Description of Historic Place

The Stubbs House is a rambling, one and one-half storey wood-frame Craftsman style residence, with substantial but sympathetic additions. The house, surrounded by broad lawns, is located on a large, rural property in Kelowna's Okanagan Mission neighbourhood, far removed from the city centre. There are views to Okanagan Lake from the house and rear yards.

Heritage Value

The Stubbs House is of heritage value for its place in the history of Kelowna's early settlement. The construction of the residence is associated with the pre-First World War boom in Kelowna and is typical of the homes built in the Okanagan Mission area by so-called remittance men. Remittance men, who immigrated to Canada from Britain with allowances from well-to-do families, sought to establish themselves in the comfortable lifestyle of the gentleman farmer. The Stubbs House was built by one such immigrant, Robin Holford Stubbs (1882-1957), who acquired the property in 1912 and built the original part of the comfortable, attractive house the following year. The residence is situated on landscaped grounds consisting of broad lawns and distant views. Many of the mature trees were planted by Stubbs, who operated his property as a mixed farm after returning from service in the First World War.

The Stubbs House is also significant for its early twentieth century Craftsman-influenced architecture. The Craftsman style, popular in housing design between 1910 and 1930, exhibits the rejection of classically inspired details. Decorative brackets, exposed rafters ends as well as the rich contrast in the textures of siding, shingles and smooth wooden trim, distinguish the Craftsman style. This spacious house has been renovated and enlarged considerably with sympathetic additions, but retains much original exterior and internal architectural fabric.

Source: City of Kelowna, Planning Department, File No. 6800-02

Character-Defining Elements

Key elements that define the heritage character of the Stubbs House include its:
- setting on a large rural property with views of Okanagan Lake and the surrounding mountains
- residential form, scale and massing, as expressed by its one and one-half storey height (with crawlspace) and compound plan of rectangular proportions;
- gabled roof with gabled roof dormers, clad with cedar shingles;
- board formed concrete foundation and wood-frame construction with lapped cedar siding and cornerboards;
- Craftsman style details, such as triangular eave brackets, exposed rafters, projecting eaves, and scroll-cut bargeboards;
- contrast in the exterior textures of siding, shingles and smooth wooden trim;
- additional exterior elements, such as the screened open front verandah, French patio doors with sidelights, bay windows with hipped roofs, and two corbelled red brick interior chimneys;
- irregular and symmetrical fenestration:, including multiple assembly 1-over-1 and 2-over-2 double-hung wooden-sash windows, multi-pane fixed sash, and square fixed single pane upper storey and attic windows;
- interior features including original millwork and panelled doors; and
- associated landscape features such as mature trees, orchard remnants and flower gardens.