The Floor Plan.
A layout designed for light, flow, and everyday living
Greystone Vista is arranged to make the most of its hillside setting, with a floor plan that feels both practical and full of character. The main level is designed for gathering and everyday living, the upper level offers privacy, and the walkout lower level adds flexibility for guests, family space, or recreation.
Design, craftsmanship, and character throughout
Designed by renowned Ottawa architect Charles “Chuck” Wheeler, Greystone Vista was conceived to make the most of an exceptional hillside setting overlooking the Gatineau River. The vision was to create a heritage-inspired country home with the comfort, durability, and livability of modern construction — a thoughtful balance of timeless character and contemporary function.
From its steep gables, limestone exterior, white trim, and generous windows to its carefully composed relationship with the landscape, the home reflects an architectural approach shaped by beauty, proportion, and a strong sense of place. Every element contributes to a property of warmth, presence, and lasting appeal.
Architectural Design… “is the professional art and science of planning, designing, and detailing buildings and physical structures to be functional, safe, and aesthetically pleasing. It is a creative process that merges engineering, spatial planning, and artistic vision to create environments that meet human needs.”
Engaging Charles (Chuck) Wheeler, renowned local Ottawa Architect, was the key to creating this unique country home, to take full advantage of this beautiful property and special location. The goal was to achieve a Heritage style country home with modern construction and materials, the best of both worlds.
The design was inspired by Gothic Revival style to create a stately structure, with steep gables and four facades, using limestone facing, white trims, and large windows to enjoy the fantastic long and short views of the Gatineau River and surrounding property. The front facade is to a southeastern exposure, and the porch facade is to an southwestern exposure, both offering hours of natural light and energy into the home. The layout of conventional upper level bedrooms, main living level, and lower level living space and garage with walkout, suit the topography of the property perfectly.
The stone staircase and main entry design welcomes guests into a double door vestibule, with stunning stained glasswork and a roomy closet to allow for a spacious and practical transition from the outdoors. The entry design is focused towards the central fireplace as the core foundation, and oak stairway as the principle elements of the home.
The floorplan flows effortlessly together surrounding the hearth in a semi-open concept, with post and beam type features defining separate spaces. The main entry to hallway, kitchen to dining, dining to sitting room, kitchen to family room, central stairways up and down. Yet the spaces offer their own character and charm. No need for an eat-in kitchen when you can leave the prep behind, and dine with an amazing view at every sitting.
The prominent stone exterior and bright open interior, together with a very functional floorplan form a beautiful architecturally-designed hillside home. Add lovely surrounding covered decks and bridge to gardens leads to wonderful times, all about enjoyable indoor and outdoor lifestyles.
The Spectacular Views
The Views… the Views! Situated on a prominent hillside overlooking the Gatineau River, the architecture has captured spectacular long views for kilometres down the river, across to Mont Cascades, and the shorelines of Chelsea and Cantley. Amazing sunrises, moonrises, and reflections of natural light are year-round experiences to enjoy from this unique perspective. Summer activities on the water are entertaining distractions to the normally tranquil setting.
The beautiful property surrounding the home offers peek-a-boo views through the bright windows on every corner of this gem. The microclimate is amazing.
Raised flower gardens are nestled against cedar rail fences. A variety of fruit trees and shrubs accentuate a mixed forest of mature trees. Past the gazebo, sun shadows pour through the forest canopy to the riverside… all offering natural views and peaceful ambiance.
The Fireplace Central Themes
Hearth and Fireplace are synonymous with country living and are a key design element in this home. A limestone hearth flows the theme from the exterior finishing— beautiful, solid, and a common natural material in this part of Canada.
Jotul System 18 is a unique cast iron fireplace system from Oslo, Norway. It provides an airtight wood-stove within the masonry structure to heat effectively. For atmosphere, the doors can be swung open and a screen put place, to enjoy a totally open fireplace. Either way, the massive central hearth absorbs, moderates, and radiates heat to all surrounding rooms, adding to a level of comfort and relaxation to the home.
The antique cookstove, a Belanger Major from 1928, finished in grey and white porcelain and nickel plating, sets a relaxed and elegant theme between kitchen and dining room. The stove maintains its original patina, yet is fully functioning and can cook a meal and heat the home if needed.
The lower level hearth is formed in two arches of red brick, with a Lange Airtight Woodstove from Denmark, finished in Blue Porcelain. This is a little beauty of a stove that burns beautifully and provides warmth and comfort to the surrounding rooms, and through the massive masonry structure to the whole home.
The central masonry structure continues through the roofline forming a prominent limestone chimney on the exterior. A true testament to Form Follows Function.
The Stained Glass Story
Stained Glass is one of the prominent features designed into this unique home.
Purposely placed to enclose the entry space with double doors, yet allowing light to transmit to the entry and kitchen from the large dining room bay window.
The search for an artist in glass to make these panels led to Otty Lake… near Perth Ontario. Gregori Robinson, a truly talented designer and artisan, fabricated these beautiful pieces in a style reminiscent of Frank Lloyd Wright… with chevrons, prisms, textures, and pastel colours. These are one-of-a-kind art works that truly add character and cachet to the home… while transmitting beautiful light without direct view between the rooms. Form again follows function when done well!
Matching stained glass panels in the kitchen, powder room and bathroom echo the thematic style of the designing artist..
Some of Gregori’s works here… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X07vDm0Ntys
The Construction
The Project Build… an exercise in creating a heritage character structure but with today’s comforts, was through a design mix of traditional and modern materials. Sourcing real quarried limestone, commissioning stained glass panels, and purchasing aluminum-clad windows, solid hardwood floors, as well as new materials beyond normal spec, has led to a truly substantial home of quality, beautifully finished and comfortable.
The structure began with a lucky excavation into hardpan sand, the ideal footing to a full basement. Ten inches thick, the basement perimeter and exterior walls are sealed in insulating foam, and covered in low maintenance finishes.
Ongoing updates, such as an ultra efficient heat pump system, have kept the home in wonderful condition that will stand the test of time.