A calm, welcoming oasis — the 2024 Minto dream home is all about health and wellness, with a large dose of timeless sophistication.
It’s “like a breath of eucalyptus-infused steam,” Minto Communities said in social media posts just before it opened for viewing on Sept. 4.
The home makes up the bulk of the grand prize in the annual CHEO Dream of a Lifetime lottery, a major fundraiser for the children’s hospital. Designed by Minto and Tanner Vine Interiors, with input from a plethora of suppliers and services, the fully furnished home comes with extras such as a Mercedes electric SUV, $100,000 in cash, gas, groceries and house cleaning for a year plus more, and is valued at more than $3.3 million.
Highlights include a yoga studio in the third-floor loft, a private spa and golf simulator in the basement, a bubbling pond in the fully landscaped backyard and a 25-foot-long kitchen entertaining area.
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How to visit the home
Ticket information
The 2024 Minto dream home in photos
The floor plan
Tanner Vine joined the lottery team this year, following in the footsteps of designer Tanya Collins, who topped off a six-year run at designing the dream homes with last year’s British equestrian-themed offering. Where the 2023 home was infused with rich colour and texture, the 2024 Minto dream home is the opposite, built on a palette of warm neutrals and a mix of contemporary and classic features and finishes.
MORE: Meet the winners of the 2023 dream home
Vine says he was inspired by a modern Belgian farmhouse style, which reimagines historic old farmhouses with modern interiors. “They maintain some of the characteristics and charm, and the overall look is very clean lines. The furniture is very pared back, but they also introduce some more classic or vintage pieces. There’s a really nice mix.”
The style also references nature, prompting Vine to use a lot of earth tones and natural materials, with shades of brown, sand and cool greys, wood, stone and ceramic, wool and linen. “So, there’s a really nice natural calmness to the home.”
That’s fitting, given that the home has been dubbed Oasis and is located next to a forested area that will not be developed. Vine says that when visiting the lot before the home was built, “it felt really calm. And so we really wanted to try to bring that feeling in.”
The home is more than 5,000 square feet and based on Minto’s Dahlia model, which is offered at the builder’s Mahogany community in Manotick, where the dream home is being built (this is the 24th year Minto has supplied the home for the lottery). In fact, there is a Dahlia model that can be viewed at Mahogany, where you can see what the floor plan looked like before Minto’s product development manager, Karen van der Velden, adjusted it to bring it to dream home size.
“There’s lots of interesting features in this home,” she says of the dream home.
Changes include adding the third-floor loft, excavating under the porch to add room in the basement for the spa, creating 10-foot ceilings in the basement, absorbing the fourth bedroom into the primary suite space and pulling the staircase away from the wall to create a 37-foot window wall from the third-floor loft all the way to the basement.
“The staircase is a real showstopper,” says van der Velden.
She chose the floor plan because it’s one that has been received well by buyers, but also because of the positioning of the kitchen, which is centred at the rear of the home, bookended by the great room on one side and an unexpected sitting area on the other, while a large bump-out sits in front of the kitchen and houses the dining space.
“I thought we should really showcase (that kitchen placement) for the CHEO home this year,” she says.
The now three-bedroom home (there’s a Murphy bed in the third-floor loft so it can be used as a fourth bedroom) offers a main-floor lounge/office, open-concept kitchen, living room and dining area, three full bathrooms plus a powder room, steam shower, sauna, cold plunge bath, media and games room, heated floors and more.
It also includes a number of green features, from solar panels that generate a significant portion of the home’s energy needs while reducing its carbon footprint, to a hybrid heating system that combines an air-source heat pump with a gas furnace.
The main floor is anchored by the kitchen (provided by Laurysen Kitchens). It features warm hickory cabinets, a massive 13-foot island, integrated appliances and hidden pantry with access to the mudroom.
Vine says taking part in creating this year’s dream home “was an absolute honour to collaborate with Minto on such an important fundraising project for CHEO.
“It symbolizes the community spirit in Ottawa. There’s all these amazing trades and suppliers and craftsmen who are all coming together in a very collaborative effort to support this worthy cause. It’s a really special project.”
Touring the 2024 Minto dream home
The dream home is open until Dec. 13 on the following days and times:
- Tuesday to Friday: noon to 8 p.m.
