Into the Arid: Inside This Stunning Desert-Chic Creative Retreat Near Osoyoos

The desert has always exerted a siren’s call on the artists among us: Georgia O’Keeffe and Alfred Stieglitz in New Mexico, Donald Judd in Marfa and James Turrell in Arizona all did their greatest work amid the combination of light, spareness, heat and expanse that only the arid environment seems to provide. This poses a problem for Canadian creatives, as we’re notoriously long on trees but short on sand, save for one tiny corner of the South Okanagan that is as dry and barren as the more famous desert regions to the south. So perhaps it’s no coincidence that it was said corner that drew artist David Burns and his wife Liz Bell to build their creative retreat.

The couple’s primary residence has long been in scenic Lions Bay, which is no slouch when it comes to inspiring vistas: it influenced Burns’s paintings and offered Bell easy access to the modelling and talent agency that she founded in 1992 and has since grown into a Canadian powerhouse. But, like for many others, their thoughts drifted to a potential second home during the pandemic. The couple were frequent visitors to the central Okanagan area, but oddly had never spent much time in the southern part of the Valley. So, when they came across an interesting listing just outside of Osoyoos, they didn’t know what to expect.

As their car climbed the 10 kilometres west of town, they left the lake, vineyards and powerboats that most people identify with the Okanagan behind. Instead, the landscape turned more arid, with desert sagebrush dotting an earthen-hued landscape of beiges and browns. And while the surroundings offered a welcome surprise (for South African native Bell, it reminded her of her home country’s African veld), the house was a work in progress. On the plus side, it had been a labour of love for the sellers—an Alberta couple who had lived in a RV on the 11-acre plot for two years before building in order to situate their home in the ideal spot. On the not-so-perfect side, the sellers were dedicated horse people, so much of the space had been designed with that passion in mind. But Burns was enthralled by the property, and Bell, who’s the best in the business in finding beauty that’s been foolishly overlooked, knew she could reimagine the house into something special.

After the couple closed on the property, the real effort began. Down went the horse paddocks and fencing (Burns kept the horse shelter, converting it into a makeshift studio) and work started on rewilding much of the native environment. As for the house, step one was a major whitewashing that transformed the honey-hued interior into one that draws heavily on the southwestern adobe tradition (with a side of South African Cape Dutch). Burns and Bell reimagined the kitchen as an open, easygoing space, and then lightened up and modernized the bathrooms (the couple, isolated both by the location and the pandemic, amazingly did all the work themselves). But it’s a testament to Bell’s vision that she and Burns were able to effect a wholesale transformation with zero structural modifications. That’s probably a good thing, as the substantial exterior walls, while a doppelganger for authentic adobe, are in fact insulated concrete forms with a full six inches of cement for stability and insulation.

Furnishing the home likewise took on a “necessity is the mother of invention” theme, with Bell doing almost all of her sourcing via Facebook Marketplace—a task that was a bit less tricky than it would be for most, thanks to her famous eye. (It also helps to have an acclaimed artist at the ready to turn the walls of the space into a gallery with his work.)

A bocce court was added, and then later a swimming pool—once again, with the work done by Bell and Burns themselves after their first contractor proved to be a bust. Burns’s uninsulated studio has become the hub of his output, even if it means he’s shirtless in the summer and coat-ed up in the winter. But, despite the temperature swings, the studio helps connect him closely to his outdoor surroundings; a recent series saw him dragging large painted canvases out under the sun to accelerate the drying process, inspired by the cracking texture of nearby Spotted Lake as it evaporates under the intense summer heat. And Bell has been equally inspired: while she continues to run her agency, she’s also found time to recently wrap up an 80,000-word memoir.

And so a pandemic side-project has morphed into something much deeper—an artistic and soulful retreat that’s heavy on inspiration, with a side of solitude thrown in.

Scroll on for more photos as well as Liz and David’s local favourites

LIZ + DAVID’S Local Favourites

For Breakfast

When we’re in the Okanagan, we love brunch at The Bear, The Fish, The Root and The Berry restaurant at Spirit Ridge. The dishes are hugely influenced by the culture of the Syilx Nation and their traditional foods, such as bannock and salmon, and a lot of the dishes are infused with local berry and sage flavours.

For Lunch

Stopping at Local Harvest on Lickman Road in Chilliwack on the drive up to the farm is the very best idea. We love their chicken sandwiches. The produce is all sourced and grown locally, of course organic and so beautifully presented.

Another one of our all-time favourite spots is Sophia’s Mexican food truck at the foot of the hill between the farm and Osoyoos. Their burritos are to die for, and paired with a Jarritos guava soda, you can’t go wrong.

For Dinner

We will drive an hour from the farm to Penticton just to have the pizzas at Tratto pizzeria. We were first introduced to Tratto by our friends Sarah and Murray Bancroft (of Birch Block Vineyard) during COVID. We knew that if they recommended it then it had to be good, as they are total foodies.

For Coffee

Everything about Isetta Cafe Bistro, just down the road about 10 minutes from our home in Lions Bay, is enticing: the food, the coffee, the ambiance—not to mention it’s the best place to take meetings.

For Design

The most beautifully curated design store in Vancouver is, bar none, Provide in the Armoury District. The owner and co-founder, David Keeler, is one of the kindest people we know. He has a keen eye for talent and both the store and gallery are thoughtfully curated with designs from local as well as international artists, artisans and designers.

For Everything Else

If you ever need anything, you have to head to Global Grocers in Oliver. This unassuming store on the outskirts of town, right on the main highway, is a treasure trove of delicious, hard-to find ingredients and products. From Indian spices to homemade pakoras to South African chutneys and Middle Eastern spices, they have it all. The proprietors are warm and welcoming, and when you enter you’re greeted like you’re old friends, and they will go to the ends of the earth to bring in something for you that they don’t already carry.

 

This story was originally published in the July/August 2025 print issue of Western Living magazine.

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