Describing the overall look for Channel Ridge as "soft West Coast classicism" - built mostly from native materials like wood and rock and meant to be a timeless design free of trendy elements - architect Bryce Rositch explains that the overall design of Channel Ridge properties was driven by three major imperatives:

1) Views are a vital and essential component for each and every home
2) The land is sacred - leave as small a footstep as possible
3) Channel Ridge is a pedestrian-friendly community: every home needs to be connected to the rest of the village (and its surrounding environment) by trails and walkways.

Rositch and his team put a lot of emphasis on the design of the homes' outdoor spaces. Why? "Because we believe a home's outdoor spaces are as important as its interior spaces -particularly in such a mellow climate as Salt Spring's," he says. "We definitely want to nurture the inside-outside aspects of the lifestyle here."

Which means a lot of grand porches and terraces and cosy nooks and crannies that encourage residents to spend lots of time outdoors - without compromising their sense of personal privacy. "Each home will develop its own individuality over time, but will ultimately reflect the magical quality that locals call 'Salt Spring Island Style'."

Living on Salt Spring Island is all about leaving your urban pre-conceptions behind and embarking on a new adventure. Slower. Richer. More in touch with the things that really count in life: family, friends and neighbours.

And living in Channel Ridge properties delivers on all these points - and more. It's sitting on your front porch watching an eagle soaring on the updrafts from Stuart Channel or a posse of deer munching on the local wild grasses. It's sharing a glass of wine with close friends on a mild summer evening while the sun dips below the Western Mountains in a spectacular splash of colours. It's going for a midday hike on the local trails. Meeting for coffee in the village commons.

Mostly though, living in Channel Ridge properties will be all about deriving as much now out of now as you deserve. And isn't it time that you gave yourself that opportunity?