Fortunately, Canadian cottage architecture is a rich and varied tradition. As Carma says, “cottage-country architecture is causally elegant, richly detailed and distinguished by obvious craftsmanship. Dormers, decorative gable ends, eyebrow windows, shutters, window boxes, cupolas and roof brackets are all traditional features.”

When it’s completed in 15 to 17 years, Auburn Bay will be home to about 18,000 people, with more than 6,000 homes on 900 acres.

“The lake is already under construction, and it will be filled by sometime in November, so it will be available for winter activities this year,” says Carma’s Sharon Walker.

Auburn House, the 7,000 square foot recreation centre, will be built next year. “We’re doing the west half of the park development, and landscaping it, this year. Next year we’ll landscape the east half and open Auburn House.”

Lakefront building lots are scarce and much in demand. Of the lots released so far, all five have been sold. And all available lots with private access to the lake have also been sold. Of course more will be available as future phases of Auburn Bay come on the market. Already a dozen showhomes, are open, demonstrating Auburn Bay’s potential. Six builders are presenting two showhomes each: Baywest, Cardel, Cedarglen and Jayman in the move-up market category, and Albi and Morrison in estate homes.

The Olympia III from Baywest Homes is distinguished by a dramatic two-storey family room. Dramatic windows flanking the gas fireplace reveal views to the rear of the home, and bring a flood of light into this soaring space.

The open kitchen features an eating bar in the island, which also contains the sink and dishwasher. The cabinetry is available in a choice of eight door styles with a choice of oak, maple or hickory, and includes a step-in pantry. A deluxe refrigerator, stove, washer, dryer, microwave and range hood are all standard.

A pleasant eating nook with windows on three sides is ideal for family meals. The formal dining room, a few steps from the kitchen, is open at one end, but enclosed by three walls. The beamed ceiling brings an added feeling of dignity and formality to the dining room.

The Rushmore III is a home that doesn’t disclose itself to casual visitors. Sight lines from the front door keep most of the main floor space private. Guests can be greeted in the spacious foyer, with coat closet and powder room at hand, and then welcomed into the home.

Upstairs a railing gives a view into the family room below. A convenient study space is provided in the upper corridor, which links the three bedrooms.

The well-appointed master suite includes a spacious bedroom with corner windows for soft natural light, and a bathroom with soaker tub, shower stall, optional double vanity sinks, a separate space for the toilet, and a walki-in closet. The other two bedrooms, at the front of the house, share a full bathroom accessible from the hall. There’s also a spacious linen closet in the hall.

Standard interior finishes include a choice of more than 200 paint colours, six baseboard and seven door and window casing styles, and seven door styles.

Based on a lot price of $74,000, the Olympia III is priced at $306,485, including GST.

The Empress 2 by Cardel Homes is a spacious three-bedroom model with a flex room on the main floor and a bonus room upstairs, for a total of 2,084 square feet. Base price for the Empress 2 is $281,135, including a $72,000 lot and GST. The show home version would be priced at $298,270.

The show home in Auburn Bay includes a number of interesting design options, including nine foot ceilings on the main floor, an enlarged dining nook, a soaker tub, and a larger bonus room, great room and master suite, adding a total of 144 square feet to the floor space.

The main level features ceramic tile and hardwood flooring throughout – a warm and practical choice. The great room, which opens onto the kitchen and nook, is defined by its rich nutmeg-stained maple floor. The gas fireplace in the great room has a ceramic tile surround and a traditional wood mantle. It’s flanked by two large windows.

The front door opens into a convenient foyer with coat closet and powder room. Also at the front of the house is the flex room, 11 feet by 11 feet, with a wide arch opening on the foyer space. The kitchen, with an eating bar and a large dining nook, opens onto the great room at the back of the house.

Centrally located stairs lead to the second floor, with the master suite, two more bedrooms and a bonus room. Floor finishes on this level are carpet, with ceramic tile in bathrooms. The upgraded master bath includes a single vanity sink, a soaker tub with a window over it, and a shower stall.

A second full bath serves the other two bedrooms. At the front of the house, the bonus room could easily become family headquarters in the evening, with ample space for games, relaxing, and even a home theatre.

The Logan by Cedarglen Homes has the cottage-country feel that’s to be expected in Auburn Bay. A pleasingly complex roof line, carpenter-gothic trims, and a generous use of stone all contribute to the cottage theme.

Inside, however, city comforts take centre stage. Guests can be welcomed in the foyer, then shown into the great room – a pleasant surprise, because the room is two storeys high and lighted by two stacked rows of huge windows. The fireplace, on the adjoining wall, is flanked by tall shelves ideal for books or ornaments.

The kitchen is modern and practical, with some old-style features that still make sense today. Instead of an island, the kitchen counter forms a peninsula for extra space. The work surface is laminate, with ceramic tile on the eating bar. The kitchen overlooks a spacious dining nook at the back of the house, with windows on three sides for extra natural light.

A door from the kitchen leads to a walk-through pantry with plenty of shelving. The pantry leads to the laundry/mud room, which opens into the garage. A pocket door from this area opens into the public part of the house.

The main floor also features a flex room, 10 feet by 12 feet, that could be a den, a home office or even a formal dining room. Nine foot ceilings are standard on the main floor.

