Posted at 12:00 p.m.
Renee-Claude Paris and Nicolas Dalmau both love design and architecture. They knew they would be carrying out a project with an architectural firm when they bought a property on the shores of Brome Lake in 2018. They had a home built that lived up to their aspirations in order to enjoy it for a twenty years. They discovered along the way that they were a great team.
Skiing regularly in Bromont, they love the Eastern Townships. Nicolas Dalmau knows Lac-Brome very well, since he grew up in Granby and often went there as a teenager. When they decided to invest in the purchase of a chalet rather than continuing to rent one, they multiplied the visits. As Renee-Claude Paris dreamed of a view of the water, this complicated their research.
“We are lovers of design and architecture,” says Mr. Dalmau. We never quite found what we were looking for. We said to ourselves that the best way to have the house we want is to build it from A to Z.”
They fell in love with the land, which they acquired. “We fell in love with the land, which is on the edge of Brome Lake,” he recalls. We liked the shape of the land. It is so secluded, it felt like an oasis. »
PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
By building a home that lived up to their aspirations, on the shores of Brome Lake, Nicolas Dalmau and Renee-Claude Paris discovered that they formed a formidable team.
His wife loved the roundabout in front of the existing house. Even today, she considers this to be one of the great assets of the property. “When you arrive, you feel that you are entering a small area. »
They trusted the members of the MUKK architecture+construction team. “We found that they made houses that stood out from each other,” explains Nicolas Dalmau. We had long discussions to be certain that we had the same vision of things. It was our fourth project. The others were made in Montreal and took into account the needs of my twin daughters, who are now adults, but this one was the biggest. This is by far our best experience in architecture and construction. »
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PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
Renee-Claude Paris dreamed of a view of the water. The house has three levels and follows the natural slope of the land.
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PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
Set back, the kitchen is open to the dining room. It is also open to the terrace and the outdoor kitchen, which has been fitted out there.
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PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
The dining room, at the foot of the stairs, overlooks the living room. The space is bathed in light.
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PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
The master bedroom has been designed as a hotel suite, with an adjoining bathroom, a large style wardrobe walk-in and an office.
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PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
In the master bedroom, huge windows allow you to admire the lake.
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PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
This upstairs bedroom opens onto a balcony. From their bedroom, the owners also have access. They like to have coffee there in the morning.
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PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
View of the ground floor, from the top of the walkway
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PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
Planning to telecommute, Renee-Claude Paris had ensured that her office was very well positioned in the house. The furniture was made to measure. Thanks to the windows, on its left and on its right, the space is bright.
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PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
The owners take advantage of the large furnished terrace facing Brome Lake.
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PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
The terrace is unifying with its spa and outdoor lounge.
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On three levels
The famous roundabout, which facilitates traffic and has an island of trees in the middle, gives access to the two buildings they had built. The first, more modest, includes a double garage on the ground floor and a one-bedroom apartment upstairs. This is where the couple settled in May 2019, to oversee the construction of the main residence.
The latter has three bedrooms and takes advantage of the topography of the land.
“There is no basement,” says Mr. Dalmau. The slight slope of the terrain, descending towards the lake, was a source of inspiration. »
The house is on three levels and follows the natural slope of the land, keeping the ceiling always at the same level. So as you go downstairs, the height of the rooms increases.
Nicolas Dalmau, owner
Upstairs, a walkway separates the master bedroom from the other two. “We wanted it to be like a hotel suite, with an adjoining bathroom, a large walk-in closet and a desk,” he says. The walkway that leads to the other two bedrooms gives privacy on both sides, to us and our guests. »
Both having jobs allowing them to telecommute, they had planned to work there. They moved into the main house at the very end of 2019, just before the pandemic hit.
“As I was used to working from home, I had my office made to measure,” says Renee-Claude Paris. It is very well positioned in the house. There are windows on the left and on the right, so lots of light. It was ready at the beginning of March 2020. The timing is really funny. We were lucky to be able to enjoy this place during the pandemic. »
The edge of the water
Living by the water is even more pleasant than they anticipated. “It goes beyond my expectations,” notes Nicolas Dalmau, who, like his wife, obtained a captain’s license to be able to drive their boat.
“We have a beautiful living environment on the ground floor and a large terrace on the lake side, with a spa, an outdoor kitchen and a large table,” he explains. Retractable mosquito nets descend from the ceiling using an electric lever. When you want, you have a large space protected from insects. It is magic. There is an outdoor TV and a fire pit. We can be out in the afternoon until November with friends. We enjoy every minute we spend there. It is an extraordinary place. »
If they put the property on the resale market, it is because they have started to dream again and they feel like taking on another, even more daring project. “We want to take up a new challenge,” says Mr. Dalmau. Building on the side of a mountain is something that challenges us. We have quite specific designs that we would like to put forward. This time they will have their eyes riveted on the horizon. But they promise to have an equally fabulous terrace.
The property in brief
Year built: 2019
Asking price: $4,290,000
Municipal assessment: $1,753,600
Rooms: the property, located at 23, chemin de la Baie-Cédar, has two houses signed MUUK architecture+construction, located in a 152 ft (46.3 m) wide lot on the edge of Brome Lake. The main house has three bedrooms, an office, two bathrooms and a shower room, as well as a double garage. The terrace gives access to a private dock. The second house includes a double garage on the ground floor and an apartment upstairs.
Property tax: $10,332
School tax: $1297
Land area: 51,860 sq.ft.2 (1.19 acres — 4818 m2)
Broker: Sahondra Breault, Royal LePage Altitude