With each drawing we get to see a clearer view of the plan. Sometimes that view turns out to be not what we were going for. The house has had one of the suites attached to the front of it since the beginning but the detailed elevation with it included revealed there was a better way. The three suites will now be grouped in the centre of the property, leaving the back for the residence alone. The floor plans were adjusted and a new elevation drawing was then created. This was a home run at last. Elegant and yet very distinctive the new design features a grand private entrance to the left. On the right side is the office for guests to check in.

Sometimes you need to walk the wrong path for a short distance in order to realize there is a better way.

As we continue the design process, we constantly remind ourselves what it is we are trying to achieve. The Hazelnut Inn is meant to be a spectacular getaway - a special escape for a special occasion with your special someone. As this dream bumps into the reality of parking lot dimensions and garbage bin storage it helps to look back at our early concept drawings and remember the magic we are striving to capture. Lush gardens, whimsical towers and quaint cottages - it is all here in this early sketch - just waiting to be built.

Over the last weeks we have been busy - drawing, measuring and planning. The transition from concept ideas to building plans is now beginning. The preliminary house plans are complete with plenty of room for our growing family. The inn's suites are basically laid out although we will continue to refine things as necessary to make it a truly magical experience for our future guests.

Today we drew the first scale rendering of the front of the house and explorer's suite. As we sketched, details were quickly altered as necessary - what works in the plan view doesn't always function in an elevation. A roof line was altered here and windows were shifted there as we continued to draw.

We'll ponder this first drawing for a day or two to make sure it lives up to our vision. Then we'll make the necessary changes, move on to the next view and continue the process

Each day we get one small step closer to making the dream magically real.

Each day we spend some time dreaming, talking and sketching ideas for the Hazelnut Inn and the dream house. Each day new ideas surface, things are adjusted or changed totally as the dream slowly comes into focus. A balance between a myriad of regulations, physical requirements and our own lofty ideas must be reckoned. Mundane ideas like sight lines, driveways, firelanes, parking requirements and services all need to be taken into account. And of course, we want to keep our neighbours and community in mind as well. All the while doing our best not to have the project lose the magic that will make it so special. It is a fun project - as challenging as any theme park we have tackled.

Ever since Hailey dreamed up the idea of building a little inn we have been thinking about what it should look and feel like. We want each suit to capture a bit of magic and romance. Who hasn't daydreamed of staying in a castle on a hill, an inventor's lair or an explorer's home? There will be lots of drawings and maybe even a few models to come before the Hazelnut's design is complete but here is one of our first concept sketches.