\n
Dioscuri 42 table lamp
![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/JS63WYPSTJC4PPHT5X2HRAMHQI.png\"\/)
<\/p>\nThe cottage that Nathalie Bouchard and Annie Horth share on the shores of Lac Orford, at the base of a mountain in Quebec\u2019s 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. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe originally wanted a flat roof,\u201d Horth says. \u201cBut the municipality would not allow it.\u201d 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 \u2013 about the size of a walk-in closet. \u201cThat was the biggest structural challenge,\u201d says St\u00e9phane Rasselet, Bouchard and Horth\u2019s architect and the founder of Montreal\u2019s Naturehumaine. \u201cWe 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.\u201d <\/p>\n
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. <\/p>\n
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\u2019s reminiscent of a mid-century modern lounge \u2013 clean-lined but extremely warm. \u201cWe didn\u2019t want to use any drywall,\u201d Bouchard says, noting a constraint they put on themselves. \u201cWe didn\u2019t make our lives any easier not using white,\u201d Horth adds. \u201cWe drove ourselves slightly crazy trying to find the exact wood and stone and tiles.\u201d <\/p>\n
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. \u201cWe didn\u2019t hold back with this design,\u201d Bouchard says. \u201cWe put all our passion, all our energy into this.\u201d <\/p>\n
It helps that the pair have impeccable taste. Bouchard\u2019s background is in psychology, but she\u2019s always loved thumbing through design and architecture magazines. Horth has had a long, distinguished career in fashion. She\u2019s the former creative director of Elle Canada and is perhaps best known for a long-time gig styling C\u00e9line Dion. \u201cAnnie has taught me so much about design over the years,\u201d Bouchard says. \u201cHer eye is incredible \u2013 fashion, furniture, everything.\u201d<\/p>\n
Building their first house wasn\u2019t easy. They had to work closely with their contractor, Ga\u00e9tan 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. \u201cWe had to be in constant contact,\u201d Bouchard says. \u201cHe was very patient.\u201d <\/p>\n
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. \u201cI would never buy something just to buy something,\u201d Bouchard says. \u201cAnd I don\u2019t like to be pressured. It has to be something that sparks an interest, something we\u2019ll want to hold onto forever.\u201d <\/p>\n
GET THE LOOK
\n
Dioscuri 42 table lamp
<\/p>\n
The Dioscuri 42 table lamp by Italian brand Artemide has a handblown, opal orb that creates an ethereal glow. <\/p>\n
Buying options 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. <\/p>\n Buying options Linen drapes have a subtle texture and warm colour. When drawn, they provide privacy but are sheer enough to let the light in. <\/p>\n Buying options . <\/p>\n 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. <\/p>\n
$760 through finnishdesignshop.com<\/a>
\n
Le Bambole sofa
![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/D7KWANTGZZBSNERJPH7I4VCZNE.png\"\/)
<\/p>\n
Price on request through bebitalia.com<\/a>
\n
Linen drapes
![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/TZEIJCHJB5F4FI4LWFUB6EH3WY.png\"\/)
<\/p>\n
$119\/pair at Ikea<\/a><\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/VRBOMZ7QX5FQVGKKFPF4YIW26U.png\"\/)
<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/XZKB3WVN3ZASFGZGNK35YFGCRE.png\"\/)
<\/p>\n