Upstairs, the master suite includes a bedroom of about 200 square feet, a walk-in closet, and a master bath with a large tub, double vanity sinks, a shower stall and a separate room for the water closet. The bedroom also has a traditional cottage touch – a window bench. Two more bedrooms and a full bathroom complete the upstairs layout.

The base price for the Logan is $215,700, plus lot, net GST and architectural controls.

The Aura is the smaller of the two Jayman show homes in Auburn Bay, but it’s a little gem, both charming and practical.

At 1,515 square feet, the Aura has most of its space on the main floor, which includes a spacious owners’ suite. The second level, at 455 square feet, contains two bedrooms at the front of the home and a full bathroom.

The appeal of this home begins at the curb. Like other builders, Jayman has taken the cottage-country design brief very seriously. Exterior finishes, trims and other details consciously echo the style of the Muskoka area, Canada’s classic summer-cottage territory.

As the company says, “Identical floor plans can appear like completely different homes from the outside depending on the elevation treatment. Roof styles, trim design facing materials and elevational massing can help create a varied streetscape.”

Inside, the Aura welcomes family and guests with a two-storey foyer. The show home’s main floor features light-coloured hardwood flooring and millwork for an informal but tailored look.

A vaulted ceiling over the kitchen, dining nook and great room provides a sense of space and shelter. Huge windows at the rear bring light and views into the great room. A patio door leads from the nook to a small deck, ideal for morning coffee or evening barbecue.

The main floor owner’s suite has ample room for a king-size bed, plus a spacious walk-in closet. In the show home, the master bath doubles as a powder room, but Jayman offers an option: a private bathroom, a smaller walk-in closet, and a half-bath for guests.

There’s also the option of moving the owner’s suite to the second floor and bringing the other bedrooms to the main floor. Jayman also offers basement development options including a recreation room with a wet bar and an additional bedroom, or a rec room and two more bedrooms.

The Wellington III by Albi Homes is an estate model available exclusively in Auburn Bay.

Tailored to fit the community’s cottage-country theme, the Wellington III has rich exterior finishes in stone, shingle and clapboard.

Main floor space flows from the stone portico sheltering the front door, through the foyer, into a large, light-filled area including a dining room, kitchen, family room and eating nook. Hardwood flooring extends throughout the public space on the main floor.

Despite its size, the family room feels intimate, centered on a fireplace surrounded by windows that cover much of the wall space. The rest of one wall is devoted to a handsome shelving unit with space for books, ornaments and a large, flat-panel TV.

Dark-stained cabinetry and granite countertops set the tone of the spacious kitchen area, with two long stretches of countertop plus a large L-shaped island. Appliances include a double-wide refrigerator, a gas cooktop, and wall-mounted microwave and conventional ovens. For extra work space, the eating bar on the island is at countertop height.

A door from the kitchen opens into a large storage, pantry and laundry space that connects to the garage. The eating nook is roomy at 11 by 11 feet, and features a built-in telephone desk and garden doors opening onto a 132-square-foot deck.

Even the stairwell is an eye-catching feature of this home. Two flights of open-tread steps rise through a space brilliantly lighted by large windows. Upstairs, double doors open into the vestibule of the owner’s suite. The bedroom itself has a vaulted ceiling. There’s a walk-in closet, of course, and an ensuite bathroom with soaker tub, shower stall, double vanity sinks and a room for the water closet. The other two bedrooms are spacious, and have walk-in closets. The jack-and-jill bathroom between them has double vanity sinks, with the tub and water closet concealed behind a pocket door.

The base price of the Wellington III is $344,000. As shown, including lot and upgrades, the price is $581,000.

The Copithorne III by Morrison Homes is a spacious, welcoming home ideal for entertaining. It is one of two Morrison estate homes now showing in Auburn Bay.

Guests are welcomed into a foyer that opens into a great room of about 300 square feet, with an expanse of narrow-strip hardwood flooring that extends into the open-plan kitchen and dining nook. Most of the main floor’s 995 square feet come together in this spectacular space. The great room’s cosy fireplace in a traditional surround is a focal point of the total space.

Adjoining the kitchen, the nook is nicely detailed, with windows on three sides, a vaulted ceiling and a window seat. Patio doors on one side open onto a spacious optional deck of nearly 180 square feet. Extensive granite countertops, ample cupboard space and a step-in pantry make the kitchen convenient for family meals or entertaining.  The main floor powder room is discreetly located in a corridor just off the great room.

The attached garage is oversized at 20 by 22 feet, with an extra 4 by 14 foot storage area at one side. A few steps lead up to the mud room and laundry room, with a closet and an access door to the main floor living space.

Upstairs, the floor area totals 1,291 square feet, including a master suite, two more bedrooms sharing a bath, a bonus room with a vaulted ceiling, and a cosy den. The master suite includes a walk-in closet, while the master bath has dual vanities, a soaker tub, a large shower stall and a separate room for the water closet. The other two bedrooms open directly into a shared bathroom, but an optional floor plan has the bathroom opening into the upstairs hall instead.

Base price for the Copithorne III is $262,443.71, plus lot and GST. With a $90,000 lot and various upgrades, the show home would be priced at $390,875.15, including GST.