10 Homes For Americans Looking To Move To Canada

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Canada has been named the top travel destination for 2017 by Lonely Planet and we're on the radar of more than a few Americans post-election. 

If you are an American who is considering a move north, we have a short primer on how to fit in. We love our public health care. We are harmoniously multicultural (better than most other melting pots, at least). We are better at ice hockey than you. And call beanies, toques.  

To help you settle in as you pack up and leave for more caring, peaceful and friendly shores, homify has curated a list of 10 houses to make the move easier. Whether you are considering the Prairies, Ontario, Quebec, the West Coast or even Cape Breton, we've got a home for you.

1. A Woodland Escape

There are so many beautiful cottage regions across Canada, perfect for your family's summer vacation. If this was your cottage though, you'd be heading there every weekend. Designed by Woody-Holzhaus, German architects, it's a fresh take on the nature-inspired home. It remains woodsy while adding clean modern shape, soft colours, and clever furnishings. It's 900 square feet of cottage bliss, kept simple to prevent the cottage-clutter headaches that plague so many of us in Canada. Did we mention there's a sauna? Set it up in Muskoka, the Kawarthas, or Haliburton.

2. Lumberjack love

Instead of getting your home built on-site, consider getting a pre-fab home like this one. It saves on expense and looks stylish at the same time. You can still get fine materials, including wonderful wood, with a factory-built home. Plus, many Canadian manufacturers can make these simple wooden cottages to our R-2000 environmental standard. That's the highest standard in Canada! Also, there's not a huge amount of on-site finishing to do as, these homes can come with the cabinetry and much of the plumbing and electrical wiring installed. This home is one shining example of this building option, constructed by the Turkish joiners (aka expert wood workers) Kuloglu. It would be perfect for the Prairies, Quebec and northern B.C.

2. Secluded in the suburbs

This fantastic home brings a touch of the big city to the suburbs. The exterior of the home puts a modern twist on the classic suburban look, while the interior of the home is wildly stylish and urban. There's a bedroom your kids are dreaming of, and a master bed and bath suite that goes well beyond your expectations. Locations that might suit it: Surrey, B.C. or Missauaga, Ontario. 

3. Quaint cottage

While most of us enjoy modern home design it sometimes lacks that warmth, coziness, or character that we're looking for. Not this home though! While it has meany features of a simple and white modern home, it's also full of charming wicker, thick quilts, and rustic touches. The home builders House Habitat who designed this home gave it a perfect modern structure upon which the country charms seem sweet and comfortable. It would be perfect on a plot of land in the Okanagan or somewhere out of the city.

4. Little House on the Prairie

In Canada, we like to be gentle to the planet and minimize our carbon footprints so this home designed by Bio Architects is perfect because it's eco-friendly, modern, functional and comfortable all at the same time. Located in Eco-park Yasnopole in Russia, the house is the first example of the modular homes that will be built on the site. The price tag: under $50,000. Thanks to modular technology and prefabrication, the house fashioned in a month and placed on the site in seven days. Set it up in Prairies provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.

5. West Coast Life

Here's a little secret we'll share with you: unlike other parts of Canada, Vancouver is down right balmy. This home with its flat roof wouldn't do well in the provinces that get buried in snow but would shine in Vancouver, its trendy suburbs or Vancouver Island.

Located in Perth, Western Australia, this home is the perfect example of how art and architecture can collide, creating a home that is as stunning as it is comfortable.

As Stephen Gardiner said, Good buildings come from good people, and all problems are solved by good design. Perhaps this can be the home of your dreams.

7. Seaside Sanctuary

The website Cape Breton if Trump Wins is sadly no longer a funny joke. American might actually be considering a move to the 10,311 km2 (3,981 sq mi) island, which is part of the province of Nova Scotia. This beautiful home replaced an outdated bungalow on a steep piece of land. The new design makes the best use of the difficult terrain and the views of Cape Cornwall in the U.K. where it is located.

The home itself feels like a mid century California beach house. Plenty of glazing, minimalistic furniture, and an all white palette create bright spaces. The views take centre stage. Combining the chic with the antique, the home has incredible style.

8. A Home That's One With Nature

Forests cover 49.24% of Canada—that's a lot of trees. So we recommend a home that harmonizes with nature, like this one. Built in the 1970s, the house was updated with an open plan design which allows the different rooms to run smoothly into one another, creating a far more interactive and social space. 

Despite its location in the woods, there is plenty of sunlight flowing through the glass windows and skylights. The large windows are designed to work like picture frames, framing the natural environment. Set it up on a plot of land in leafy suburbia such as Maple Ridge, B.C. or Oakville, Ontario.

9. Relax in a sauna

You are likely fatigued from the past year of election madness, so why not pick a home that's built to relax in. You'll never believe that this sophisticated modern home was pre-fabricated and assembled partially off-site! It's rich interiors are unified by dark ceiling beams and luxurious decor. The huge en-suite bathroom will be the envy of the neighbours, along with the sultry sauna. Overall, architects Huf Haus have hit this one out of the park. It would fit perfectly in Charlesbourg, Quebec or Kanata North, Ottawa.

10. Your Very Own White House

If you thought white environs only serve to make a space look sterile or clinical (or are just for presidents), then you are in for quite a surprise. This home called White Calm has been rendered predominantly in white and grey by the interior architects at Evoluxury Design in Wroclaw, and it is quite a stunner. The sprawling Polish property exudes countryside charm surrounded by lush green lawns, and is filled with cozy and soothing touches. The interiors feature soft blue and wooden accents besides splashes of white and grey, while modern and elegant designs transport you to a world of understated luxury. It wouldn't look out of place in the more tony suburbs of Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver. 

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