The owner’s tour | Family first

Owners open the doors of their exceptional residence to us, offered on the resale market.

Marie-Andree Amiot
The Press

Our hosts from Saint-Sauveur were waiting for us. Fortunately, because to enter their domain, you have to announce yourself to open the pretty iron gate.

And then, what a surprise! Rarely have we seen such refined and neat landscaping. And that’s not to mention the house. Our owner, Alain*, led us on a guided tour that we won’t soon forget.

Pinball or not pinball

Alain, a regular at flips, first told us that he had acquired this house five years ago without the knowledge of his wife. “I regularly bought properties that I renovated to resell them,” says the young man in his sixties. This one, I didn’t think I’d keep. But, I got caught. » Alain speaks of a thunderbolt as one would have for a woman. His own wife, for her part, knew nothing of her husband’s latest affair. “He was so busy that I didn’t realize he was spending a lot of time here,” she told us. It was when the real work began that he revealed his secret.

He attributes the love at first sight to the particular architecture of the house. At first glance, we are in front of a typical Laurentian property, Canadian style with gable roofs and dormer windows. Except that, when you look closer, you notice that the central part of the long property (100 feet) is special. “The previous owners had an ancestral house in La Malbaie demolished piece by piece to integrate it into the existing house in Saint-Sauveur,” explains Alain. Each room has been carefully numbered in chalk so that the house is rebuilt exactly as it was in 1812. I was enthralled. »

After four years of work, inside and out, the result is impressive. The adjoining rooms each have their own character, but the ancestral building has set the tone. Alain, interior designer, has married the old and the new to create a homogeneous and completely unique property. “The mix is ​​interesting, and there is all this historical aspect, with total respect for the environment,” agrees broker Jennifer Vienneau.

Thousands of details

In order, we begin the visit of the ground floor by the dining room. Large, it can accommodate 17 guests. The back wall, the focal point of the room, is covered with square stone tiles with geometric reliefs. “These are pieces of Bahamian sand made in Florida,” says the owner, adding that the cargo weighed four tons!

Then there is the kitchen whose space has tripled. The couple receives regularly (read very often!) their two daughters and their family. The kitchen is therefore equipped with two ovens, two dishwashers, two sinks and a lot of storage. There is also a pantry in the vestibule.

In continuation, the boudoir has its hearth in natural rectangular stones of Saint-Canut. They replaced the stones of the fields which dressed it. The owners chose this material for the walls of the vestibule and the bathroom on the ground floor.

Then there is the ancestral house transformed into a living room. Some beams still hide horsehair that was used to insulate against extreme cold. At the top, there is this transparent aircraft-grade Plexiglas walkway that allows you to pass from the second floor bedrooms to the master bedroom without obstructing the view towards the cathedral roof. An intimidating short passage for those who suffer from vertigo!

The last living room is that of Madame. A room to rest, to meditate, to dream. Similarly, in the basement, the owners have had a spa and an infrared sauna installed along with a bathroom. A pretty room where wood and marble offer a look of modernity.

Note the many architectural details of this house, which make it a unique work. Whether it’s the hinges, the decorative nails on the floor or on the doors, the sculptures that support the fireplace mantle, this house will amaze you. Over time, the couple brought back from their many travels objects and furniture as well as building materials that they incorporated into the house. “During a trip to Morocco, we bought so much that we filled a 40-foot container. »

A garden to receive

Finally, there is the outside. Rarely, except in a botanical garden, have we seen so much care given to an outdoor environment. There are fountains, rest areas, hammocks, a swimming pool with an arch and swings, two (yes, two!) large outdoor kitchens with grill, dishwasher, ovens, dishes, sinks and everything. Tables large enough for 15, spaces to sit down and chat… This couple is very family-oriented: “We have seven grandchildren, from 3 months to 12 years old. They come every weekend,” confide the happy grandparents. They even created a large outdoor bathroom with shower for the little ones.

Meticulously, the couple planted hundreds of shrubs, trees and flowers. There is an order, the plantations are not random. Flowers in pink tones are in a tub. The tall maples are in a straight line. There is something reassuring in this methodical organization.

Reassuring, but also captivating. The work continues, because it is necessary to maintain this space to keep it at this level of perfection. Listening to this passionate couple, we understand that the ideas are not lacking. “I fall asleep at night imagining new projects,” says Alain. Maybe it’s a lot? Still, they imagine a property that will require less work. Magical thought for this enterprising couple? To be continued.

* We use the first name only to preserve the couple’s privacy.