Journal

Ideas worth reading.

Design thinking, project features, and perspectives on how we build and live — from the SMPL studio.

A Case for Restraint
Design Thinking

A case for restraint: why we design by subtraction

The hardest thing to do in design is to stop. To look at something that's almost right and resist the urge to add. The homes we're most proud of are the ones where we said no more often than yes.

April 2025 · 6 min read
Beverly Midcentury
Project Feature
Beverly Midcentury: a single-storey home that resets the standard

How an Ancaster property became our most complete exploration of mid-century restraint and contemporary craft.

March 2025 · 8 min read
Enki Magazine
Press
SMPL featured in Enki Magazine

Our Dundas Valley project was spotlighted in the home of global design — exploring what makes a house feel genuinely modern.

December 2024 · 4 min read
Site-Specific Design
Process
Optimizing your custom home with site-specific design

Every site tells a story before the first wall goes up. Here's how we read it — and why it changes everything.

June 2024 · 5 min read
Modern Cottage
Project Feature
A modern cottage, tailored to perfection

What does "cottage" mean when you strip away the nostalgia? For this Prince Edward County client, it meant starting from scratch.

July 2024 · 7 min read
Permit Process
Process
What actually happens during the permit process (and how long it takes)

The part of residential design nobody talks about — navigating municipalities, engineers, and timelines without losing your mind.

May 2024 · 6 min read
Material Palette
Design Thinking
The material palette: how we choose what a home is made of

Wood, steel, brick, stone — every material carries weight, in more ways than one. Here's our thinking behind the choices.

February 2024 · 5 min read