For those with ambitious goals, finding a team skilled and creative enough to make it happen can be the hardest part of the project.

When Charles Cleghorn, a former advertising exec turned wine entrepreneur, set out to build his home, he had an ambitious vision: a gorgeous, modern building designed to maximize the views from his bench-top property overlooking Skaha Lake in Penticton.

But his plan came with significant hurdles that involved both the design and the property. He was told it was impossible. Builders pushed compromise after compromise. But, he didn’t want a consolation prize, so he continued looking for a contractor who was up to the challenge.

After nearly a year of being told no, Charles found Ritchie. Though they recognized the difficulties that had led every other builder to shut him down, Ritchie also caught fire with his vision. They wanted in, and they delivered.

The Road to Ritchie

Initially, Charles had planned to use prefab, modular structures to build his home. However, after spending over nine months working with a manufacturer, Charles was told he would have to compromise on his vision and sacrifice almost half of his requirements to make it work. So, he pivoted and started looking for custom home builders that were able to creatively problem solve. Seeing our portfolio of past builds, and our ability to bring together imagination, creativity and engineering, he reached out to us.

Charles approached them with a carefully curated presentation, including his vision for the home, design details, materials and inspirations. We pulled pieces from his presentation and designed and presented a blueprint that perfectly aligned with his concept while addressing the inherent challenges. To keep the visual weight as light as possible, they hid most of the structure by building it right into the rock, leaving only the garage fully visible. Though buried in bedrock, they kept the space bright with an open concept layout, clean lines and large windows that bathe the home in natural light.

“A lot of planning, a lot of foresight, and a lot of handholding from the Ritchie team helped me make good decisions early on, which protected me and saved me a lot from cost overruns.”

Tweaking the details, maintaining the vision

The original concept was a building nearly made of glass, so the eye would see straight through to the view beyond. By combining the glass with minimalist architecture, Charles wanted the structure to almost disappear, making it seem as if it was a natural part of the scenery. However, given his property and where he wanted to place the home, this posed major issues.

After testing the bedrock, they discovered it would not support the weight of a house without a massive, 15-foot-high foundation wall. This was not only prohibitively expensive but would also ruin the aesthetic.

Instead, they reworked Charles’ inspiration by nestling the home in the rock, instead of on the rock. This not only maintained Charle’s vision and preserved the stability of the foundation, but it also cut costs on the entire project.

“Throughout the whole process, there was constant proactive and transparent communication, which is definitely the hallmark of Ritchie. Just really, really good communicators.”

Answering the call home

A carefully choreographed return home – preparing for a new chapter in life. Caterina and Fabio Banducci spent their youths in the Okanagan, relishing the languid summer days both working and playing in the abundant orchards and vineyards of the area. When career opportunities eventually came calling, they re-made their home and built a life in the Lower Mainland. But the Okanagan stayed close to their hearts, calling them back for regular family vacations in Peachland, Naramata, and Penticton.

20 years after moving to the coast, the Bianucci’s began making preliminary preparations to return home and trade in the chaos of city life for the idyllic charm of their childhood. With their kids nearly ready to leave the proverbial nest, their eyes were fixed on a return to the peace of the vineyards, orchards, and lakes they had left to build their careers.

To start the transition, they bought a farm on the Naramata Bench, with a plan to renovate the property to meet their needs over five years. Known as Naramata Outlook, the farm featured 10 acres of land that overlooked Lake Okanagan and the mountains beyond, and began perfecting their vision of a home nestled among vineyards.

Challenge

Create a home that maximizes the natural beauty of the Naramata Outlook, with its endless views, and can transition gracefully from full house to empty nester.

Outcome

After collaborating with a local grape grower to convert the existing orchard into a vineyard, Caterina and Fabio worked with Ritchie Homes to build a bright, airy home that highlights the unparalleled viewscapes of their new vineyard, the lake and the mountains.

Craftsmanship easily gets lost in extravagance. For those who prize design and quality, finding the right craftsmen transcends the need for ornamentation.

Harlee Code, a clinical social worker, and Shay Code, a former VP at IBM, left the city looking for simplicity, for a place where they could pursue their dream of running a vineyard/winery where they could live. So, they bought a 13-acre plot of land near Okanagan Falls and got to work planting their vineyard. To make sure their home/winery matched their expectation, they hired an architect to design the space.

When they got the plans back, the simplicity they desired was gone, hidden by an overwrought home that would either blow the budget or force them to compromise on quality.

The Codes quickly realized they needed to start over from first principles. Ultimately, Ritchie won their confidence by bringing together their vision, their budget, and their unique desires and land to create a modern farmhouse that met their standards.

Challenge

To design a simple, tasteful home that fit the unique property and maximized the Code’s wishlist and their budget.

Outcome

After listening to the codes hopes for the project, the team at Ritchie designed and built the modern farmhouse Harlee and Shay wanted. Featuring high-quality finishings and plenty of natural light, the home stayed within the Code’s budget and even saved them money down the road through energy efficient design.

“We are very proud of this project, and the end result. The Ritchie team was especially in tune with our thoughts and crafted us a home that was exactly as we wanted.”

This architecturally designed house is a stunning masterpiece, with corten steel siding and architectural concrete that provides an aesthetic unrivaled in area.

The 250 SQM home is framed in steel and suspended over a cliff in Naramata, offering breathtaking views of Lake Okanagan. This is a truly unique and breathtaking home that seamlessly blends modern architecture with natural beauty