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The sea plane that ferried me to Nimmo Bay was basically a flying boat. Among seven other people, I took a seat in what can only be described as its belly, given a pair of earplugs, and off we went, cruising low enough over the Queen Charlotte Strait that I hoped to glimpse whale pods (no dice, sadly).
Nestled among inlets and channels along the fragmented coast of British Columbia, the hotel consists of a small cluster of structures, with cabins on solid ground, buildings constructed around the central waterfall, and the dining room and recreational spaces afloat on the water. Helmed by second-generation owners Fraser and Becky Murray, Nimmo Bay is all about stripping away the barrier between guests and the elements—with, of course, the pleasure of a great meal and linen sheets at the end of the day.
The awe-inspiring nature is its own kind of inspiration, but there were so many lovely details that the Murrays incorporated across the property that I came away with a notebook’s worth of indoor-outdoor design ideas. Below, just a few to consider for your own home.
A Hideaway Firepit
Every evening, firepits magically appeared on the dock beyond the main dining room. What I realized later is that they were sunken into the floor so they were flush with the deck—the whole apparatus disappears when not in use, thanks to a wood cover. Fraser explains that he prefers this style to a fire bowl, which doesn’t warm your feet as well when sitting next to it. The design “also allows for bigger parties out there,” he says. “It doesn’t get in the way. You can switch it around from cooking to a floor to a fire.”
A Transparent Rain Roof
There’s an outdoor lounge just off the main enclosed dining room at Nimmo, appointed in comfortable worn-in sofas, squishy throw pillows, and any number of reading nooks. The roof might look open to the sky, but slabs of polycarbonate protect the furnishings and guests just enough without obscuring the view.
“It’s nice to have exposure to the sky at night,” Fraser says. “The roof is open, yet protected from the elements like the rain and the wind. Patinated furniture fits naturally in that kind of environment.”
A Mix of No-Fuss Vintage
Instead of leaning into an interiors scheme that reads too outdoorsy or technical, Fraser and Becky chose to outfit Nimmo in a mix of midcentury modern and textural ’70s touches. They also tapped Canadian makers from across the country for glassware, ceramics, wood items, and soft goods. Vintage Percival Lafer sofas mix with shaggy Swedish Rya rugs and ’60s rosewood tables; circa-1800s Canadiana pine hutches and chests lend a grounding and nostalgic quality.
“They’re just so well aged and loved,” Fraser notes. “There’s something about them that just brings you back in time, and makes them warm up a space immediately.” The hotel’s artist residency produces a number of works that decorate the different spaces, mingling with pieces from artisans in local communities like Alert Bay, Sointula, and Tofino.
The couple shop for vintage and antiques from a number of stores in and around Victoria. Here are there secret sources:
A Rug Just For Grass
Have you ever considered using a rug instead of a picnic blanket on grass? Reasonably-priced, lightweight flatweaves, of which there are always many at thrift and antique shops, can stand in and elevate an experience. “We have to just let go of the idea that everything is so precious,” Fraser says. He likes to put vintage rugs under a tree or on the beach. “You can roll it up, walk away, and it’s like you were never there. But yet, in the moment, it’s beautiful and artistic. It scales it up a little bit, adds such an element of color, and makes it more comfortable.” Afterward, just spray your rug down, hang it out to dry, and try not to treat it like a treasure.
A Smarter Screened Door
I know: not the sexiest design element, but an important one nonetheless. As soon as we settled into our cabin and flung open the deck doors to take in the view, I noticed an extremely smart pocket screen door that had handles with a magnetized closure in the center. It seems so simple but the mechanism was intuitive and more pleasant to use than one with a handle or one-way sliding screen; plus, you didn’t have to worry about it blowing shut with the wind. The brand? Mirage Screen Systems.
A Window in the Sauna
A floating sauna might be harder to come by at home, but there were elements of the one we experienced at Nimmo that would translate to one on land, too. In particular, incorporating a large window or glass side looking out to nature. “It’s next level to have a big viewing window—you can lie down at night and look up at the stars through the sauna, and there’s no condensation,” Fraser says. “You’re just connected to nature. That’s what it’s all about.”