Posted at 12:00 p.m.
At first glance, you would never dare to call the magnificent one-storey one-piece. But that’s what the owners nicknamed it. And where does this charming nickname come from?
“When you open the windows in the spring, you can hear the amorous frogs and tree frogs. It’s absolutely charming. Hence the name onesie,” says owner Claude Reeves with a wink.
Mr. Reeves and his wife, Isabelle, have lived in their onesie for about ten years. The house, a construction designed by architect Jeffrey Melamed in 1984, is striking with its meticulously maintained stone and cedar cladding and its U-shape where the openings ensure light all year round, even on this sad Sunday. ‘april.
The house is located in the western sector of the town of Rosemère. A charming mix of quiet, wooded streets, without sidewalks, like in the countryside. A corner where the residences, all unique, sit well on large hilly grounds. It feels like upper Westmount, except the grounds are larger. The houses are all the more valued.
That of the torque rests on more than 40,000 ft2, like that of the neighbor on the right. The other, on the left, is 100,000 sq.2 ground. Each of these properties is surrounded by many mature trees and is often framed by cedar hedges of impressive dimensions. There is a small bucolic side to this district where one has the impression of being in the countryside while the highway or the train, the schools, the small food markets (or the big ones) are at a stone throw.
It was these practical aspects that first convinced the couple to buy the house. In addition, since their reconstituted family has seven children, they needed a cabin that could accommodate this whole clan. “Our tribe is big,” admits Mr. Reeves. We wanted each child to be able to find their place. Thus, there are four bedrooms on the ground floor and two in the basement. The common rooms, kitchen, dining room, living room and lounge, are on the ground floor.
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PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
The owners opted for a wall covered with ipé (sometimes called Brazilian walnut), an exotic wood that is very similar to the oak of the floor. The rounded corner has been retained, respecting the original architecture. The glass railing is given a fun touch with its vertical wooden slats.
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PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
The centerpiece of the living room is certainly the two-sided fireplace which previously, like the floor, was covered in marble with pink streaks. The new owners removed the marble on the floor to cover it with oak slats, but kept some of the marble by framing the fireplace with wood and stainless steel, rejuvenating it while retaining the essentials of this noble material.
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PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Prior to the 2019 renovations, the dining room was separated from the kitchen by a partition that extended all the way to the ceiling. The arch attached to it has also been removed, leaving an opening to extend the view towards the three rooms on the ground floor. To define the spaces between the living room and the kitchen, the owners opted instead for a custom-made glass cabinet that opens on both sides.
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PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
The kitchen was redone in 2019. Everything has been changed, from floor to ceiling. We opted for a semi-industrial look softened by the presence of wood. There is a lot of storage in this room, in places you wouldn’t even suspect at first sight! Some of the old cabinets and appliances have found a new place in an adjacent room to store surplus groceries.
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PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Along with the kitchen, it is the family’s favorite room. The living room has large windows (south-east orientation) and a Jøtul vertical Norwegian fireplace with curved glass door. It is here that the owners install their plants during the cold season. Some of the windows have been changed, including the three sliding ones near the kitchen.
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PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
The swimming pool is at the heart of the property, surrounded by three walls of the house. We can see the many terraces, the summer kitchen (on the right), the pond in the distance, etc.
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PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
We visited the house at the beginning of the month when nature was still dormant. In summer, the pond, in the middle of the back ground, is surrounded by plants. Mature trees provide a screen that encircles the property.
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Renovations in three stages
If the exterior dimensions (we will come back to this) and interior suited them, the property has nevertheless been subject to transformations.
“We renovated in three phases. First, we had to modernize the spaces.
The materials used by the previous owners were of very high quality, but had had their day. We hesitated before removing them. Finally, we kept part of it thanks to the tips of our designer Marc Chapleau. He incorporated them into the new look.
Claude Reeves, owner
In the first phase, the living room, master bedroom and foyer were updated. The marble with pinkish streaks has kept its place in the dressing of the two-sided foyer, but has given way to the floor, where it has been replaced by oak which now extends from the living room to the bedrooms.
In the second phase, we tackled the basement, a huge room where the two youngest daughters of the family live. “In one of the bedrooms, we drilled through a blind wall to let in natural light. Surrounding these rooms are a multitude of doors that house storage spaces. We stopped counting at five!
Finally, during the third phase, at the end of summer 2019, the couple redesigned the kitchen and living room, which have become family favorites. “We removed the false ceiling that overhung the workspace. The arched opening has disappeared too. The space is therefore open and lit by the openings at the top of the cathedral ceiling. New cabinets and work surfaces were installed. The semi-industrial look is softened by the colors and the large wooden surface of the lunch counter. New white cabinets provide plenty of storage space.
Some windows have also been changed. “With the addition of these large sliding glass doors, it feels like it’s integrated with the outdoors. »
PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE BROKER
The unusual U-shape of the house allows an interior courtyard where the swimming pool is located.
The courtyard
Speaking of the exterior, if the house is big, the yard of course is even bigger. An inground pool has been installed in the center of the U that forms the house. And there is still enough space for a large pond with water lilies, a garden shed, the stored sailboat, lawn, dozens of large trees, etc. The space around the stone wall that encircles the pond awaits the arrival of perennials and other summer flowers. Mature trees act as a screen even if neighbors are far away. The others bear fruit.
There is even a small refuge for children nestled in a tree. The terraces offer perfect havens of rest for aperitifs or meals. Visitors are spoiled for choice. This is where the wedding of one of the girls took place, where 130 people came to celebrate the joyous event. “We have an ideal place to receive. »
The owners, ski enthusiasts and other sports enthusiasts, leave the house to be closer to the lakes and mountains of Mont Tremblant. Their house will undoubtedly find a new family who will appreciate, like them, the great frog spaces.
The property in brief
Asking price: $2,199,000
Year built: 1984
20 rooms including 6 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 1 powder room, 2 wood fireplaces. Two geothermal heat pumps, freight elevator, triple garage.
Land area: 40,741 ft2
Municipal assessment: $907,700
Property tax: $5090
School tax: $878
Water tax: $39
Brokers: Serge Rivet and Hélène Bergevin, Re/Max Crystal SR