A Home with a Horizon
Perched on a sloping site overlooking the Salish Sea, Sea Haven was designed as a warm, contemporary family home with ample space for gathering and entertaining. From the street, the home suggests a single-level residence, but from the rear it reveals itself as a dramatic two-story home that embraces the site’s natural topography while maximizing some of the most spectacular views on the Saanich Peninsula.
Project Partners
- Hoyt Design Co.
- Thomas Phillips Kitchens
- Alliston Stoneworks
Open, Airy, and Effortlessly Functional
An expansive open-concept living area brings together the kitchen, dining room, and living room beneath soaring overheight ceilings. The layout creates spaces that feel welcoming for everyday living while accommodating larger gatherings. Thoughtful changes in volume and scale add visual interest throughout, allowing each space to feel distinct while remaining connected to the larger whole.
A View That Takes Centre Stage
The home’s most remarkable feature is its relationship to the surrounding landscape. Nearly floor-to-ceiling glazing captures sweeping 180-degree views of Salt Spring Island and the Pacific Ocean. Natural light pours into the home, while every room offers a connection to the outdoors. Beyond the interior, a generous upper-level patio includes dedicated areas for dining, lounging, and outdoor cooking, all making the most of the property’s extraordinary setting.
The Philco team managed the project with clarity, providing creative input, financial considerations and explanation for timelines each step of the way.”
Personal in Every Detail
Throughout its 6,200 square feet, Sea Haven reflects a deep level of personalization. The home includes an exercise room, cedar sauna, elevator, custom bar, and a striking wine cellar where bottles are displayed floor-to-ceiling against a textured stone backdrop. Above the bar, a custom illuminated installation featuring an acronym formed from the names of each family member appears to emerge seamlessly from the wood panelling. Achieving this effect required careful planning and precision craftsmanship.
A Lasting Sense of Place
Sea Haven embodies what makes custom home building so rewarding: the opportunity to create a home that is perfectly aligned with its owners, its site, and its surroundings. From its dramatic ocean views and thoughtfully designed gathering spaces to its highly personalized details, every aspect of the home was shaped around how this family wants to live. The result is an elevated residence that’s designed to be enjoyed for decades to come.
