WINTER WONDERLAND
Montreal designer Alyson Wood reimagines a ski-in home in Quebec’s Eastern Townships as a compellingly cozy family sanctuary.
Montreal designer Alyson Wood reimagines a ski-in home in Quebec’s Eastern Townships as a compellingly cozy family retreat.
While rough-hewn stones, finely oiled woods and sumptuous textiles abound in this rustic retreat, its starting point was a rather unlikely element: wallpaper.
Wallpaper has played an integral part in designer Alyson Wood’s life – her father was a wallpaper manufacturer; her mother ran a wallpaper shop – and it led to this plum project in a way she never could have imagined.
“Twenty-five years ago, I was working weekends in my mom’s store when a regular customer asked me to decorate her home,” says Alyson. Her work made an impression on that customer’s then eight-year-old son, who, decades later, contacted Alyson about a new project. “It was the most wonderful call to get,” says the designer. “This little boy is now grown up with a wife and three kids of his own, and he wants me to, once again, help decorate.”
“THIS IS A COZY HOME. A PLACE WHERE HOT CHOCOLATE AND MARSHMALLOW ARE WAITING FOR THE CHILDREN ON A COLD SNOWY SKI DAY.”
After a few meetings, the brief to update their 1,600-square-foot Owl’s Head getaway morphed into a total gut job and year-long overhaul that would triple the floor space, bump up the two bedrooms to five, and transform the aesthetic inside and out.
“It had been renovated by the previous owners,” says Alyson, but its true potential was hidden. “I wanted cozy, luscious, rich – a stone exterior, big furniture and thick wool blankets by crackling fires.” And, because this element is always important to Alyson, she wanted the home to feel more integrated with its setting.
Respecting context is one of Alyson’s design specialities and it’s on display the moment you step into the front hall. “The artwork here and throughout the space is appropriate for a ski-slope home where deer actually graze. This is art that reflects where they live.” Underfoot, sturdy slate feels both natural and unexpected. “The small tiles in chevron application are more original than oversized square ones.”
“I USED SO MANY TEXTURES IN THE LIVING ROOM. LOTS OF WOOLS, LEATHERS AND FAUX FUR – A PERFECT MIX FOR A WINTER EVENING.”
“THIS IS A VERY ACTIVE FAMILY THAT LOVES TO COOK HEARTY MEALS. THE KITCHEN HAD TO LOOK, AS WELL AS BE, COMPLETELY FUNCTIONAL AND PRACTICAL.”
In the soaring, double-height living room, Alyson cranked up the cozy with a showstopper fireplace clad floor-to-ceiling in local stone that she carefully selected with the help of a mason. “I included some yellow and beige stones to create contrast with the greys and charcoals. I’m a very monochromatic designer and feel that toneon-tone hues make spaces feel rich, calm and comfortable.” By combining a calculated balance of wood panelling with painted white walls, she kept the woodsy space feeling airy.
Her kitchen design furthers the light atmosphere thanks to an energetic mix of matte and glossy finishes and a hardworking palette, where warm whites, lush chocolate browns and moody charcoals are welcoming. “This scheme also echoes the various tones of material choices throughout the home,” says Alyson. She chose to forgo upper cabinets on one wall to better showcase the tilework, and included a farmer’s sink to give the brand-new kitchen a vintage look. “This is very much a family kitchen – everyone’s at the counter for a quick breakfast before hitting the slopes, so it had to be functional and comfortable.”
“A BEDROOM FIREPLACE ADDS THE WARMTH NEEDED IN ALL AREAS OF A SKI HOME.” “WALLPAPER IS A GREAT WAY TO ADD PATTERN TO A POWDER ROOM.”
Comfort extends to the bedrooms where colour and pattern remain informative. The cocoon-like master bedroom is a pitch-perfect blend of creamy oatmeal and ivory tones enlivened with a jolt of classic plaid. “I think plaid delivers a warm feel you absolutely need in a country home.” The kids’ rooms – classic pink for the daughter and blue for the boys – are simple but with thoughtful furnishings. “They have a bit of grey to connect them to the principal rooms. Toys and personal tokens make them familiar spaces that the kids gravitate to after a long day of skiing.”
The appeal of the home is undeniable. What was originally intended as a home base for skiing slowly became a summer getaway, and now with the pandemic, it’s become the family’s headquarters – an idyll in the mountains where they balance working remotely with hands-on together time. Alyson says, “They truly love it and they’ve even taken the time to write me little notes to tell me how happy they are there. They say every day feels like a special occasion. In times like these, can you imagine how much that means?”
“I TRIED TO KEEP THE KIDS’ ROOMS SIMILAR SO THAT EACH SPACE WOULD FEEL AS SPECIAL AS THE OTHER.”