- Saturday and Sunday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Closed Mondays.
It’s located at 845 Companion Cres. off Century Road East in Manotick. There will be signs.
There is no charge to visit the home and no appointment is needed.
Not able to see it in person? By mid-September, there will be a 3D virtual tour on the lottery website that allows you to walk through at your own pace and as often as you like. The virtual tour will also include extra details such as a design studio that identifies materials used in the home. (back to top)
Getting your ticket
As it has been for the past few years, tickets are $100 each or 3 for $250. The 50/50 tickets, which can be purchased if you have a lottery ticket, are $10 each, four for $25 or 15 for $50. There are also packages that combine lottery and 50/50 tickets.
Tickets can be purchased online at dreamofalifetime.ca, by phone at 613-722-5437 or 1-877-562-5437, or by visiting the dream home (no cash taken). The lottery runs until Dec. 13.
For more information, visit dreamofalifetime.ca. (back to top)
2024 Minto dream home in photos
Exterior
The exterior of the home is modern farmhouse, which van der Velden chose for its popularity in Ottawa right now. It features a mostly warm and rough stone façade, reminiscent of what you’d see on an old farmhouse, with sage green board-and-batten accents and Douglas fir beams (courtesy of Kott Lumber).
Van der Velden wanted to move away from the wraparound porch idea, elongating it instead to bring it proud of the garage. It’s embellished with cedar soffits and two large light fixtures.
While she generally tries to incorporate a third garage into the home, lot restrictions meant that was not possible this year.
The 2023 dream home is just to the left of this year’s home and last year’s winners had fun watching the new home go up.
The grand prize package includes a Mercedes electric SUV (shown).
Foyer
The foyer is roomy and uncluttered, setting the tone for the rest of the home, most of which is obscured in the foyer by part of the kitchen wall.
Mudroom
The mudroom is a wide corridor open to the foyer and includes the powder room, floating drawers for storage, a repeat of the stone that’s on the home’s exterior (the stone is also found elsewhere) and a clever swing door for easy access to the kitchen pantry. When closed, the door is a full-length mirror that’s handy for a last-minute check before heading out the door.
“It’s a really great little mudroom entrance,” says van der Velden.
Powder room
Sporting a rustic vibe, the main-floor powder room is lined in rough-sawn oak that stops short of the ceiling to keep the space more human scaled. “I always find 10-foot ceilings in bathrooms a bit overwhelming, so we just lined it up with the trim,” Vine says.
Milled by Atmosphere & Bois, it has a protective clear coat, “but it looks like it just came from the mill,” he says.
The same panelling can be found in the dining area.
Den
Located off the foyer, the den is a partially open-concept room with desk space for working and upper cabinets for storage in custom lacquer hickory that go to the ceiling.
Gigantic tile used in the foyer (53 by 53 inches and supplied by Cosentino) is carried through the whole main floor for a clean, consistent look and feel. As a bonus, the floors are heated.
“Tile just pushes the contemporary look,” Vine says.
The den is also a welcoming spot to relax with a good book or listen to music. Decorating touches include a lime plaster paint on the walls for added texture and the first of several pieces by Living Art — this one a bonsai arrangement in which keen-eyed children can spot a miniature elephant and alligator on a beach for a bit of fun.
Staircase
The staircase is all about letting in light. Open risers, glass railings and a 37-foot window wall that’s made possible by pulling the stairs away from the wall allow extra light to flood the adjacent den and great room, as well as the basement and upper floors.
“Before we put in the drapes, we could be standing (in the basement) hearing the conversation electricians were having on the third floor because it’s all hard finishes,” says Vine. “As soon as we did the drapes … it really quiets the home.”
Living room (great room)
The great room is part of the open-concept back half of the home, connecting the kitchen, dining and sitting areas. Clean-lined and contemporary, the space is warmed with textured layers and an upper fireplace surround in the same warm hickory that’s found throughout the home.
A touching addition is the artwork above the fireplace, commissioned from artist Judy Nakagawa, who took thank-you notes and appreciation letters sent from parents to the hospital, enlarged them and extracted bits to incorporate into the organic piece.
