2024 At Steep Hill Studio
Well folks, 2024 is coming to a close. Previously, we’ve found it hard to believe that the year is already over but this time it feels more as though we squeezed three years into one. 2024 was probably the most challenging and rewarding year to date. We learned a lot and had to put that knowledge to the test many times. Sometimes we wondered if we were delusional for taking on so much at once, but now we see that more as an indication that we were onto something special.
While Steep Hill Studio only launched in August of this year, we thought it would be interesting to take a look back at the last 12 months and share all the key events that led up to the end of a major year.
JANUARY
We had a mild January and Dave and I spent a lot of it working on the Sleeping Cabin, planning the interior finishes, designing and building the front door, running the electrical and putting the insulation in. We were getting to know our sweet girl Winnie who joined us at the end of 2023, enjoying quiet snowy walks and staying cosy by the fire.
FEBRUARY
During February we installed the soffit at Sleeping Cabin roof. This was a tricky job but truly one of our favourite exterior design features here at Steep Hill. The cold pushed us indoors where we finished the interior insulation and completed the vapour control layer for the cabin.
Another highlight of the month was tapping the sugar maples on our property in the hopes of making more maple syrup for the year ahead.
MARCH
During the month of March we carried on in the Sleeping Cabin with installing drywall and furring for the wainscotting. This was followed by several rounds of mudding and sanding to finish the drywall. Then it was time to prime the walls and install ceiling paneling throughout the cabin.
Around the property we planted lots of wildflower seeds to support our future bee colony. The days were warming up and the sap was flowing.
APRIL
We started the month by boiling down over 400 litres of sap into about 10 litres of maple syrup. The earth was starting to come to life again and it was time to bring my dahlia tubers out of winter storage and start some seeds for the garden. We also planted a raspberry patch in the hopes of eventually having enough for a proper harvest.
In the cabin we finalized the colour palette for all the walls, moulding, cabinetry and flooring.
MAY
May was one of our favourite months at Steep Hill because it involved a lot of time in the garden. However, our stone planter ambitions got the better of us. After reconfiguring the flagstone patio we weren’t left with the time we needed to bring that to life quite yet.
We did however, get the bathroom in the cabin well underway before we left for Europe. We spent half of our time across the pond taking in all the magic of The Cotswolds, UK, making notes on how to create a home that is rich with charm and character. Then we met up with friends for a very special stay in Positano, Italy. There was an endless amount of inspiration to be found in both destinations and we returned brimming with design ideas.
jUNE
Then it was back to reality and all the work that was waiting for us. First on the docket was to paint the walls and ceiling. Then it was finally time to install the flooring in the cabin. This involved sanding and sealing them as well.
At the same time Dave was working on a custom cabinetry installation for our neighbours and I was busy working on the back end of Steep Hill Studio. Our first order of Steep Hill Studio uniforms arrived and made everything feel very official.
Then our nucleus hive arrived and we were able to welcome home our bees. The peonies were also in their prime during the month and such a delight to behold.
JULY
In July we started disassembly of the primary cottage, removing siding and discovering some rough looking layers underneath. We were expecting this but it was definitely as bad, if not worse, than we anticipated.
One exciting surprise during this phase was discovering that the cottage had originally been painted a dark green. This was serendipitous as we’ve planned to paint all the Steep Hill buildings a dark green since we first started creating our vision for the property.
In the cabin we moved forward with tiling and building the pocket doors for the bathroom and bedroom.
The hydrangeas had a moment of glory before the deer ate them and the dahlia garden was beginning to really bloom.
AUGUST
In August Steep Hill Studio launched, which was thrilling! There was a lot of work happening behind the scenes on the site (as always) but we tried to savour the best of the summer season when we could.
The wainscotting installation began and the carcasses for the cabin kichenette went in. We also made a bed frame (we cannot wait to make more furniture).
We had our last fire in the old cottage and thanked the space for all the goodness it was home to for so many years. Then we moved into the cabin and finished clearing everything out in preparation for demolition.
SEPTEMBER
By the start of September demolition was well underway and the enormous task of disassembling the old cottage and removing all the debris occupied much of the month. After weeks of excavation and earthwork the footings were formed and it was time to pour some concrete!
In stark contrast to the mess on the job site, the dahlia garden was in its prime displaying a kaleidoscope of gorgeous colour and dimension.
OCTOBER
October marked a major milestone for the project, which was the completion of the foundation. This had been one of the most intense and stressful stages of the work and we were thrilled to see it through. From there it was time to waterproof the foundation and finish the basement.
Then we moved onto framing the floor, followed by laying the subfloor. After this it was finally time to start framing the walls. This is always such an exciting time because the building really begins to emerge.
The time had also come to get the garden ready for winter. This involved saving A LOT of marigold seeds, digging up, splitting and storing dahlia tubers, planting spring bulbs and pruning any perennials that needed it before the first frost.
NOVEMBER
With the first floor framed, the next step was to add plywood sheathing and proceed with the second story flooring. Subfloor was then installed and the walls went up. With the upper story walls built the remaining sheathing was added.
It seemed that at this point our luck with good weather had just about come to an end and it started raining pretty much non-stop. That is, until it started snowing.
It was less than optimal weather to be working in, especially when the task was adhering waterproofing and building roofs.
DECEMBER
The focus throughout the final month of the year was on roofing. This involved building two of them from scratch and reworking the third roof pretty much entirely. Then it was a matter of adding fascia boards, sheathing, waterproofing and prepping them for the roofers.
It was tough to wake up to snow or freezing rain, day after day, especially on days when the forecast had promised neither. Ultimately, we relied on tarps to protect the build and got used to pivoting when it came to plans for the day.
Just on Friday (December 20th) the roofing team arrived to start work so with any luck Steep Hill Cottage will start the new year looking dry and ready for all the exciting next steps we have planned.
Thanks so much for tuning in for the 2024 Steep Hill Studio recap! We are so thrilled to be doing this work and to be able to share it with you. This is just the beginning of everything we’re dreaming up and can’t wait to offer this space so much more in 2025.
We wish you all the best for the holidays and the new year.
Portrait of Genie, Lee, Dave and Winnie by Andrew Ruhl, on the day of the footing pour.