The Design Duo

WHO:

Bob Hambly and Barb Woolley, founders of the Toronto graphic design firm Hambly and Woolley

WHAT:

A three-bed, four-bath new build on 94 acres in Northumberland County

In 2007, Bob and Barb bought a plot of land near Cobourg with expansive views of rolling hills, farmland and Lake Ontario. Then they hired architect Cindy Rendely, who also did their Leaside residence, to design an unfussy rural dwelling. “We didn’t want a house full of precious finishes,” says Barb. “We wanted to be able to walk in with snowshoes on.”

The home, completed in 2010, became their weekend retreat where they’d kayak in the nearby rivers and inlets, ride horses or work on artistic projects. In 2019, they sold their business, and when the pandemic hit shortly after, they escaped to their farmhouse indefinitely.

At the time, Bob and Barb thought Northumberland was a good place for weekend decompressing, not for fulltime lodging. But they discovered a community full of creative types, and, Covid-willing, cultural offerings on the horizon. Over the summer, they converted their garage into an open-air dining room for visitors, and in May, Bob and Barb sold their Toronto house. “We’ll keep a condo in the city,” says Barb, “but clearly Northumberland County is now our home.”