House Design Inspired by a Modern Fairytale

The Instagram DM That Started It All

The story of how acclaimed architect Jeffrey Dungan came to design a remote Canadian beach cottage for antiques dealer Kim Faison reads like a modern fairytale. It began years ago when Faison left an admiring comment on one of Dungan’s Instagram posts, praising his work. To her surprise, he responded. Their conversation unfolded over DMs, where Faison revealed she had purchased a windswept, seven-acre plot in Nova Scotia perched 100 feet above the roaring Atlantic Ocean but needed guidance on what to build. “I wrote, ‘I don’t know if I can afford you,’” Faison recalls. Dungan, charmed by her candor and the allure of Nova Scotia, replied, “Well, maybe you can’t, but I do love it there.”

From a $5,000 Check to a Coastal Dream

Months passed, but Faison’s determination to work with Dungan never wavered. After a significant sale at her boutique, Kim Faison Antiques, she took a leap of faith: “I sent him a $5,000 check out of the blue. It was the funniest thing,” she laughs. Dungan, amused by her boldness, agreed to visit the site. Upon arriving, he was captivated by the untamed landscape dense forests meeting dramatic cliffs and the project’s potential. By the end of the trip, they’d settled on a fee and sketched preliminary plans.

A Jewel Box by the Sea: The Design

Faison had just one non-negotiable request: a blue roof. Though initially skeptical, Dungan embraced the challenge, selecting a deep, oceanic shade that mirrored the waters below. “It turned out to be stunning,” he admits. The 2,500-square-foot structure is a study in understated elegance, with a simple roofline and open plan that frame panoramic views of the Atlantic and nearby Hirtle’s Beach, where dawn light spills across the horizon daily.

Key Features:

Main Level: Vaulted living area, open kitchen, and a primary suite.
Lower Level: A guest bedroom tucked into the hillside, nearly invisible from the front.
The Showstopper: A cantilevered breakfast nook with three-sided French windows, jutting toward the ocean like a ship’s prow. “It’s my favorite space,” Dungan says. “With seven-foot ceilings and endless water views, it feels like you’re on a boat.”

Architectural Harmony with Nature

Dungan’s design prioritizes organic materials weathered wood, local stone to blend into the rugged coastline. The home’s muted exterior lets the landscape shine, while the bold roof adds a playful contrast. Faison, who filled the interiors with curated antiques, declares it “a perfect marriage of his vision and my whimsy.”

✦ ArchUp Editorial Insight

This coastal retreat embodies the magic of collaborative design, where a chance Instagram exchange blossomed into a harmonious partnership. Dungan’s restraint in letting the landscape lead is commendable, though one might critique the roof’s bold hue as a rare concession to whimsy in his otherwise disciplined portfolio. Yet, it’s precisely this touch rooted in the client’s personality that elevates the home from merely beautiful to deeply personal. Ultimately, the project celebrates how architecture can honor both place and human connection, with Dungan’s craftsmanship ensuring the wild Nova Scotia setting remains the true star.

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