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Cleary
By : les stéphanies design d'intérieur inc.
GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN – 17th edition
Discipline : Interior Design
Categories : Residence / Cottage & Country House : Silver Certification
Categories : Residence / Residential Space 1,600 - 5,400 sq.ft. (150 - 500 sq.m.) : Gold Certification
Categories : Special Awards / Interior Design + Collaboration : Silver Certification
Cleary: sublimating the architectural and functional experience of a cottage
The owners of a ski chalet in Bromont called on les stéphanies to realize their vision of a warm, chic and organic space. The designers worked to optimize the interior layout of the spaces designed by MUUK Architecture, exploiting to its full potential the porosity between the building and its external environment. The house offers an immersive experience in the heart of the Eastern Townships forest, realizing an ideal encounter between aesthetics and functionality.
The design manages to imbue the architects’ innovative vision while infusing it with the atmosphere of places that tell a story. Eloquently, the residence conveys a personal conception of what makes a place inviting, comfortable and practical, above and beyond its structural qualities.
The layout thus exploits the permeability between inside and outside suggested by the extensive fenestration. Nature manifests itself through materials, textures, light and color. White oak, a renewable and sustainable resource runs throughout the home alongside accents of green, like a hyphen with the surrounding forest.
The organic, distinguished character sought by the owners is expressed through the dialogue between materials. As a counterpoint to the wood ceiling, the concrete floor unifies the floor of the open-plan area. This harmonious duality applies even in the narrower areas. In the powder room, different yet complementary languages meet: the ancestral cachet of lime walls and the modernity of the concrete sink.
The minimalism of the plumbing elements also feeds the chic aspect of the place, without compromising the warm spirit. Their metallic surface is destined to develop an elegant patina over time, whether in the kitchen or in the bathroom or powder room. The quest for a streamlined style naturally led to the omission of mouldings for the bottom of the walls and around the windows. Lighting, meanwhile, has been specially thought out to create a dramatic ambience throughout the various spaces.
While aesthetic considerations permeate the entire home, they never overshadow functionality. Everyday life is made easier by optimizing storage in response to specific needs: china cabinet integrated into the dining room, hidden breakfast nook, concealed refrigerator… The corridor to the master bathroom also serves as a walk-in and make-up vanity. After a day’s skiing, people enjoy a mudroom to undress and leave their gear there without crowding the main entrance. The latter does have a closet, however, with a wooden sliding door. Its invisible mechanism always impresses in addition to contributing to the minimalism of the place.
A concern for sustainability underpins the entire project: materials were chosen for their ability to age beautifully. The style, meanwhile, is aligned with the owners’ tastes and needs; it will endure, regardless of the passing of trends. The design manages to strike a balance between modernity, luxury, simplicity and the warm character inspired by nature.
Collaboration
Interior Designer : les stéphanies design d'intérieur
