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Maison des Érables
By : Bipède
GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN – 16th edition
Discipline : Interior Design
Categories : Residence / Kitchen : Silver Certification
Categories : Residence / Residential Space 1,600 - 5,400 sq.ft. (150 - 500 sq.m.) : Silver Certification
Categories : Special Awards / Renovation (Before & After) : Gold Certification
This house in St-Bruno-de-Montarville was completely transfigured, both inside and out, with a desire to open up the space and amplify the occupants\\\’ relationship with nature and the wooded terrain.
Prioritizing the flow of natural light and the relationship to the exterior, numerous openings were added. On the front facade, the integration of a large projecting window with clean lines and a cubic shape replaces the old bay window and brings a contemporary touch to the house. On the rear façade, a large band window opens the kitchen to the backyard, and extends into a four-panel patio door in the adjacent living room, connecting the living areas to each other and to the generous surrounding vegetation.
The overall volumetry of the house has been maintained and enhanced through interventions in materials and architectural details. The exterior vinyl siding was changed to natural tone wood on the second floor to match the existing beige brick on the first floor; while black stained wood wraps around the lower garage volume and the main entrance door, creating a dramatic and modern contrast.
At the rear, the addition of a canopy accentuates the horizontality of the fenestration and marks the transition from interior to exterior in the extension of the rear living room. This covered space continues behind the volume of the garage with an intimate terrace protected from the elements.
Inside, the general configuration of the rooms has been maintained, but highly enhanced by more open passages to visually connect the rooms and diffuse natural light, while benefiting from well-defined zones and uses. From the entrance, users enjoy a view all the way to the garden.
The kitchen, formerly closed and divided into cooking and dining areas, was very cramped. It is now spread out in width, with a completely unobstructed view of the garden. It is built around a convivial central island and has been redesigned to maximize storage, to hide all the small appliances and free up the counters so the view is not obstructed. The countertops are also spacious, and divided into four different zones, allowing for a clear definition of uses. The partition between the dining room and the kitchen has been completely eliminated in order to promote the relationship between the spaces and the fluidity of circulation. The black and the natural color of the white oak that characterizes the kitchen\\\’s built-in furniture, also unfold in a harmonious continuum throughout the house. This range of colors and finishes also reflects those of the exterior, linking the internal and external environments of the house in a coherent and thoughtful way.
In the front volume of the house, the ceiling of the sunken living room was opened to reveal the angles of the roof and amplify the height in this room. This cathedral ceiling, clad in white painted wood slats, gives the living room a distinct atmosphere and presence.
The stairwell, was covered with an wooden slatted screen, which delimits the first floor from the private areas upstairs without totally closing it off.
