The cottage that Nathalie Bouchard and Annie Horth share on the shores of Lac Orford, at the base of a mountain in Quebec’s Eastern Townships, is a study in how constraints can lead to creativity. The plot is narrow, sitting wedged between busy Route 112 and the water. There were lots of municipal rules to follow, including how close the building could be to the shoreline. Yet the living room is gracious, spacious and serene. A near solid brick wall along the roadside blocks any noise, and expansive views on the lakeside frame the beauty of the water.

“We originally wanted a flat roof,” Horth says. “But the municipality would not allow it.” The ceiling in the space takes full advantage of the resulting peak, soaring up at sharp angles toward a central skylight that measures nearly 40-square-feet – about the size of a walk-in closet. “That was the biggest structural challenge,” says Stéphane Rasselet, Bouchard and Horth’s architect and the founder of Montreal’s Naturehumaine. “We had to be very meticulous with the way the structure converged. But the light is incredibly beautiful, the way it washes down the ceiling and the walls.”

The Lac Orford cottage is the first the duo have built from the ground up. The interior is reminiscent of a mid-century modern lounge, clean-lined but extremely warm.

The effect is particularly stunning because of the materials of the space. The light catches on a warm pine ceiling, stained to look like honey-hued cedar, before falling onto cherry walls and a marble fireplace mantle. It’s reminiscent of a mid-century modern lounge – clean-lined but extremely warm. “We didn’t want to use any drywall,” Bouchard says, noting a constraint they put on themselves. “We didn’t make our lives any easier not using white,” Horth adds. “We drove ourselves slightly crazy trying to find the exact wood and stone and tiles.”

In many ways, the cottage is the culmination of a long career renovating spaces. Over the last 25 years, Bouchard and Horth have remodelled 12 condos and one cottage as part of Creative Flats, a business they co-own that rents stylish spaces in Quebec to discerning travellers. The place on Lac Orford is the first they have built from the ground up, from scratch. And while it is available for short term rentals, it is primarily used by the friends and business partners when they want to escape their life in Montreal on the weekends. “We didn’t hold back with this design,” Bouchard says. “We put all our passion, all our energy into this.”

It helps that the pair have impeccable taste. Bouchard’s background is in psychology, but she’s always loved thumbing through design and architecture magazines. Horth has had a long, distinguished career in fashion. She’s the former creative director of Elle Canada and is perhaps best known for a long-time gig styling Céline Dion. “Annie has taught me so much about design over the years,” Bouchard says. “Her eye is incredible – fashion, furniture, everything.”

Building their first house wasn’t easy. They had to work closely with their contractor, Gaétan Berger of Constructions G. Berger, to ensure all the details worked out. Every slat of wood on the ceiling in the living room, for example, had to meet at exact angles. “We had to be in constant contact,” Bouchard says. “He was very patient.”

If the construction demanded patience, the decorating was pure pleasure. The duo travel widely, hunting for unusual vintage pieces. The living space, which also includes an adjoining kitchen and dining area, holds a collection of their favourite finds including a beautiful table by French architect Jean Nouvel. “I would never buy something just to buy something,” Bouchard says. “And I don’t like to be pressured. It has to be something that sparks an interest, something we’ll want to hold onto forever.”

GET THE LOOK

Dioscuri 42 table lamp

The Dioscuri 42 table lamp by Italian brand Artemide has a handblown, opal orb that creates an ethereal glow.

Buying options
$760 through finnishdesignshop.com

Le Bambole sofa

Originally designed in 1972 by Italian architect Mario Bellini, the Le Bambole sofa has an uncanny appearance, somehow both plush and structured at the same time.

Buying options
Price on request through bebitalia.com

Linen drapes

Linen drapes have a subtle texture and warm colour. When drawn, they provide privacy but are sheer enough to let the light in.

Buying options
$119/pair at Ikea

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Nuances tiles

Nuances tiles from Ciot are fashioned from hardy stoneware to look like slate. They come in large formats such as 2-feet by 4-feet, an exaggerated scale that can make a floor feel bigger.

Buying options
Price on request at Ciot (ciot.com)

Marenco sofa armchairs

The brown velvet armchairs in Bouchard and Horth’s living room are vintage. These Marenco sofa armchairs, available in a variety of fabrics and colours including dark honey velvet, evoke a similar lounge-y vibe.

Buying options
$1,720 through eternitymodern.com