The dream house, the one found not far from the village of Lac-Brome, in the Eastern Townships, had the volumes, an inviting exterior and land that ticked all the boxes. Inside, however, it lacked that cohesion that makes you feel at home. Connecting the interior to the exterior is the mission entrusted to the La Nony Famili interior design and development team, which has made it a haven never to be left.
Returning from Europe after more than 25 years abroad, it was in her native region that the future owner*, a native of Sherbrooke, wanted to put down roots. The initial plan, concocted with her British partner, was to find land in the countryside where to build the idealized nest. While doing research, the couple came across a house located behind the village of Lac-Brome, which made them deviate from their objective.
Located on a three-acre wooded lot, from which the neighbors are imperceptible, the residence displayed mid-century lines and a japandi style which appealed to the client, who “fell in love with the house on the spot” or rather with her potential, as she will discover a few minutes later by opening the door to a completely different universe.
“It wasn’t to my taste,” she said politely, as if of a dish that horrifies us and which we try to decline without offending the cook. The kitchen and bathrooms needed to be changed. The walls, clad in dark oranges, browns and yellows, also cried out for help. “We figured it was nothing a brushstroke couldn’t fix. » The house had beautiful volumes, a solid frame and an abundance of windows. However, it will require strong intervention to give it its current energy.
“I like decorating, but with a full-time job, I couldn’t see myself redoing a complete house,” says the buyer, who recruited La Nony Famili to help her with this task. I presented them with a “mood” board. When they came back with the drawings, I told myself that I could have easily spent a year trying to achieve the same result. »
Although it is sometimes easier to start from scratch, the ecological approach was favored. Apart from the bathrooms which had to be completely redone, as many components as possible were preserved, including the moldings, the floors, the kitchen cabinets, the appliances and the chimney hood, which was simply covered with an envelope minimalist more suited to the decor.
“What’s interesting is that it was a really good base, but poorly finished. The interior needed to be brought back to the same level as the shell,” notes Aza Lussier, who pilots La Nony Famili with her partner, Fred Nony.
To lighten the decor and highlight the windows, the strategy was to free the walls and concentrate the rich and enveloping textures in the center of the volume. The furniture was stripped down to the essentials, but custom-made by Gaïac ébénisterie, a craftsman from Cowansville. In American cherry in the common areas and walnut in the bedrooms, it injects warmth into each room.
People who enter the McPherson residence often remark that it looks like its occupants. It is refined, simple, welcoming. “It’s the greatest compliment anyone can give us,” says Aza Lussier. What we want is for the decor to look like it was designed by our clients. There’s a lot of work behind it, but the goal is for it to seem natural and for the concept to stand the test of time. »
After completely renovating the interior of the residence, the couple called on the same duo to develop the exterior and add a terrace. “This is our home,” concludes the occupant. “Unless we have to leave, I see no reason to change homes. As a good Quebecer, I touch wood [which is not lacking in the McPherson residence]. We are fulfilled and we are here for good!”
