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Kalamalka Lake House

Location
Kalamalka Lake, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Year / Status
Completed
Lake-facing elevation with three roof peaks, glass balcony railings and V-shaped supports at Kalamalka Lake House by BLDG Workshop.
Lake-facing elevation with three roof peaks, glass balcony railings and V-shaped supports at Kalamalka Lake House by BLDG Workshop. Photography: Jill Penner.
Street-side entrance and garage framed by white siding, warm-toned doors and planting at Kalamalka Lake House.
Street-side entrance and garage framed by white siding, warm-toned doors and planting at Kalamalka Lake House. Photography: Jill Penner.
A stepping-stone entrance path beside a horizontal privacy screen at Kalamalka Lake House in the Okanagan Valley.
A stepping-stone entrance path beside a horizontal privacy screen at Kalamalka Lake House in the Okanagan Valley. Photography: Jill Penner.
Bright entry hall with a timber ceiling, slender stair balustrade and blue front door at Kalamalka Lake House.
Bright entry hall with a timber ceiling, slender stair balustrade and blue front door at Kalamalka Lake House. Photography: Jill Penner.
Living room with a white fireplace, timber ceiling and full-height windows overlooking Kalamalka Lake.
Living room with a white fireplace, timber ceiling and full-height windows overlooking Kalamalka Lake. Photography: Jill Penner.
Close view of the sculpted white fireplace surround with daylight and a glimpse of Kalamalka Lake beyond.
Close view of the sculpted white fireplace surround with daylight and a glimpse of Kalamalka Lake beyond. Photography: Jill Penner.
Round dining table beneath a pendant light, with the fireplace and timber ceiling beyond at Kalamalka Lake House.
Round dining table beneath a pendant light, with the fireplace and timber ceiling beyond at Kalamalka Lake House. Photography: Jill Penner.
White kitchen with a broad island, dark counter stools and timber ceiling at Kalamalka Lake House by BLDG Workshop.
White kitchen with a broad island, dark counter stools and timber ceiling at Kalamalka Lake House by BLDG Workshop. Photography: Jill Penner.
Kitchen worktop, range and large windows overlooking planting at Kalamalka Lake House.
Kitchen worktop, range and large windows overlooking planting at Kalamalka Lake House. Photography: Jill Penner.
Open serving window connects the white kitchen to a covered outdoor counter at Kalamalka Lake House.
Open serving window connects the white kitchen to a covered outdoor counter at Kalamalka Lake House. Photography: Jill Penner.
Bedroom with a timber ceiling, pale green bedding and a sculptural pendant light at Kalamalka Lake House.
Bedroom with a timber ceiling, pale green bedding and a sculptural pendant light at Kalamalka Lake House. Photography: Jill Penner.
Bathroom with pale green wall tiles, a timber vanity and a rounded mirror at Kalamalka Lake House.
Bathroom with pale green wall tiles, a timber vanity and a rounded mirror at Kalamalka Lake House. Photography: Jill Penner.
Guest bedroom with a built-in upper bunk, timber ladder and checked wall covering at Kalamalka Lake House.
Guest bedroom with a built-in upper bunk, timber ladder and checked wall covering at Kalamalka Lake House. Photography: Jill Penner.
Lower-level family room with a generous pale sectional and dark textured fireplace wall at Kalamalka Lake House.
Lower-level family room with a generous pale sectional and dark textured fireplace wall at Kalamalka Lake House. Photography: Jill Penner.
Timber bar cabinetry, dark counters and open shelves in the lower-level gathering space at Kalamalka Lake House.
Timber bar cabinetry, dark counters and open shelves in the lower-level gathering space at Kalamalka Lake House. Photography: Jill Penner.
Covered terrace with lounge chairs, full-height glazing and views toward Kalamalka Lake.
Covered terrace with lounge chairs, full-height glazing and views toward Kalamalka Lake. Photography: Jill Penner.
Sheltered outdoor lounge beneath the roof overhang, with Kalamalka Lake and hills beyond.
Sheltered outdoor lounge beneath the roof overhang, with Kalamalka Lake and hills beyond. Photography: Jill Penner.
Covered outdoor dining area with an integrated grill, vertical privacy screen and Kalamalka Lake views.
Covered outdoor dining area with an integrated grill, vertical privacy screen and Kalamalka Lake views. Photography: Jill Penner.
V-shaped exterior support frames a view across the lawn to Kalamalka Lake.
V-shaped exterior support frames a view across the lawn to Kalamalka Lake. Photography: Jill Penner.
Kalamalka Lake House seen from the water, with its dock, lakeside lawn and glazed waterfront elevation.
Kalamalka Lake House seen from the water, with its dock, lakeside lawn and glazed waterfront elevation. Photography: Jill Penner.

For more than two decades, this family home on Kalamalka Lake was a place for summer days on the water, singalongs and backyard gatherings. Its next chapter called for a fresh approach without losing the feeling that made it home. BLDG Workshop collaborated with interior designer Adrianne Bailie to reimagine the waterfront property as a light-filled retreat rooted in the Okanagan landscape.

An intended renovation became a near-rebuild when unexpected foundation conditions came to light. The design retained the familiar lake-facing silhouette while opening and brightening the interiors. Natural materials, soft textures and a quieter palette create an easy relationship between the rooms, the gardens and the water beyond.

Privacy was considered alongside the view. Layered screens and louvred panels shelter the decks from neighbouring properties without closing off the lake. Red Cedar-toned NewTechWood composite profiles bring warmth to the screening, outdoor kitchen and dining areas, while fluted cladding carries the material language to the garage door and selected window surrounds.

The result is a modern lake house shaped around the way the family lives: spaces for gathering and celebration, quieter places to retreat, and a constant connection to Kalamalka Lake.

Architectural design: Nathan Buhler, BLDG Workshop
Interior design: Adrianne Bailie
Photography: Jill Penner

Read the NewTechWood case study >>

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