A sky-high mountain panorama sets the stage for a down-to-earth decor.

According to designer Luke Havekes, the owners of this Eastern Townships cottage had searched for a long time for a lakeside home before coming across this property. It wasn’t set on a shoreline, but it offered something more special: a breathtaking mountain view that on clear days stretches all the way to Vermont. The owners had loved Luke’s previous work on their city home and gave him a free hand here, asking only that it be welcoming for grown-ups and grandkids, and offer a relaxed retreat for the two of them. The result is a design that’s cozy and easy care yet also refined – and lets the mountains take centre stage.

An upholstered settee and a vintage Afghan rug warmly welcome guests in the entryway, where the original honey-pine walls have been updated in creamy white.

PAINT, School House White 291, Farrow & Ball. SOFAS, ARMCHAIRS, COFFEE TABLE, AREA RUG, Sunpan. PILLOWS, Élitis. FLOOR LAMP, Currey & Co. METAL STOOL (by sofa), Renwil. ART (on mantel), La Guild; (left of fireplace), Patrice Charbonneau; (framed feathers) Renwil. 

The fieldstone fireplace is the centrepiece of the great room. Designer Luke Havekes set natural, rugged materials like the live-edge coffee table and leather chairs against the bold pattern and rich blue of the Moroccan Beni Ourian rug; its geometric diamond pattern evokes the mountains outside. Under a trio of framed feathers, bright pillows in a fabric from the French textile house Élitis are particular favourites of the owners. 

The big, open kitchen has room for multiple family chefs, and for people to sit at the island and chat with the cook. It also features handy amenities like a built-in coffee station and a drinks fridge, so even youngsters can help themselves. The pendants are made of an extruded metal that looks like woven straw but, naturally, is much more durable. 

The framed cabinets were crafted by a local artisan and painted in a soft greige. Black door hardware and glass-fronted uppers add to the time- less look. The brushed-granite counters and the creamy Moroccan zellige tiles on the backsplash and range hood are as hard wearing as they are beautiful. “They stand up to anything,” says Luke.

“The kitchen materials are classic and timeless – especially in a second home, you don’t want to have to renovate again in five years.”

This is probably the best spot in the house to drink in the stunning view of layer upon layer of mountains receding into the distance; on clear days, you can see faraway Jay Peak in Vermont. The materials in this part of the kitchen were purposely kept low-key: reeded roll-down blinds, oxblood-colour leather banquette cushions and oodles of comfy pillows all quietly allow the view to dominate. 

The dining room chandelier features big brass droplets, making it look almost like a mobile. Both the chandelier and the curtains were hung quite high, to emphasize the height of the ceiling and to ensure that nothing interferes with the view. More views are on offer inside. Whether in the dining room looking to the kitchen or vice versa, there is a sense of continuity and flow.

“The vintage Turkish carpet overdyed in blue makes a big, bold statement, but you can get away with it because of all the space in the dining room.”

Rooms with slanted ceilings can be tricky to lay out comfortably, especially bathrooms. To maximize headroom, Luke placed all the fixtures in sequence along the wall with the highest ceiling. He opted to lay subway tiles vertically instead of the more common horizontal pattern and added just a touch of insouciance with lively patterned floor tiles.

The sunroom is designed for relaxing, Luke says, so soft, oomphy textures and colours (like the celery-toned sofa and bouclé ottoman) create an inviting mood. Natural textures here (the reeded blinds and wood-bead chandelier) connect the interior to the great outdoors. When the sun gets too strong, the blinds filter it beautifully, keeping the room comfy. 

“It’s maybe counterintuitive to paint a sunroom such a dark colour, but the room gets so much sun that the dark makes things pop!”

The bedding has an all-season feel and includes a linen quilt. The high upholstered headboard adds a cozy element; two of the pillows are hand-finished in gold bullion fringe, like 1920s flapper dresses. Overhead, a light fixture of branches cast in bronze is actually quite large, but placing it close to the ceiling keeps it from being too imposing. At night, it casts a soft glow and intriguing shadows.

“The clients really leaned into this rich red colour; it really makes you feel connected to the outside and to that incredible view of mountains.” 

The guest rooms are the only rooms in the house with drywall, so art, colour and texture were extra important.  The blue guest room features a pair of tactile, abstract photos of peeling paint on an old house. Under- foot, there’s another overdyed Turkish rug, this time in teal, for a bright touch. The guest rooms are almost perfect mirror images of each other, says Luke; in each, the side tables and lamps match in silhouette, while their materials and tones are distinct.

In the pink bedroom, a Turkish woven rug, a blue throw on the bed, and layers of red and white pillows add cheerful colour without being too matchy, while a vintage portrait of a farmer, picked up at a local antique store, adds a friendly face.

After the owners and guests enjoy a dip on a hot summer day, the terrace offers them another vantage point from which to lie back and take in the view. The pool features a lagoon-like, irregular shape that reminds Luke of a pond.

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