Decorating & Design
A Designer’s Charming New England-Style Country Home
Published on July 20, 2020
Designer Luke Havekes shares how he transformed a builder-basic home into a layered retreat.
“It was a dream of mine to have a house in Knowlton, Quebec. I used to be the buyer and visual merchandiser for high-end Montreal furniture line Celadon Collection’s former Knowlton location. Once a month, I’d visit from Montreal to change the displays, and I loved the village and the overall feeling. I told myself, when I was ready, I’d buy a house here. When the time came, I saw five houses with a realtor and, voilà, found my place.
The home’s bones and center hall plan were great, but the exterior of the house and the bathroom and kitchen were not. The main floor had a series of small, disjointed rooms, so I moved the kitchen from one side of the house to the other to create space for a large dining room and an open-concept den. Now the house has much larger, airier living spaces. I also added some New England–style architectural details to the interior. Originally, the house had a very builder-basic construction (it was built in 1989), with skimpy mouldings, hollow doors and boring millwork. It completely lacked any strong architectural identity.
I also planned the interiors to showcase my large collection of objets and antiques. Many of these items were in storage because, although I loved them, they didn’t feel at home in my contemporary condo in Montreal. Bringing them to Knowlton made the house feel rich and collected immediately. Most people can’t believe I’ve only lived here for two years. A favorite game I play when people visit is asking, How old do you think the house is? And no one ever guesses right!”
Luke’s friends or family members visit most weekends. Guests don’t always want to come to the city, so it’s nice to have a big house in the country.
The bright, spacious entryway is punctuated by a deep green bench and stately chest of drawers.
Creating flow between rooms on the main floor was paramount to the renovation. “Doing a renovation for a client is sometimes easier than doing it for yourself,” says Luke (pictured). “An important lesson I learned was to have no regrets: make a choice and stick with it.”
Luke creates a rich, relaxed vibe with color and texture in the living room.
The large eat-in kitchen is perfect for hosting casual get-togethers with friends.
A mix of color and pattern creates the layered look Luke was after in the dining room. “I stayed away from trends and opted instead for a more intuitive sense of what I wanted my home in the country to feel like, which was more layered and enduring,” he says.
Wicker details add a fresh, summery feeling to the powder room.
Warm walls and cool bedding make this guest room a cozy retreat.
There’s plenty of space for friends to store their things in this pretty but practical guest room.
Stunning patterned tile creates a carpet of color and clads the tub in the principal bathroom. “Throughout the renovations, I tried to make daring but timeless choices,” says Luke.
The interiors are inspired by Wes Anderson’s film sets: imagine an atmosphere somewhere between The Royal Tenenbaums and Moonrise Kingdom.
The backyard and decks provide more places to entertain and relax.
Maxime Desbiens
House & Home September 2019
Luke Havekes