(Eastman) Ronny Thériault and his spouse, Caroline Lebel, experienced the pandemic almost as a “gift”, because this break forced them to reassess their plan for the next few years. As a result, they moved into the country house they were building for their retirement sooner than expected. We met them at their Eastman hideout, where they now live full time.
Posted at 12:00 p.m.
“It was probably the best two years of our lives,” says Ronny Thériault bluntly, seated in the large dining room, the dog Balzac comfortably installed on his lap. Indeed, even if the pandemic has been difficult for everyone, it has at least allowed them to find their haven of peace.
However, when they started the process of this project, they did not have to live there immediately, they specify. “The objective, when we bought the land, was to build a house for retirement, says Caroline Lebel. And in the meantime, we would have come to spend weekends and holidays here. »
PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
Caroline Lebel, Ronny Thériault and their dog Balzac are spending happy days in their house in Eastman.
But life wanted it otherwise. The pandemic — but also a whole combination of circumstances — led them to sell their condo in Boucherville to move permanently to the Eastern Townships at the start of winter 2021. Caroline, who works in the community Health, is still working from home. As for Ronny, a building contractor, he managed to transfer his business, Renovia, to the region.
There, they have all the space — both physical and mental — to indulge in their hobbies: writing for Caroline, photography and music for Ronny. Beautiful passions that should take more and more place as the retirement age approaches. At least, that’s the plan.
Since we are both a bit of an artist in our time, we built the house in that image. The music studio, Caroline’s library, it was really made according to that.
Ronny Thériault, owner
It is therefore not for nothing that the house bears the name Atelier C, C for “creativity”. To bring these spaces to life, they called on designer Nicholas Francœur.
-
PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
Sun studies were made on the ground to determine the orientation of the house.
-
PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
In the entrance, there is a charging station for an electric vehicle, one of the elements that are part of the owners’ lifestyle.
1/2
A green house
“When we bought the land and decided to build on it, it was very important to us that it be an ecological house,” emphasizes Caroline Lebel. They also wanted to use only healthy materials, and have a mono-pitch roof. This type of roof requires little maintenance, says Ronny Thériault, who, as a contractor, contributed a lot to the construction of the house.
Armed with these requests, Nicholas Francœur designed this passive solar house for them, with its refined architecture and which, to top it off, received the LEED Platinum seal, the highest level of green certification. The final score is 84 out of 110, one of the highest scores in the region, according to Ronny Thériault. Studies of shadows cast by trees were also carried out on the site to ensure the best possible positioning of the house.
-
PHOTO RAPHAËL THIBODEAU, PROVIDED BY NICHOLAS FRANCŒUR
The offices are partitioned to ensure privacy and concentration, but the rooms are not completely isolated from the rest of the house. Here, Caroline Lebel’s office with its large library.
-
PHOTO RAPHAËL THIBODEAU, PROVIDED BY NICHOLAS FRANCŒUR
The space arranged between the two offices serves in particular as a buffer place where the couple can meet to discuss and exchange ideas. On the left, we can see Ronny Thériault’s office.
-
PHOTO RAPHAËL THIBODEAU, PROVIDED BY NICHOLAS FRANCŒUR
The offices are lined up to take advantage of the soft light on the north side.
1/3
Introverted spaces, extroverted spaces
Thanks to the slope of the roof, where the ceiling is lowest, there are more introverted rooms such as the bedroom, offices and living room; while the dining room and the kitchen benefit from the greatest height of ceiling. “The height varies between 7 and 15 ft,” explains the designer. The offices and living room are to the north, where the light is soft and the ceiling is low. »
To the south, the kitchen and dining room are illuminated by direct light during the winter and blocked by roof overhangs during the summer months to ensure that the ambient temperature in the house remains cool and pleasant.
Nicholas Francoeur, designer
The two offices, side by side, are not completely closed rooms. “Thus, the owners can work alone without being isolated from the other common rooms of the house; they can be simultaneously alone and together,” adds Nicholas Francœur. In the middle, a place has been set up where Ronny and Caroline can meet. “In this intermediate space, they can meet to discuss their projects,” he continues. A bit like working in a library or in a café. »
The notable difference is that you find yourself surrounded by nature when you look out the window. It’s not uncommon for them to see all kinds of wildlife pass right by their noses. An original way to spice up the working day.
-
PHOTO RAPHAËL THIBODEAU, PROVIDED BY NICHOLAS FRANCŒUR
View of the bedroom, which overlooks the large bathroom. Throughout the house, the floors are uniform: it is a heated concrete slab.
-
PHOTO RAPHAËL THIBODEAU, PROVIDED BY NICHOLAS FRANCŒUR
In the bathroom, a large copper bath has been installed. “It can be recycled, notes Caroline Lebel. Each time we have chosen an element for the house, we have paid very special attention to ensure that there is a possibility of recycling or reuse. »
-
PHOTO RAPHAËL THIBODEAU, PROVIDED BY NICHOLAS FRANCŒUR
A stained glass window separates the bedroom from the rest of the house.
1/3
The stained glass window that separates the bedroom from the rest of the house reinforces this feeling of a temple, almost a church. But in addition to its aesthetic aspect, the object has a very precise function. “The idea of the stained glass window was to generate a continuous transparency from east to west, which allows sunrise and sunset light to shine through the house while still maintaining the privacy required for a bedroom. , emphasizes Nicholas Francoeur. The blue of the stained glass is projected on the walls and the floor. It was also made by a local craftsman, Atelier Rodrigue.
As for the kitchen, it was created by À Height d’homme. Sober and practical, it is also all black.
-
PHOTO RAPHAËL THIBODEAU, PROVIDED BY NICHOLAS FRANCŒUR
Most of the furniture was custom made. As for the kitchen, it was designed by At Height of Man. The wood stove is imported from Denmark.
-
PHOTO RAPHAËL THIBODEAU, PROVIDED BY NICHOLAS FRANCŒUR
Inside, all the colors are sober: white for the walls, black for the kitchen, gray for the floor. The ceiling is whitewashed aspen.
1/2
Moving to Eastman allowed Ronny Thériault and Caroline Lebel to change their way of life and take full advantage of it. For example, living in nature allows them to do a lot more outdoors. “We didn’t really like winter. And here, we discovered the white winter, as we call it”, illustrates Ronny.
They can thus take long walks with the dog, in the many paths that surround the property and which belong to the estate, managed by an association of owners. “There is a small stream that passes through our land as well. We are really in full immersion with nature. »