“You can kind of make out there are some texts,” Vine says. “The idea is she’s replanting them into these pods to continue that goodwill.”
Kitchen
With a hint of Nordic inspiration, the kitchen balances contemporary and traditional, hard with soft, and warm and cool for a delightfully inviting entertaining space.
“I see a bunch of people in different areas, but all kind of together, which is lovely,” says Vine.
A line of cabinetry about 25 feet long frames the back wall, with minimal counter space, but is broken up with glass doors and an elongated cooktop.
Just visible to the rear, classic wingback recliners and a trio of windows with Roman shades add a traditional mix to the space. (La-Z-Boy supplied all the furnishings.)
Dining area
A large bump-out fitted with a generous banquette and lined in the same rough-sawn oak that’s found in the powder room offers a cosy yet ample dining space overlooking the backyard and forest beyond. Floor-to-ceiling drapes that puddle on the floor add to the softness of the space, while fun Bocce pendants from Alteriors are meant to look, when lit, like paper bags that have just been crumpled.
A miniature fig tree that is just starting to fruit is the only adornment on the island, in keeping with the clean, organic look.
The 13-foot island gives the impression of a cantilevered counter anchored in a monolith, which is encased in Dekton (courtesy of Cosentino).
Integrated appliances, a hidden hood vent and contemporary track lighting that’s more common to commercial spaces keep to the theme of clean lines.
Pantry
Tucked behind a hidden doorway in the kitchen and linked by a pivoting door to the mudroom, the handy pantry offers both a ton of storage and a prep kitchen that keeps necessary but visually cluttering small appliances nearby yet out of view. The space also includes open-style drawers handy for produce storage.
Primary suite
The primary suite stretches across the back half of the second floor, offering a true retreat. Double doors open to a generous sitting room with sofa, double-sided fireplace and flat-screen TV. Abutting the sofa (not seen) is a desk with views of the fireplace and out the window. This space takes the place of the fourth bedroom that’s found on the inspiration Dahlia floor plan.
“We liked that idea of having a desk and the couch in the middle of the space,” says Vine. “The couch is a little bit closer to the two-sided fireplace, so it’s really nice and cosy in the winter. And then for someone who works from home, this is a very private area.”
On the second floor, the flooring switches from the giant tile found on the main floor to a softer hardwood.
Echoing the beam accents on the home’s exterior, the idea was brought into the bedroom to continue the look. The beam truss is pulled slightly forward from the windows to highlight the bump-out and acts as a counterpoint to the low headboard, which is also pulled away from the windows.
“This is very calm; a nice way to finish your day,” says Vine.
The double-sided fireplace clad in vertical shiplap is the focal point of the primary suite and visible from all parts, including the soaker tub in the ensuite.
Ensuite
The roomy ensuite boasts a nine-foot-long double vanity pulled slightly away from the end wall to add airiness and allow for the drapes to be puddled. There are no vanity lights; instead, hidden LED lighting shines down onto the counter and bounces off the counter to provide ample lighting.
The soaker tub is also pulled out from the wall and angled partially in front of one of the double pocket doors (not shown) so that the fireplace can be seen when the tub is in use.
And a Venetian plaster treatment covers the walls and ceiling to add subtle texture.
Guest bedroom
Staying true to the treatment of the primary bedroom, Vine opted to place the bed in this bedroom under the window as well. A vaulted ceiling adds volume, so a chair rail at the height of the canopy bed, with the darker ceiling paint extended down on the wall, adds cosiness and allows the linen sphere pendant light to stand out.
Main bathroom
The second and third bedrooms share a Jack-and-Jill bathroom with separate vanities, including one positioned under the window with a wall-mounted extending mirror (not shown) to avoid blocking the view. “It has that kind of country charm to it, which I love,” says Vine.
The shower and toilet are in a separate, enclosed space to allow more than one person to use the room at the same time.
Similar to the primary ensuite, the walls and ceiling have been given a Venetian plaster treatment.
Kid’s room
Appropriately, Vine had some fun with the child’s bedroom, creating a riser for the bed and a small play area that can be closed off with curtains from the rest of the room to create a fort.
