John Gower Design

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Hillside View Home, Maple Bay BC

On a hillside perched above Maple Bay, on BC’s Vancouver Island, this 4 bedroom, 3-level family home takes full advantage of the cliff-top view while maintaining a sense of solidity and security. The overall form was strongly influenced by the constraints of a unique site where, bounded by a steep cliff below, arbutus and oak groves to the east and west, and a limited amount of service area above, it succeeds as a gentle and harmonious intervention. The home becomes more transparent as one moves downslope with the master bedroom, living and dining rooms and kitchen all having access to an uninterrupted view of the bay below.

Square Footage:2700 sq. ft.
Floors:3
Bedrooms:3
Bathrooms:2
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Our Clients Say…

We are so appreciative of John Gower’s expertise, creativity and communication skills. The process of designing our new home was very collaborative and enjoyable. His communication skills were especially valuable because we lived out-of-province and much of the planning was done with creative use of email, the internet and an interactive architectural program. He took the time to help us develop an inspired vision for what this home could be for our family. He then designed a great plan for… Read more
Linda F.Calgary, AB
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Bud and I wanted to thank you for the plans for our wonderful new home. It was a pleasure to work with you. I was concerned that we might have a difficult time working together with your being so far away. I must admit you made the process very easy. You seem to have a knack for taking what I saw in my mind and making it happen, even better than I could see it.
Bud and Sandy H.Idaho
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The house has become such a place of healing and retreat for us, we love every bit of it… Everything about the function of the house is working just as we had hoped- the indoor and the outdoor spaces seem to easily accommodate the extra people and we lived on the covered part of the patio all summer… I am so grateful for your creative genius in bringing our partly formed hopes and dreams into such a beautiful reality.
Linda F.Courtenay, BC
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John designed our lovely home in 2002. We opted for the full package (highly recommended), including interior design and ongoing support throughout the construction process. We can’t say enough about how pleased we are with our home. Every square foot serves a purpose with a harmonious integration into the landscape. John spent much time with us discussing how we spend our time in our home, taking the concept of custom home to a much higher level. We have referred two of our friends to John–ther… Read more
Crosbie & Helen W. Maple Bay, BC
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We spent the night here last night and we absolutely LOVE our place.  It is just gorgeous!  Every square inch of it is well thought out, beautiful, all the views; from lying in bed, from working, from cooking, all the window views, everything is just gorgeous. Thank you so much for your work.  Thanks for your help with colour choices;  it looks great!  You’ve done a fantastic job, I hope this piece is the highlight of your portfolio, or one of the highlights and brings you lots of work.  Its a … Read more
Sam R.Keats Island, BC
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Thank you John. It has been a pleasure working (by phone) with you! We do appreciate the manner in which you listen – we truly feel that our ideas have been incorporated.
Jed and Helen D.Nelson, BC
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We’ve been living in it for a year now and are really pleased with the design and the final product. I can’t thank you enough for the extra work you did designing the downstairs living space. It is a perfect floor plan and very roomy. I can’t believe all that we are able to fit in there.  We hope that you are still designing houses when we build our next house!
Patricia B.California
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I am thrilled with your work. I think the drawings look perfect.  I am very satisfied. It is, to me, a fantastic floor plan, and the exterior well achieves all of my design directives re: simplicity etc. Well done! All in all, I think the whole package is entirely excellent. Thank you for the great work.
Brian N.Procter, BC
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We worked with John Gower Design on a ‘contemporary craftsman’ style custom waterfront home. His drawings were thorough, well thought out and the assemblies worked well. He responded quickly to our requests for clarification and we collaborated well to refine the specifications as we built. We would be pleased to work with John Gower Designs again.
Kevin F. (Builder)Duncan, BC
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John was our house designer for a property on a steep site on the water. We wanted something modern and a bit unusual and he provided that. He was respectful of our needs and our wishes and designed a lovely and functional home. Working with him was a pleasure. He made several site visits and as well we met with him several times at his office. As well he took part in sourcing material that was hard to find. I would recommend him to anyone. We had no problems re deadlines or budget. The house wa… Read more
Kathryn W.Pender Harbour, BC
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Let’s get started on your dream home.

We have the passion and the expertise
to make it a reality.

Contact Us Today!

212 - 2459 Cousins Avenue | Courtenay, British Columbia, Canada | V9N 3N6

Tel: 250.871.8765 | Toll-free: 1.877.366.2502

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