Creating something big and beautiful

The first thing you notice about the house is the size. From the outside, everything is enormous—from the sheer size of the house to the size of the lots, one for the house and one for the yard. It sits on Mountain View Drive like a sentinel overlooking the golf course in the summer and facing the snow-topped mountains in the winter.
Yet the real beauty of the place is in its simplicity. Owners Michael and Ann Philpot were very hands-on when it came to conceptualizing the look of their home. The couple worked with an engineer to customize the design of a timber frame home to their exact specifications. The result is a three-level, 4,800 square foot home with an open concept layout that lends it a modern, functional and inviting feel. The house is designed by Tall Timber Log Builders of Abbotsford and contracted by Paul Martens of Westwood Developments in Kamloops.

Tired of rain and grey skies in Vancouver, the Philpots installed oversized windows to flood the living room with light. Another highlight of the room is a large, solid rock fireplace surrounded by minimalist furniture that invites people to gather around. One of Ann’s paintings is prominently displayed on top of the fireplace. Her fabric art and sketches of wild animals are also featured in this room.

This is Michael’s favourite part of the house. “It’s called the Great Room. And the Great Room, if you’re looking at it, is a great room,” said Michael. Indeed, the 30 ft high ceilings, the floor-to-ceiling windows, the massive, dark stained timber beams set against light-coloured wall board and decorative arches speak for themselves.
Other notable features include a bath tub made of pure copper in the master’s bath (very fitting as Michael works in the copper industry), Brazilian slate countertops and beautiful glass tiles in the kitchen. In the basement is a two-bedroom suite and recreation room. On the top floor, is another bedroom and an art studio for Ann. Inspired by the wildlife and nature she sees right outside her windows, it’s a place where she can let her creative juices flow.

The Philpots, who currently reside in the Lower Mainland, have been visiting Sun Peaks for about eight years now. They had previously owned a log house on Fairways Drive which they sold before the Mountain View home was completed. Michael and Ann were charmed with the location, which led them to build their vacation house. “We come up and down pretty regularly,” he said. “We’re going to spend the rest of the time up here.” After discovering how convenient Sun Peaks Resort is, his family has returned year after year. “You couldn’t have a better family-oriented type of a mountain. It’s still got a quaintness to it. It’s not crowded; snow conditions are phenomenal. You know what? I’ll do a four-hour’s drive (to visit Sun Peaks) than going up to Whistler.”