(Eastman) Sometimes it happens that a designer house built for a client changes hands. And in some cases, the new owners don’t have the same profile as the old ones at all. This is what happened in a second home in Eastman, now occupied by a large family who have adapted it to their needs.
In a pretty area of the Eastern Townships, the house stands on the plateau of uneven terrain. Its large windows cut out breathtaking views of Mount Orford. Minimalist, modest in size, it is nevertheless inhabited by a family with four children aged 2 to 8 years old.
Initially, this chalet built by the architects of the firm _naturehumane was intended for a client of French origin. But with the pandemic curtailing travel for a long time, the house was finally sold soon after it was built.
It was a couple from Sherbrooke, looking for a refuge in nature not too far from their main residence, who therefore acquired La brèche, the name given to the house because of the effect of the canyon which splits it into its environment.
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PHOTO RONAN MÉZIÈRE, PROVIDED BY _NATUREHUMAINE
Of modest size, the house consists of a main body, as well as an annex. Note that the garage door (on the right in the photo) is cleverly concealed in the wood.
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PHOTO RONAN MÉZIÈRE, PROVIDED BY _NATUREHUMAINE
The gap between the two building bodies creates a canyon effect.
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A two-bedroom house for a family of six is not much. But rather than replicate the size of their primary residence, parents were looking for a cottage experience. The four children sleep in the same room, much to their delight. And they live very well with the only two baskets of toys arranged in the living room, as well as the absence of television… for the moment.
It must be said that at any age, one can appreciate the quality of the living spaces, gathered in a large open room under the double-pitched roof. Like the rest of the house, the materials are sober: polished concrete floors, white walls, black kitchen.
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
The views are cleverly framed, like this square window offering a painting on nature, inserted at the end of the long dining room table.
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
To maintain the sober and minimalist look, the color palette is kept simple: white for the walls, black for the kitchen, with polished concrete floors.
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
Few toys are needed to distract children, who can move freely in the large space.
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
Overview of the living areas, under the large double-pitched roof.
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Since the land is part of a development, the architects had to comply with certain regulations; for example, flat roofs were not permitted within the association. The result was a gabled roof, covered with a metal roof, while the exterior walls were clad in pre-grayed cedar.
Inside, the space is sparsely furnished with a large, low armchair, a rug, and a long table in the dining room for entertaining family and friends. No need for superfluous decoration since the large windows are like paintings that cut out the landscape.
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
From the terrace, you can see Mount Orford, which here reveals its wilder side since the trails are on the other side.
The thing we really wanted to highlight was the mountain view, so that’s why we oriented the living spaces towards Mount Orford.
Stéphane Rasselet, architect and co-founder of _naturehumane
“We went to install the terrace on the east side to take advantage of the morning light in summer,” continues the architect.
The view overlooks the wilder side of the mountain, since the ski slopes are on the other side. The panorama changes from season to season: in winter, the absence of foliage allows you to clearly discern the shape of the mountain, while in autumn, of course, you can admire the colors. An imposing bay window in the corner caps the end of the living room. “That window is a bit like a precious stone that is inserted into the corner of the building”, illustrates Stéphane Rasselet.
As for the bedrooms, they are closer to the entrance, on either side of a corridor. Perpendicular to this, another passage – high and narrow this time – leads from the entrance to the living areas.
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
In both bedrooms, there is a small built-in library, as well as a shower. In the middle, between the two rooms, a bathroom is available to all.
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
The four children sleep in the same room at the chalet, which represents a very special occasion for them!
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
“When we go to the children’s room, at the end of the passage, we have inserted a window which brings in natural light and which gives a glimpse of the outside”, notes the architect.
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theatrical effect
As square footage is quite limited in the main building, an annex has been added. A high and narrow exterior passage, reminiscent of the effect of the hallway in the house, makes it possible to pass from one to the other. “When we move around, we are really bent on both sides by the buildings. We are open to the sky, but at some point, the view opens up to nature, describes the architect. We liked this slightly theatrical effect. »
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
In the second building, of smaller dimensions, there is a guest bedroom where guests can sleep in peace. Behind the partition, there is a bathroom and a shower.
This addition has the garage on one side, and on the other, a room whose walls and ceiling are covered with Russian plywood. Note that originally, the place was first designed as an exercise room, to practice yoga, for example. But it has been transformed into a bedroom by the new owners, for the use of grandparents or other guests who can sleep there without being woken up early in the morning by a host of children.