Do you ever fantasize about owning a lake house? I do, on a regular basis! Luckily, Openspace Architecture Inc. has given me a new image to add to my vision board with The Lighthouse Guest House – a beautiful fixture in the forested lakeside getaway of Nelson, BC.

The design draws inspiration from lighthouses, rendering this lakeside perch a steady beacon of hope in the choppy waters of our extreme Canadian weather.

A wood stove fireplace offers rustic warmth and comfort. I can imagine finding respite in front of it as rain beats against the windows on chilly windy days.

An amazing area chandelier flickers from the center of the home. By day, the shape twists like a cerith shell and driftwood-esq beams bend around it, completing the beach connection. At night, the driftwood becomes fuel for the chandelier, and it transmutes into a glowing, powerful flame – a beacon akin to the flames that lit the first ancient lighthouses.

This modern beacon boasts wood beams, while floor to ceiling windows and transparent glass railings treat you to a beach view from every floor, before you dash outside to enjoy it in person!

One of my favorite aspects of the guest house is its modest foot print: enjoy your lakeside visit with minimal impact, prioritizing what a summer getaway should be all about: enjoying the outdoors!

Cheers to this lake house getaway!

The Guest House is a satellite of the main house: Openspace Architecture’s The Lighthouse.

To learn more, visit Openspace Architecture Inc.

All photos courtesy of Openspace Architecture Inc.

Researched and Written by Emily E.A. Stringer, Undergraduate of Sociology, and Geography: Environment & Sustainability, from the University of British Columbia.