Posted at 12:00 p.m.
Seven years ago, Marjolaine Arcand and Simon Bergeron fell in love with a house located close to everything, in Trois-Rivières. They knew that one day they would redo the kitchen, but they wondered how to take advantage of the wasted space. A friend suggested a radical solution: reverse almost all the rooms on the ground floor and fit out the kitchen instead of the playroom. The idea caught on. The couple had plans made and expected to complete the work this fall. Fate has decided otherwise.
At the beginning of the year, Simon had reserved six weeks of respite before starting a new job. His father, Viateur Bergeron, who had undertaken the construction of his own house, at the age of 72, unexpectedly found himself with free time, due to unforeseen delays. He urged his son to get to work.
“My father is not a man who likes to do nothing, explains Simon Bergeron. Everyone we had contacted could meet the new deadline. We were lucky, we were able to advance the project. The first 21 days, we worked non-stop. »
Viateur Bergeron took charge, putting his experience in construction to good use.
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PHOTO PROVIDED BY MARJOLAINE ARCAND
Simon Bergeron benefited from the expertise of his father, Viateur Bergeron.
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PHOTO PROVIDED BY MARJOLAINE ARCAND
Viateur Bergeron took charge of the project and guided his son. They worked long hours together.
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PHOTO PROVIDED BY MARJOLAINE ARCAND
Simon Bergeron gave his all to the project.
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PHOTO PROVIDED BY MARJOLAINE ARCAND
The slats of the old parquet floors on the ground floor have all been torn out.
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PHOTO PROVIDED BY MARJOLAINE ARCAND
The family continued to live in the house despite the extent of the work.
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PHOTO PROVIDED BY MARJOLAINE ARCAND
The living room with a fireplace previously overlooked a second living room (with a TV screen) and a games room. This one was bright and had direct access to the courtyard.
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PHOTO PROVIDED BY MARJOLAINE ARCAND
The old game room was next to a living room, where there was a television screen.
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PHOTO PROVIDED BY MARJOLAINE ARCAND
The old kitchen does not compare to the new.
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PHOTO PROVIDED BY MARJOLAINE ARCAND
The old dining room has become a living room, where it is pleasant to watch TV or listen to music.
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I am zero manual. The fact that my dad is a whiz at it didn’t come across to me. He oversaw everything and I was an excellent second. He told me how to do it and I did it. I took no initiative. However, I discovered that I am a good site manager.
Simon Bergeron, co-owner of the house
The function of almost all parts has changed. Only the living room, with a fireplace, has retained its vocation to the left of the entrance. The games room, which had direct access to the courtyard through a French window, and the second living room (with the TV) became the kitchen and the dining room. The entrance, on the right side of the house, has been refurbished and the old kitchen is now used as a cloakroom. The playroom of the two children aged 5 and 7, moved to the basement during the work, has remained there.
Walls have fallen. The slats of the old parquet floors on the ground floor have all been torn out and replaced with new ones. There was lots and lots of dust. “I was thinking of doing the renovations one room at a time, but we did everything at the same time, recalls Simon Bergeron. Every evening I cleaned up so that my father would arrive the next morning and that it would be impeccable, to start afresh. It had been long days. »
The family continued to live in the house during the works. Marjolaine Arcand, who telecommuted in her office upstairs, dusted the onions before preparing meals. “Luckily, we were able to continue using the old kitchen until the very end,” she says. When Simon started his new job, he spent his weekends doing renovations with my stepfather. We put our family life on hold. I left with the children to do activities and get out of the construction site. »
They refinanced their mortgage to boost their budget, which they kept under $90,000. The fees for the electrician, who redid all the electricity in the house, built in 1946, and the new kitchen cost the most.
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
Marjolaine Arcand cooks a lot. She and her spouse love to entertain. They now have their dream kitchen.
We were very careful and we bought used items as much as possible. It was important for us, as much for ecology and savings as for the somewhat eclectic style of the decor.
Marjolaine Arcand, co-owner of the house
The work would surely have cost $150,000 without the precious help of her father-in-law, she estimates. “He is very generous. He gave us what he does best. »
“When we work together, we complement each other well,” adds her partner. It allows me to get closer to my father and get to know him better. He has always been a workaholic. He didn’t have time to play with me when I was little. Today, I have the impression that we are catching up on that time. I make the most of it. »
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PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
The kitchen is now in a space bordered by windows and a French window. Access to the terrace is direct.
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PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
The island, huge, is in a bright space.
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PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
Only the living room, with a fireplace, has retained its vocation to the left of the entrance.
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PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
The living room now overlooks the dining room and the kitchen.
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PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
The second living room, where there is a TV screen, is now to the right of the entrance.
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PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
The kitchen has gained numerous cupboards and a voluminous island. It is also bathed in light.
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PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
Lots of storage has been provided.
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PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
The kitchen, fitted out in the extension of the house, has direct access to the terrace.
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In short
The goal : have their dream home
A big challenge: stay in the house during the renovations
A suprise : the precarious state of the electric wires in the walls of the house
Works duration : from early January to mid-February 2022 full-time, then until the end of May on weekends
Total cost : $83,637 (materials, furniture, paint, trades, designer, etc.)
Interior designer: Andreanne Allard
Kitchenist: CookBeau
Work in the dining room: Guillaume Massicotte (Paper Press Workshop, in Trois-Rivières)