Decorating & Design
In Her Latest Kitchen Design, Audrée Kemp Bélanger Creates a Cosy, Organic Space in Quebec
Published on February 5, 2026
When you find a kitchen with a view this amazing, you jump at it — even if you live just a few minutes away. This couple bought their Boucherville, Que., home in 2022, envisioning their morning coffee in a classic heritage kitchen while taking in the stunning view of the St. Lawrence River. They hired Architecture Lévesque et Brault and Ébène Construction to lead a two-year-long reno. To bring their vision to life, the owners enlisted Audrée Kemp Bélanger of AKB Design for the interiors.
The first order of business was to raise the kitchen ceiling to 17 feet, which opened up the space significantly. Audrée infused the house, including the kitchen and adjacent living areas, with neutral hues, natural materials and vintage layers. “My first thought was, How can we add warmth to this kitchen and give it more life?” says Audrée.
In the adjoining dining area, a picture window offered Audrée a spot to create a window seat layered in colour and textiles, which is flanked by a pantry and coat closet. “This adds more space to sit and enjoy the view,” she says. And that’s really what this kitchen is all about — finding different spots to sit and watch the river flow.
The vision for this project was a classic heritage kitchen defined by warm, natural elements and its amazing view.
The homeowners, who love to cook, had already ordered a 48″ Wolf gas range. To balance its dramatic size, Audrée raised the vent hood to over 10 feet and installed fridge and freezer columns on either side. No matter where you’re standing in the kitchen, the view is the main focus. An apron-front sink overlooks evergreens behind the house, while windows in the adjoining sitting and dining areas allow the vista of the St. Lawrence to shine.
Keep scrolling for tips on how to create a cosy, organic kitchen!
Embrace Natural Materials
To bring warmth to the space, Audrée used her signature natural materials, including white oak in multiple hues for the floor, island, vent hood beam and transom window. Tactile elements such as the soapstone and Bianco Carrara marble counters, barstools dressed in seagrass and linen pendants finish the look. Vintage-look tile, and a brass pot filler and pot rail in the deep cooking nook also add a hit of character
Play Up Contrast
The white oak island was stained to match the beam above the range. A light Bianco Carrara marble counter and walls painted in Benjamin Moore’s Simply White (OC-117) balance the darker hues. To help with food prep, a smaller sink was installed in the island.
Limit Open Storage
Audrée added a small section of open shelving that’s backed in shiplap to match the ceiling. The coffee nook doors can be left open for guests to help themselves or closed when it’s not in use. She camouflaged the appliances behind soft grey panels to match the modified Shaker-style cabinets. “The cabinet shade is luminous and a bit moody; it’s the perfect colour to warm up the space,” says Audrée.
Finish With A Rug
A last-minute find, the vintage runner helps tie the scheme together with its blue-grey tones and hints of brown and red.
Because the kitchen doesn’t have windows facing the river, capturing the view required some ingenuity on Audrée’s part. “The sitting area is everyone’s favourite room,” she says. “You can sit comfortably and admire the river while still being in on the action in the kitchen.” To capitalize on the tall, wraparound windows, she added a large transom over the doorway to the kitchen and framed it in white oak. Another window up above that extends the view skyward and brings more light into the kitchen.
Go Vintage
Audrée’s clients picked up these old pots before the project even began. “The copper pots add charm and colour in a neutral space,” says Audrée.
Add Seating
A mix of fabrics and patterns on the throw pillows and roman blinds give this window seat a cosy and collected feel.
Maxime Desbiens (Audrée's portrait)/Sylvie Li (kitchen)
Kitchens & Baths
Architecture, Architecture Lévesque et Brault; design, Audrée Kemp Bélanger