Decorating & Design
October 23, 2017
See What Happens When A Family Trades The City For The Country
A couple from Montreal traded the city for the country, and built their dream home in the Laurentians from the ground up. Montreal designers Alexandre Blazys and Benoit Gérard of BlazysGérard brought a polished sophistication to homeowners Sylvie and Jean-François’ vision, taking inspiration from the traditional homes of coastal Maine, New York and Vermont, and also the work of American architect Robert A.M. Stern. “We imagined a home, like in the movies, that’s always open to everyone,” says Jean-François. Invite yourself into the beautiful space below.
Designers Alexandre and Benoit were inspired by the dormer windows and gambrel roofs of traditional shingled homes when designing the five-bedroom house. The family, which entertains often, enjoys many evenings around the firepit.
In the living room, pale tones of grey and creamy cotton mixed with hits of Wedgwood blue create a calming atmosphere. The light palette is ideal in the sun-drenched room and doesn’t detract from the outdoor views.
The door beyond the full wall of built-ins opens into a home office.
The hub of the home is the large kitchen, which is centered around an island topped with black slate. Budget-friendly Ikea cabinets were sprayed in a custom warm grey and offset by a crisp white beadboard ceiling.
The banquette in the dining nook is upholstered in casual grey linen and surrounds a table made by Reproductions de Chez Nous, a local cabinetmaker.
The designers gave the couple’s traditional Québécois dining set a modern spin by pairing it with a casual sisal rug and rustic-looking chandelier.
The glassed-in veranda off the kitchen is the family’s go-to spot, thanks to its tree-lined wraparound views “without the mosquitoes,” says Sylvie. Outdoor seating, log tables and a lantern bridge the gap between outdoors and in.
The loveseat sits low to the ground so it doesn’t block the view beyond.
In the veranda, french doors invite the outside in.
A hammock hung between two trees just beyond the veranda offers a quiet spot for reading.
The light, tonal palette continues upstairs into the principal bedroom with a soft grey headboard and creamy white walls. A matching set of dressers provides more storage than standard bedside tables.
In the principal bedroom, the designers took advantage of window space to build out a cozy banquette.
Doubling up the classically styled sinks and vanities has great impact in the principal bathroom.
The principal bathroom’s vintage-inspired sconces and tub suit the house’s classic architecture.
Sylvie and Jean-François’ eldest son’s bedroom is youthful and fun in a no-fail black and white scheme that’s ideal for a young adult. A leather pillow and ikat-print upholstery give a traditional wingback chair a cool edge.
The main-floor powder room has an Old Hollywood feel with its black and white vanity, bevelled mirror and grasscloth walls.
Maxime Desbiens
House & Home September 2017
Alexandre Blazys and Benoit Gérard, BlazysGérard