Tag: original house

One look at a Quebec home called Papillon is all you need to understand its name.

“We focused on the sloped roof as its main architectural characteristic and we had to enhance that feature. That strong visual line inspired us. We had to stretch it to the extremity and add a replica in the background, which gave it wings and dynamism, hence the butterfly,” explains architect Kim My Le Quoc.

Papillon is located the Montreal suburb of Mont-St-Hilaire overlooking the scenic Richelieu River. The house was first built as a split-level, with three bedrooms on the upper level and one bedroom on the main floor.

The revamp nearly doubled the size of Papillon, taking it to 3,000 sq. ft. from its original 1,524 sq. ft.

On the main level is a large kitchen, dining room and a sunken living room. Large windows and cathedral ceilings in the main living spaces draw in the early morning light. At the rear, a new solarium provides a perfect view of the river.

A three-storey extension was added and a staircase from the ground floor to the principal bedroom on the second level creates the feel of a secluded apartment. As well, the private retreat opens to a terrace, perfect for watching sunsets over the Richelieu.

The upper section of the original home is now a work-from-home space with a terrace on the garage roof.

The children’s quarters are on the garden (or lower) level of the extension, as is the family room which extends into the ground of the backyard and appears to be dug into the rock. A wooden walkway surrounds the yard winding its way down to the riverside dock.

Exterior treatments include white brick cladding and stone veneer in front, and white painted natural wood planks have been used on