Lakefront Welcome
montrealhomemag.com
Landscape
Landscape Autumn 2011
montrealhomemag.com
This meticulous lakefront home in the Laurentians is a study in contrasts. The home’s exterior, clad in parchmentgray stucco and featuring charming russet window shutters, resembles an inviting Italian villa. Its symmetrical gardens are decidedly French, a way of create order over nature, notes designer Jean Turcotte. Turcotte and his partner Louis Pépin, owners of Atelier de l’Opéra in Westmount, designed both the 6,000-square-foot six-bedroom home and its sprawling formal gardens, which sit on a picturesque two-acre lot in Saint-Adolphe-d’Howard, located about 60 minutes north of Montreal.
“They love literature, poetry and fantasy, so inside and out, we created many layers of texture and warmth.”
Lakefront welcome
Landscaping puts guests in lounge chairs near water or expanse of grass for badminton by
150
Wendy Helfenbaum
The COUNTRY HOME Issue
photography
Martin Clairmont courtesy of atelier de l’opera
The Toronto-based homeowners bought the wooded property in 1986, intending to build a family-friendly summer home. They visited Turcotte and Pépin’s St-Sauveur office, and fell in love with the designers’ proposal for the home and the gardens. “They wanted an Italian-inspired summer home that was very easy to entertain in; their house is always full of guests,” recalls Turcotte. “They love literature, poetry and fantasy, so inside and out, we created many layers of texture and warmth. We built the main part of the house first, then we added on an octagonal pavilion that became the family room 10 years later.” The elaborate wrought iron entrance gate, crafted by a local artisan, guides visitors down a long, tree-lined driveway composed of tiny compacted French gravel towards a stone fountain encircled with clipped boxwood. Beyond, a circular driveway leads to the front entrance, where custom-made stone railings poured from antique molds frame white hydrangea shrubs and metal balcony planters overflowing with cascading geraniums. Overlooking Lac Sainte-Marie, the home’s stately landscaping was redone about eight years ago to reflect the homeowners’ wish for a simple, yet welcoming space where friends and family could gather for relaxation and recreation. •
The gardens around this Laurentian house, along with the home, were designed by architectural designers Jean Turcotte and Louis Pépin of Atelier de l’Opéra.
The COUNTRY HOME Issue
151
montrealhomemag.com
Landscape
Landscape Autumn 2011
montrealhomemag.com
“We laid terra cotta tiles on the terrace floor, and planted purple thyme in the joints… When you walk on it, a lovely fragrance is released into the air.”
“Because the property is on the waterfront, we created two levels of gardens: a small beach area where people can relax in lounge chairs right near the water and have easy access to the docks, and a large expanse of grass where people can play badminton,” says Turcotte. Other than a vibrant cluster of fuchsia phlox near the edge of the forest, the grounds are framed in various shades of maintenance-free greenery. Clipped boxwood, interspersed with cedar hedges, define the perimeters of the property, while walking paths through the adjacent forest are dotted with soft ferns. “We installed two stone statues – a man and a woman – as focal points in the woods,” notes Turcotte. “Guests enjoy
152
The COUNTRY HOME Issue
walking in the forest, and the statues become a kind of landmark. They can also be seen from upstairs in the house, and they’ve developed a lovely patina over the years.” Each of the home’s six bedrooms has a Juliet-style wrought iron balcony overlooking the property, which match the entrance gate’s design. At 60 feet long and 18 feet wide, the home’s terrace runs the full length of the house. The doors leading into the home feature large arched windows, and are left open to take advantage of the breathtaking views of the water, says Turcotte. “We laid terra cotta tiles on the terrace floor, and planted purple thyme in the •
Trimmed boxwood and sumptuous lawns are the perfect landscape for this formal, European-inspired home.
The COUNTRY HOME Issue
153
Landscape Autumn 2011
montrealhomemag.com
“It’s the easiest way to create instant greenery and colour groupings; the garden is so structured, and the urns bring in some softness.” joints, which blossoms in the summer. When you walk on it, a lovely fragrance is released into the air.” The designers had a large stone dining table made to accommodate the couple’s frequent guests, and chose chocolate brown outdoor furniture with cream cushions from Jardin de Ville in Montreal. In addition to hundreds of maple, birch and cedar trees, various potted plants add interest and offer flexibility on the terrace and throughout the property, adds Turcotte. “It’s the easiest way to create instant greenery and colour groupings; the garden is so structured, and the urns bring in some softness.” •
The terrace with its formal balustrade provides a relaxing vantage point, overlooking the lake.
