The Owner’s Tour | A Barn Story

Owners open the doors of their exceptional homes, offered on the resale market

In journalism, the phrase “Stop the presses!” is well known. In real estate, the injunction “Stop the mechanical shovels!” is much less frequent. But Marie-Ève ​​Lussier and David Larochelle did not hesitate to use it as they prepared to build their house in the Eastern Townships.

It was 2008. The couple was looking for a place to build a roof. He, a trained engineer and teacher, was from Cowansville. She, a landscape architect, worked in Bromont and wanted to set up her workshop on the edge of the future property. They chose a piece of land in Shefford, which they acquired. “The contractors were booked, everything was in place. A few weeks before the start of the work, I was looking for barn wood for the workshop. By typing these keywords on the internet, I came across this property for sale in Bolton-Ouest,” says M.^me Lussier.

Her curiosity piqued, she went there; you never know. When she reached the edge of the path, she noticed that a motorway passed nearby and immediately turned on her heels. But the idea gained ground over the next few days and, finally, an appointment was made for a visit. It was love at first sight: despite the bareness of the land, simply grassed and marked with a slightly old-fashioned building and a stable, the couple saw enormous potential in this hilly site. Enough to change their initial plans. “I called the contractor to tell him that we were changing the location to build! We adapted the plans, started work a few weeks later and sold the land in Shefford,” says the landscape architect. And the motorway? The new arrivals found a way to shut him up, by planting trees and noise-reducing mounds, then by placing the living areas on the opposite side.

Atmosphere to preserve

This concludes the first chapter of the project. The others are recorded in a scrapbook and on the family computer, showing how far they have come over the next 15 years. And it started from quite a long way back, judging by the period photos. But before starting the renovations, the priority was to create a workspace, in the form of a barn-workshop built near the main house. M^me Lussier was able to set up the offices of his company NaturEden there, but also later partially redevelop it into housing for his father. Radiant stone flooring, barn wood and elements collected during treasure hunts (the spiral staircase comes from a school in Outremont): everything was beautifully designed under the guidance of architects.

At the same time, it was necessary to roll up one’s sleeves to bring the main house up to standard. Major renovations were therefore undertaken for the entire building, reconfigured according to the needs of the couple and their two children. On the ground floor, extensions were added, in particular to create a vestibule, and a new recipe was devised for the summer kitchen, which was very poorly insulated. One of the challenges was to preserve the warm, country character of the place. “We took down the walls from the inside so as not to touch the exterior and to preserve the original brick walls, which were well built but needed additional insulation,” explain the owners.

With a perfectly measured new/old balance, the result is convincing. Same treatment for the living room and the other rooms on the ground floor, particularly when you look at the ceiling moldings (some were reproduced identically by a craftsman), the new stone fireplace or the remarkable sliding doors in the style farmhouserecovered from a house from the same period.

“We were careful to preserve its unique characteristics which allow us to identify its origin and the eras it has been through, which gives it a beautiful atmosphere,” the couple emphasize.

Upstairs, where everything was once open plan, there is now a family room added above the kitchen, as well as three bedrooms, including the master, where the ceilings have been opened up to create a cathedral effect. The flooring is the original wide pine planks, restored, and completed with similar flooring for the extensions, in the interest of continuity.

The fruit of labor

The fenestration has not yet been discussed; however, it plays an essential role, large bay windows offering soothing views of a particularly well-kept environment. No need to dwell on the arrangements made on the ground: M’s profession^me Lussier guarantees a succulent plant-mineral bouquet garni, leaving the days of sad lawns far behind. “When we arrived, there were no birds and almost no animals because it was very open. We replanted different layers, with perennials, shrubs, trees, and now it is full of life. We have managed to bring back biodiversity,” rejoice the sellers.

Horse enthusiasts will be delighted to use the large stable and adjoining pastures. Finally, small buildings dotted around serve as storage for tools, such as the old stone dairy.

As for the little family, they now aspire to a more urban living environment to facilitate the children’s schooling, with their sights set on… Shefford. On the same land they coveted 15 years ago? “We’re thinking about it, it’s still not built on!” laugh the owners. “In the meantime, the neighbor bought it to expand his land. We had started to develop it by planting trees, which are now mature, it’s very beautiful. But several other options are on the table.”

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