Decorating & Design
January 4, 2021
Visit A Designer’s Enchanting Château In The Eastern Townships
The houses we live in reflect our taste, what we value, how much we have. But the homes we covet? Those are purer expressions of ourselves, unconstrained by little details like geography and bank balances. So, you can only imagine how Montreal designer, lifelong antiques collector and bon vivant Scott Yetman felt when he walked through the gates of this property in Knowlton, Quebec, two years ago.
Finding a château for sale in the Eastern Townships is a little like nabbing the perfect croissant in Machu Picchu: practically impossible. But there it was — a 50-year-old version of a mini château — complete with vaulted ceilings, wood-burning fireplaces, massive wrought-iron gates and iconic, upside-down ice cream cone–shaped roofs surrounded by almost seven hectares of rolling hills with a view of Lac-Brome beyond. It was, as they say, a coup de foudre.
A house with a past demands an owner who can imagine its future. Built in 1966 for lawyer the Hon. Jean Raymond — a member of Quebec’s Legislative Council — and his wife, Jacqueline, the home was masterminded by Montreal architecture firm Humphrey & Seguin. Minutely detailed original plans of the wood frame structure were enriched by rumors that Pierre Elliott Trudeau had slept there one Christmas.
“Our approach was simply to repair and restore what was original to the house and make any changes very modern, rather than try to recreate the past,” says Scott. “There’s a certain energy created by that mix of classic and contemporary — they spark off each other.”
Though Scott and his husband, Jean Michel Lavoie, a health-care and insurance executive, have a home in Montreal (featured in H&H’s February 2017 issue) and a modern condo in Palm Beach, Florida, it’s this place they retreat to most weekends to relax and unwind. “This house has changed our life. I feel more protected, more serene. There’s still a lot to do here; a house is never finished. But that’s the beauty of finding a home you love.”
Scroll down to tour this character-driven country getaway!
Little of the home’s exterior has been altered, but the original red front door was restored and painted black.
The rotunda features 20-foot-high ceilings and a custom mural. “There should be something embracing about an entry,” says Scott. “It’s what we used to do when friends walked in — give them a hug.”
The walls of the entry hall were painted black to dramatize the impact of entering the large, white living room.
The portrait of Queen Elizabeth II affectionately known as “Auntie Betty” reigns over the cloakroom off the hallway.
“Entering it was like stepping back into another time, into the country houses and châteaux of Normandy,” says Scott of the 5,000-square-foot, three-bedroom home. “But it wasn’t one of those McMansions made to look like a faux château. There was something so simple and sensible about it. Once we saw it, we just couldn’t stop thinking about that house.”
In the living room, a striking light fixture hanging from the vaulted ceiling works like a canopy, “so you don’t feel like you’re sitting in this massive space,” says Scott.
The original mantelpiece was painted black, grounding the ornate mirror and simple vases of greenery.
The house originally had dark brown–stained, chevron-patterned white oak floors. “So dark, but the moment they were sanded, the whole room just came to life,” says Scott
The kitchen’s new granite-wrapped black oak island and terrazzo floors feel fresh paired with classic French cabinets. The black door (right) leads to the home’s original walk-in refrigerator.
Scott designed the freestanding table at the end of the island for casual meals.
The home’s original pantry has been restored and filled with Scott’s collection of china and kitchenware.
Wallpapering the powder room in grasscloth and painting the cabinets black unified the tiny space.
“Painting everything black creates a sense of mystery,” says Scott of the cozy study he fashioned from a former bedroom.
The principal bedroom’s simple furnishings and plush carpeting make the space feel intimate.
Scott removed the ensuite bathroom’s original tub and replaced it with a modern porcelain-clad shower, concrete flooring and matte black fixtures.
The guest bedroom uses a calming palette of grays, whites and pale camel.
Scott (seated), Jean Michel and their puppy, Vixen, in their outdoor living and dining area.
Learn more about the enchanting home in Scott’s episode of Behind The Design with Lynda Reeves!
André Rider
House & Home December 2020
Scott Yetman