The COUNTRY HOME Issue
155
Landscape
Landscape Autumn 2011
montrealhomemag.com
This meticulous lakefront home in the Laurentians is a study in contrasts. The home’s exterior, clad in parchmentgray stucco and featuring charming russet window shutters, resembles an inviting Italian villa. Its symmetrical gardens are decidedly French, a way of create order over nature, notes designer Jean Turcotte. Turcotte and his partner Louis Pépin, owners of Atelier de l’Opéra in Westmount, designed both the 6,000-square-foot six-bedroom home and its sprawling formal gardens, which sit on a picturesque two-acre lot in Saint-Adolphe-d’Howard, located about 60 minutes north of Montreal.
“They love literature, poetry and fantasy, so inside and out, we created many layers of texture and warmth.”
Lakefront welcome
Landscaping puts guests in lounge chairs near water or expanse of grass for badminton by
150
Wendy Helfenbaum
The COUNTRY HOME Issue
photography
Martin Clairmont courtesy of atelier de l’opera
The Toronto-based homeowners bought the wooded property in 1986, intending to build a family-friendly summer home. They visited Turcotte and Pépin’s St-Sauveur office, and fell in love with the designers’ proposal for the home and the gardens. “They wanted an Italian-inspired summer home that was very easy to entertain in; their house is always full of guests,” recalls Turcotte. “They love literature, poetry and fantasy, so inside and out, we created many layers of texture and warmth. We built the main part of the house first, then we added on an octagonal pavilion that became the family room 10 years later.” The elaborate wrought iron entrance gate, crafted by a local artisan, guides visitors down a long, tree-lined driveway composed of tiny compacted French gravel towards a stone fountain encircled with clipped boxwood. Beyond, a circular driveway leads to the front entrance, where custom-made stone railings poured from antique molds frame white hydrangea shrubs and metal balcony planters overflowing with cascading geraniums. Overlooking Lac Sainte-Marie, the home’s stately landscaping was redone about eight years ago to reflect the homeowners’ wish for a simple, yet welcoming space where friends and family could gather for relaxation and recreation. •
The gardens around this Laurentian house, along with the home, were designed by architectural designers Jean Turcotte and Louis Pépin of Atelier de l’Opéra.
The COUNTRY HOME Issue
151
montrealhomemag.com
Landscape
Landscape Autumn 2011
montrealhomemag.com
“We laid terra cotta tiles on the terrace floor, and planted purple thyme in the joints… When you walk on it, a lovely fragrance is released into the air.”
“Because the property is on the waterfront, we created two levels of gardens: a small beach area where people can relax in lounge chairs right near the water and have easy access to the docks, and a large expanse of grass where people can play badminton,” says Turcotte. Other than a vibrant cluster of fuchsia phlox near the edge of the forest, the grounds are framed in various shades of maintenance-free greenery. Clipped boxwood, interspersed with cedar hedges, define the perimeters of the property, while walking paths through the adjacent forest are dotted with soft ferns. “We installed two stone statues – a man and a woman – as focal points in the woods,” notes Turcotte. “Guests enjoy
152
The COUNTRY HOME Issue
walking in the forest, and the statues become a kind of landmark. They can also be seen from upstairs in the house, and they’ve developed a lovely patina over the years.” Each of the home’s six bedrooms has a Juliet-style wrought iron balcony overlooking the property, which match the entrance gate’s design. At 60 feet long and 18 feet wide, the home’s terrace runs the full length of the house. The doors leading into the home feature large arched windows, and are left open to take advantage of the breathtaking views of the water, says Turcotte. “We laid terra cotta tiles on the terrace floor, and planted purple thyme in the •
Trimmed boxwood and sumptuous lawns are the perfect landscape for this formal, European-inspired home.
The COUNTRY HOME Issue
153
Landscape Autumn 2011
montrealhomemag.com
“It’s the easiest way to create instant greenery and colour groupings; the garden is so structured, and the urns bring in some softness.” joints, which blossoms in the summer. When you walk on it, a lovely fragrance is released into the air.” The designers had a large stone dining table made to accommodate the couple’s frequent guests, and chose chocolate brown outdoor furniture with cream cushions from Jardin de Ville in Montreal. In addition to hundreds of maple, birch and cedar trees, various potted plants add interest and offer flexibility on the terrace and throughout the property, adds Turcotte. “It’s the easiest way to create instant greenery and colour groupings; the garden is so structured, and the urns bring in some softness.” •
The terrace with its formal balustrade provides a relaxing vantage point, overlooking the lake.
The COUNTRY HOME Issue
155
