Inside a Minimalist “Japandi” Retreat in the Kootenays

When two busy Alberta-based geologists with a penchant for travel tapped Randall Boisvert, principal designer at Covet Interiors, to design a Kootenay-based, lakefront sanctuary, the designer pulled inspiration from the couple’s trips to Japan.

“They’re constantly traveling around enjoying their time when they’re not working,” Boisvert says. “Japan is their go-to spot when they do have time.”

Boisvert and her clients had a goal to create a retreat that reflected the calm they felt on their cross-continental vacations—but still on Canadian soil.

The result was the Stillwater House: an intimate 1700-square-foot one-bedroom, two-bathroom cabin, complemented by 600 square-feet of private decks and porches, in Riondel, B.C. (about a 35-minute ferry ride away from Nelson). 

READ MORE: Local Getaway: Why Nelson, B.C., Is the Small Town You’ll Want to Move To

The low-impact space allowed Boisvert to lean into the minimalist Japanese sensibilities, prioritizing private outdoor spaces over extra bedrooms or large interior areas.

“They just kept emailing me pictures of things they were seeing on their travels in Japan,” Boisvert explains, but instead of replicating those influences literally, she focused on the translation of Japanese design principles—specifically the philosophy of “wabi sabi.”

Wabi sabi in design, Boisvert says, means “leaning into the perfectly imperfect.” For Boisvert, that meant choosing textured surfaces that would age gracefully “so as the home ages, details like wear and tear won’t be as noticeable.”

Naturally leathered cygnus granite countertops, slate-inspired tile and matte finishes reinforced that vision. A pared-down design meant less standalone furniture—an opportunity to maximize function with custom millwork.

“I’m a big  [on] custom millwork,” Boisvert says. Upstairs, a custom built-in desk creates a dedicated workspace, paired with a Murphy bed to accommodate the occasional overnight guest. In the kitchen, a built-in corner cabinet provides a quiet moment in which to display coffee cups.

“There actually isn’t much need for furniture. They really only needed a sofa and some counter stools in the end, because everything else was built in and functioning specifically for them and their lifestyle.”

As much as Boisvert wanted to translate the Japandi influence, she also maintained that the home needed to fit into its spot in B.C.’s Kootenay region. 

“Implementing some of those design ideas, but making it Kootenay-appropriate and not beamy, was key,” she says.

The Kootenay locale helped guide the home’s colour palette: contrasting whites and blacks, natural stone elements and stained red oak. 

“We needed to make sure it complemented the mountains, the lake and the changing of seasons,” she explains, which allows the interiors to shift with the changing light and landscape outside. The most stunning design element, according to Boisvert, is the view. With no extensive art collection to bring into the home, the designer says the landscape itself becomes the focal point. 

“We just let the view be the art in the home. The windows were art, essentially.”

Best of all, the remote cabin meant as a getaway—which can either be reached by ferry or through winding mountain roads—ultimately became more than just a spot to vacation.

“During the build process, they were so in love with the location and the home that shortly after we finished the project, they both retired and relocated there full-time,” Boisvert says.

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