Drawn from Jim’s imagination and inspiration.

On a quiet afternoon boating down the St. Lawrence, Jim’s eye caught a weathered old boathouse, its frame whispering of a bygone era. That spark led him deep into the archives of Victorian architecture in the Thousand Islands—an age when grand summer estates rose like castles from the riverbanks. He became a student of turn-of-the-century design, intent on reviving that spirit for Cherry Island.

To honor authenticity, he sourced vintage wood stock from Vermont—timbers aged with history that now wrap every ceiling and wall in warmth. To preserve the openness of the interiors, his architect from Paris devised an ingenious solution: a single horizontal metal rod carrying the weight, leaving the rooms beam-free, airy, and true to their time.

Jim’s creative eye extended beyond structure to detail. In a stroke of invention, Tiffany tortoiseshell lamps were turned upside down and reborn as chandeliers, their deep green glow casting a river-like shimmer through the halls. The ironwork that frames them was hand-forged by Steve Cook, Jim’s decades-long lieutenant, whose craftsmanship gave permanence and strength to Jim’s vision.

What began as a modest boathouse has since been transformed. Over the past twenty years, the space has grown fourfold, yet it retains the soul of the original discovery—a living homage to the St. Lawrence’s golden age of summer homes.