we tackled on the Steep Hill rebuild and the work we shared inside The Studio.
JANUARY
The most notable feature of January, was the sheer amount of snow we received. It seemed to start at on New Year’s Day and simply never stopped all month long. After a long season of gruelling tasks on the rebuild we were in need of some hibernation time and our cosy little cabin was the perfect respite. Winter is a quiet season on the lake and we took advantage with lots of walks in through the woods and time outside when the temps were tolerable. We had a couple of bon fires to roast marshmallows and feel some heat during such a seriously cold month.
In The Studio:
During this time off site, we took the opportunity to continue our interior planning for the rebuild. We also used this time to pursue some academic work. We wanted to develop a comprehensive resource to help folks seeking a foundational understanding of how to create a cohesive style profile for their home or cottage.
Through this process Dave’s passion for old homes was greatly affirmed and Lee developed a love of architectural illustration. Of course, this endeavour took longer than expected but we were determined to trust the process and only put out a product we were happy with.
FEBRUARY
February kicked off with a visit to one of our favourite southern Ontario vintage vendors, Artefacts. This old warehouse is an absolute treasure trove of antique delights. We love wandering around the shop exploring the salvaged doors, cast iron vents, historical millwork pieces, trim decals, restored hardware and so much more. Definitely worth a visit if you’re ever near Waterloo, ON.
Back at Steep Hill the snow finally stopped but the cold stayed. The roofs were put to the test under the weight of the snow and didn’t even flinch.
Despite the ferocity of the cold, there was still plenty of sunshine and winter beauty to witness. It’s always astounding how the wildlife survives these deep winter months, when we can barely handle it.
In The Studio:
We were finally ready to reveal the Interior and Exterior Style Profile Workshops.
This is a great starting point if you’re looking to understand the key elements of residential architecture and develop a custom style profile that suits both the home you have and your taste.
MARCH
By March the harshest winter weather was starting to ease off and it was time to get our butts back on site. There were gable ends that needed sheathing and air barrier, chimneys to finish, windows to instal and A LOT of insulation waiting to be put to use. We also made a number of material decisions for the cottage, such as a gorgeous vertical grain fir cladding for the vaulted ceilings in the living and Muskoka rooms.
This month we started sharing more of our philosophy on building and the design details we prioritize here at Steep Hill Studio. Feel free to follow us on Instagram if you don’t already @steephill.studio.
In The Studio:
We started with a Rebuild Project Update
Then Dave walked through all the Spring Projects for the Rebuild.
Lee shared a Global Garden Plan for the property.
We tapped the Steep Hill sugar maples and shared the Maple Syrup making process.
APRIL
April was such a relief as the snow finally melted and the ice thawed, revealing a sparkling lake beneath. This milder weather made a road trip to Montréal possible. So we packed up the pups and headed east to retrieve a couple of incredible vintage furniture pieces for the cabin and the cottage.
Once we were back at Steep Hill the garden projects began. The biggest one was reintegrating an old driveway into the natural setting. This proved a bit more difficult than anticipated but Dave is nothing if not determined on the Bobcat. Another garden challenge was growing dahlias from seed collected the previous fall (after all the tubers froze over winter) and seeing those seedlings sprout was truly the highlight of Lee’s month.
With some pressing garden projects underway, we moved onto one of the biggest tasks of the entire rebuild, installing the windows.
In The Studio:
We documented How an Old Driveway Almost Destroyed the Bobcat
Our quick trip to Montréal and The Couch We Traveled 1000 Kms For (and How to Source Vintage Gems of FB Marketplace)
Dave shared some essential insights on How to Craft Custom Front Doors since the cabin door gets so much love.
MAY
May is nothing short of magical at Steep Hill every year. Seeing the flowers bloom, the birds nesting, hearing the bees buzzing and the butterflies flitting about is truly out of a fairytale. It always reminds us why we took the leap to move out here and why it’s worth enduring such a long and harsh winter.
Early in the month we took the opportunity to source a beautiful vintage transom for our the north entrance of the cottage. Whenever possible, we love incorporating stained glass in our work.
An order of about 20 dahlia tubers arrived, prompting the completion of another big garden project, the raised dahlia garden. This involved a lot work, spraying the planters green, levelling the footing for them to sit on, unearthing boulders to do so, filling them with soil and finally, the actual planting.
Dave got started on building the stairs in the cottage and then we faced the daunting task of installing the massive windows in the Muskoka room. This was something we’d been dreading since we first realized they would need replacement. The worst of which being the centre picture window. Luckily, we have generous friends, that were willing to lend some muscle for the occasion.
Just when we could finally tick that box off the list, our siding arrived on a transport truck to remind us that the work was just getting started.
In The Studio:
JUNE
June is when life at the lake starts to really flourish and its hard to keep up with everything on the list each day. This year we wanted to make a point of getting on the water more so whenever we had anything left in the tank, we took the girls out for snoodle in the boat of in the canoe. They love taking in all the lake smells and every sleeps better afterwards.
On site Dave finished framing the stairs, which turned out so well.
On the property we installed another section of split rail fencing, which really adds texture and structure to the lot.
In the garden we finished the dahlia brackets, which offer support for staking. We also designed and built garden covers to protect our kitchen garden from the grazing deer.
In the cabin we finished the cabinet doors and got the boathouse organized just in time for our guests to arrive.
We also spent a bit of time with family and had a chance to visit another vintage market.
