The owner’s tour | Steel skeleton in the heart of the woods in Prévost

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

Sylvain Sarrazin
The Press

This title could be that of Tim Burton’s next film, but it is rather the architectural work of Luc Beaucage, supported by his sister designer Sophie, and orchestrated on a wooded summit of Prévost. A bold and bright project with an amazing metal frame, also carrying on its shoulders the bewitching atmosphere of an industrial chalet.

Spaces lounge, open concept double storey, sober colors and exposed steel structure of the most beautiful effect (we’ll come back to this): it’s like being in a trendy district of Montreal. But a simple glance through the ubiquitous windows brings an immediate denial: it is in the heart of the Laurentians that this disconcerting house has been established. And even if it grew there in 2010, it seems to have been built last year, thanks to a face that is firmly rooted in contemporaneity.

The building remains above all the concrete response to the aspirations of Luc Beaucage, having trained as an industrial designer in his early youth and received help from his sister, a professional designer, to bring the project to life on the drawing board. “I’ve always dreamed of having a loft. We find this idea in the open plan bedroom upstairs. I also wanted to keep an industrial look, so I found myself some doors, somewhat underground lights,” explains the owner, who himself was heavily involved in the work, while enlisting the services of professionals for specialized work. .

Before tackling the heart of the matter, let’s go through the front door on the ground floor, opening onto a garage converted into a vast outdoor vestibule ready to draw out snowshoes and skis; since the region lends itself perfectly to it, with the resort of Saint-Sauveur just a stone’s throw away and exploration trails, do you want some, here you go! On the same level, there is a work space convertible into a bedroom, as well as a leisure lounge, which could also be transformed into a garage. “It would be possible to add a kitchen area and obtain an intergenerational dwelling,” underlines Mr. Beaucage.

Already, an industrial taste is coming its way, with a concrete floor, polished to give it a terrazzo/terrazzo look, roof cladding plates clad on the wall, galvanized “factory” style doors and light fixtures with rods of steel. Another premise of the property’s philosophy: one of the garage doors has been lined with windows, offering a direct connection with the outside and a bath of light.

Escape beam

It is by going upstairs that the partition takes off, with these imposing steel beams, signed Bone Structure, a company specializing in metal frames and high-performance insulation. The various components were sent and assembled on site, stuck in the foundations, like a gigantic Meccano game, explains the owner, having decided to leave most of them protruding. Painted black in this white interior, they are a real signature of the place.

Everything is intertwined with steel ramps made to measure by a craftsman and an impressive tempered glass walkway, leading to a half-roof terrace equipped with a spa. Ecstasy! Suggested by Sophie Beaucage, Bone Structure’s approach had quickly won over the owner.

In the afternoon, when the sun penetrates through the south-facing windows, these same triangles cast geometric Chinese shadows on the immaculate walls.

Here, no load-bearing wall or wooden frame, therefore; even if this material has nevertheless made a place for itself, in the two beautiful staircases connecting the floors, in laminated larch (also used for the imposing kitchen table), or the oiled pine floors.

We almost forget the layout of the rooms, original, with a large open-plan living room, kitchen and dining room (the gas fireplace is as attractive as it is efficient, at 41,000 BTU), topped by the master bedroom, fitted out upper floor, but part of the great bubble of life. Ideal for a couple, but not necessarily for a large family. There are also two attractive annexes: a pleasant work desk facing a window, and two large cupboards on either side of the bed.

Chiaroscuro

The black beams compete for the limelight with an abundance of white light, the luminosity being another strength of the place, supported by large windows and French windows of high quality. Scattered everywhere, they offer a peripheral wooded spectacle. Moreover, the residence is located in the rue du Belvédère for a reason: on the north side, the view of the mountains is breathtaking. On the south side, a wooded mountainside rises, forming part of the 32,700 sq.^⁠2. In short, the property is bathed in light from all sides, all sides. Even at night, since lighting devices have been cleverly distributed throughout the building.

“I installed more than 120 light sources, including on the catwalk, with color and intensity adjustment, which provides a lounge atmosphere in the evening,” says Luc Beaucage.

And if you are looking for the broker responsible for the sale, there is no need to go any further: the owner exercises this profession himself, and therefore leads the sale, he said when we contacted him. His projects? Still in the making, after considering the concept of container homes, but it’s a safe bet that metal will still play a major role.