Continuing the repetition of beams, the child’s hideaway is framed by beams that accentuate the vaulted ceiling. Hidden LED lighting (a theme throughout the home), this time in the beam, points to the ceiling for soft, deflected evening light.
Laundry room
The efficient laundry room is located at the end of the hall, separating the primary suite and child’s room for added privacy. It features a stacked washer and dryer (provided by Appliance Canada), lots of counter and storage space, room for hanging clothes, a sink and a window for lots of natural light.
Third-floor loft
It’s decorated as a yoga studio, but the third-floor loft with balcony can have many uses. It includes a Murphy bed (not seen) for use as a fourth bedroom, but it could also be another family room, playroom, home office or whatever other use desired.
Decked out in white shiplap on most of the walls and the vaulted ceiling, where there’s another beam, it stops short of the exterior wall to create the appearance of an alcove.
“You can have your yoga, open the doors, let that natural light come in or even do your yoga pose on the deck,” says van der Velden.
The third-floor loft was added for a few reasons, she says. It helped get the square footage up to what’s expected in a dream home, the floor plan was conducive to it, it helped replace the fourth bedroom that was taken over for the primary suite and it brought back a feature that the public could not see the last time it was offered.
“In 2020, we had the loft space for the CHEO (home), but it was never opened” due to the COVID pandemic, she explains. “I felt the public really needed to see a loft third-floor design.”
Rec room
The basement is about fun, entertainment and relaxation. A large family room offers the perfect movie-watching spot, with comfy sectional and swivel chairs that can spin around to focus on the adjacent golf simulator. A large black-and-white print of a bear face by artist Troy Moth provides balance to the dark space of the nearby simulator.
The bump-out for the kitchen eating area is repeated in the basement, providing a convenient dart board alley lined in stone.
“This is for a family that likes to entertain,” says Vine. “I can see them coming here all the time.”
The stone is found again as the wet bar backsplash, while a kidney-shaped bar table provides another spot to hang out by the golf simulator. It’s not lost on Vine that the table is reminiscent of a sand trap.
“It’s kind of fun and it’s actually very practical because this is a very flowy area. So, to have something with hard edges wouldn’t be as comfortable to get around,” he says.
A 40-year-old Jade plant sourced by Living Art from the Niagara area continues the organic theme and complements the esthetic.
Private spa
The basement is “where the oasis and the wellness elements come into play,” says van der Velden. A room within a room, the cold plunge bath is a sanctuary of serenity, with its soft recessed lighting, earthy stone, more Venetian plaster and curved ceiling.
A commercial ice maker stands by for those cold dips, but the bather can also have a hot bath for longer soaks.
The spa opens to the sauna on the right (above) and steam shower on the left (below), with a spacious bench, storage and recessed lighting. Off this area, through an arched doorway, is the cold plunge bath.
The convenient steam shower includes a teak bench and rain shower faucet.
Like the rest of the interior doors, the entry door to this room is solid core (which helps dampen sound transfer between rooms) and done in a shiplap style.
Garage
The two-car garage is decked out with storage and workbench plus a wall of Ryobi gear (not shown). And, of course, it includes an automatic garage door opener. (The black tower shown on the left is the wheelchair lift used for visitors touring the home.)
Backyard
The fully landscaped backyard, courtesy of Thunderbolt Landscaping, includes a two-tiered deck with smaller upper deck for barbecuing and a larger lower deck for lounging, a bubbling pond, firepit with Adirondack chairs and a pathway from the back deck to the front of the home.
It won’t take long for the perennial plantings to fill in, creating a lush landscape that backs onto the equally lush forest, which won’t be developed.
“It’s so cosy back there,” says van der Velden. (back to top)
The floor plan
This is a three-storey home, but from the street has the appearance of a two-storey as the third floor is toward the back of the home and includes just the loft and bathroom. There’s a balcony off the loft, while the other three floors have a bump-out niche that’s used to great effect.
On the main floor, the main living space is open concept and stretches across the back of the home, while similarly upstairs, the primary suite stretches from one side to the other.
At 5,097 square feet (including the finished basement), the home is large, but its scale is such that it feels more intimate.
It’s a home, says CHEO Foundation president and CEO Steve Read, “that is going to wow everyone who sees it.” (back to top)