In The Studio:
How we make decisions when our opinions differ
Our cottage kitchen cabinetry plans
Under mount vs top mount sinks
How we’re handling exterior lighting at Steep Hill.
JULY
We spent the month of July staining thousands of linear feet of siding for the cottage and eventually the boathouse. We lucked out with the ideal weather for the task and knew we had to buckle down and get it done before rain arrived. We spent about eight full days staining the front and back of every board, which was monotonous and tiring but satisfying in the end.
The gardens were so lush and we had no shortage of fresh leafy greens to keep us from living on leftovers.
We rewarded our efforts with a quick trip to Toronto source a vintage lamp for the cabin and a special fixture for the cottage.
At the end of the month Lee’s parents came out for a visit. We did some boat touring and had a few nice meals al fresco in front of the cabin complete with delicious fridge pickles of course.
In The Studio:
AUGUST
The theme of the month for August was “harvest”. The kitchen garden was brimming with veggies ready to pick or pull. The dahlia garden was flourishing and it was time to start harvesting seeds from the marigolds.
On site, the HVAC rough-in was well underway, which meant an unpleasant amount of time in the crawlspace for Dave. He worked so hard on the design of this system and the results have come out brilliantly.
The ceiling cladding materials arrived for the living and Muskoka rooms and we were blown away by how gorgeous the vertical grain fir is in person. It’s going to bring so much warmth and refinement to these cottage spaces.
In the cabin, hardware finally arrived, which meant we could, at long last, shoot the full tour of the space. This was a milestone we’d looked forward to from the very inception of Steep Hill Studio.
We escaped from the to-do list briefly, with yet another sourcing trip to retrieve a special vintage fan for the cottage.
Then it was time to enjoy our favourite summer supper, pesto perfecto, with a cheers to a summer well spent and the one year anniversary of Steep Hill Studio!
In The Studio:
SEPTEMBER
September was a tough one and we spent much of it worried about our feline family member, Evie, before she had to leave us after 16 years. She was such a sweet cat (when she wanted to be) and the best garden companion. She adored life at Steep Hill and getting to enjoy so much freedom during her years here. We miss her dearly but her spirit lives on in sun beams and patches of warm mulch.
Our spirits were lifted by all the beauty in the dahlia garden and we stayed busy working on the rebuild. Dave finished sheathing and capping the chimneys, a huge job on a very tall ladder. Then it was time to get to work on the next phase of the windows, which was building, assembling and installing the trim. On rainy days, we moved forward with plumbing in the cottage and editing videos for The Studio.
By the end of the month it was time to start collecting dahlia seeds, the lake grew still and the first signs of autumn were starting to show.
In The Studio:
OCTOBER
October demanded a slightly unexpected change of gear. We noticed some serious deterioration in the boathouse roof and this was our last window of opportunity to replace it before winter. So Dave dropped everything on the rebuild to prepare the roof for roofers to come and shingle. Luckily the weather held out and they got the work done.
Meanwhile, Lee worked on one more staining project for the season, the chimney shingles. These are going to add a touch of quaint texture to the exterior of the cottage.
It was unseasonably warm so we took advantage of the last long days with a few paddles.
The final harvest of dahlias happened just before the first frost arrived and we brought a very exciting appliance into the rebuild!
While the weather was still nice enough during the day, we prepped the electrical boxes for our exterior lighting and can’t wait to instal those in the new year.
In The Studio:
1. Fireside Chats: Why the Design and Planning Phase Is The Most Valuable Part of Any Project
2. A mini masterclass to help you Get Your Exterior Lighting Right and an Exterior Light Fixture Guide & Sources
NOVEMBER
Along with November’s arrival came snow, cold winds, short days and long nights. Before the snow fell, we rushed to get the drywall down the hill with the bobcat so we can continue working on the interior finishing through the winter. Then, with the electrical rough-in complete, it was time to put all our efforts into insulating the cottage. Insulation is no one’s favourite task but we had an energy grant deadline to meet and this was great incentive to get the work done. The studio lights came in very handy on these late nights.
In The Studio:
This set of guides was created for folks who value natural materials and enduring details, to save you time, stress and expense when crafting an heirloom quality space. No need to imagine the right finish or wonder where to find it. All materials tested. Every source linked.
DECEMBER
December is a busy month for everyone with the holidays fast approaching. We definitely felt the time pressure and the dogs are already over the novelty of fresh snow and just want to be kept warm and cosy in the cabin.
With a few mild days in the mix we’ve been able to make progress with the exterior insulation on the rebuild and that offensively bright blue is finally disappearing.
We did some Christmas shopping at the local thrift store and picked up an original version of Mastermind, which has been a fun activity. We were too busy to do much in the way of holiday decorating but we’ll be ready to go all out when the time finally comes!
In The Studio:
We published the next instalment in our Rough-In Series - Part Two - Electrical
Our final Fireside Chat for the year was the December Q&A in which we answered:
01. How do you stay confident in your design decisions when Instagram and Pinterest constantly show new ideas? (01:50)
02. How early should I be making decisions about built-ins, outlets, and fixture placement? I always feel behind. (07:36)
03. If I’m not an electrician, how can I tell whether my rough-in has been done cleanly and properly? (12:19)
04. We’re adding a small outbuilding. How do we make sure it feels connected to the main cottage without copying it exactly? (16:11)
05. What are some of the unexpected costs in a build or renovation that catch people off guard? (19:27)
++ PLUS 10 Lightning Round Questions!
