It contains mostly Video with a few stills – mainly the helicopter shot view taken from the lakeside.

I was impressed with the SteadiCam. A great piece of technology. Apparently it takes a bit to configure it, but once done it works like a dream.

It’s always hard to try to capture the essence of a project and to differentiate it with authentic claims that actually matter to the target buyer.

With so many ideas, it was going to be hard to distill it down to three things. I wanted it to be simple, authentic yet differentiated. We settled on the following three pillars;

• Living the Lake Life
• Window on Nature
• Art Gallery Feel

You can see the the results on our About page

Living the Lake Life

Having lived on the lake in the original house for 5 years we had a clear vision of what living on the lake meant to us. I guess we’re a target persona, so we can provide an authentic buyer’s voice. That got me thinking about who are our target persona – how do they vary?, but that’s another post!

I’ve found living on the lake to be a way of life. The conditions on the lake determine what you do and when you do it;

• Flat Water and you are heading out to Ski, Wakeboard or Paddleboard
• Chopped up water and you may want to Wakesurf
• Higher winds and you may want to Kayak or Windsurf or Kitesurf of Sail

It’s all a matter of choice, but instant access gives you the freedom to act in the moment.

Window on Nature

There are many lakefront lots/homes, yet few deliver a true sight and sound “Window on Nature”. That evening I slept on the beach, with the stars for a blanket. I love the sound of the water lapping or crashing on the shore. Lake sounds are just as accessible from inside the home, given it’s proximity to the water.

The next morning I woke to the sound deer splashing in the lake. I quickly took this photo on my iPhone. How’s that for an authentic window on nature. Stunning sunrise too.

There’s so much more to the “Window on Nature” than the sunrises, sunsets, birds, animals and plant-life. The sight and sound of the lake and the skies are visible as far as 20k away. This is something you will quickly come to adore. You can literally see the next weather pattern before it arrives with amazing visibility both North & East, South & West.

I’ve often see an eagle fly over head to land in next door’s tree. I’ve yet to be quick enough to catch him on film with my telephoto lens! I live in hope of capturing that elusive image. Perhaps you’ll beat me to it!

Art Gallery Feel

The Architect brief for creating the house focussed on a peaceful natural, well-lit space. High ceilings with lots of glass, bringing the outdoors in. The Art Gallery feel is further complimented by the choice of materials and lighting. The space has a distinct feel – blending a boutique hotel and an art gallery. With nature and the seasons offering an ever changing backdrop for the gallery. It’s also a wonderful space to display your art.

Heated concrete foors mixed with natural stone and Walnut add interest and detail to the space. Obsessive attention to detail carries on the Gallery Feel all the way upstairs and out onto the courtyards and water features. The amazing front door, swings off-axis to draw you in to this peacful space

I did contemplate live blogging the whole process from development (including getting permission), through to sale. A tough call. In the end other things prevailed. I now have a rich pool of inputs, stories and experiences to share on the process.

On balance, I felt that you could simply be too early in drawing attention to the project. Simply to many unknowns. I also felt it may be better to pace myself and save my efforts and energies for the completed property and were now listed on MLS, so the process has officially begun.

We could have perhaps sought a buyer sooner, but would they have waited? An active buyer tends to be seeking a readily available property. We even considered selling it “part developed” and letting the buyer pick their finishes. In the end, after taking advice, we figured this was a distraction.

Buying a home is a huge emotional commitment. You begin to imagine yourself living in the home, allocating rooms, placing or buying furniture and art. That connection and bond really only happens when project is complete. When the space become real.

The whole project has been a lot of fun. We’ve had a great builder (James Wilson) and a wonderful architect (Scott Walkinshaw). We’d also like to thank our neighbourhood, the Kelowna City Council, Kelowna planning Department who have been instrumental in bring the project to fruition.

Some of the Key steps in the project were

• Picking Kelowna & The Okanagan Valley
• Living on the Lake – Experiencing Your Location
• Becoming Canadian (Adaptign to Cultural Norms)
• Getting to Know your Community
• Exploring the Idea of ReDevelopment
• Applying for Planning Permission
• Finding A Builder
• Big Choices: Architect vs House Designer
• Knowing Your Target Audience.
• Iterate – Build & Complete then refine

If I'm feeling enthused each of these may develop into its own blog post.

For now I’m happy to post the first entry.