Interiors
Season Of Light
PHOTOGRAPHY DREW HADLEY | STYLING CAROLINA AUZ
Interiors
Season Of Light
A designer brings warmth and sophistication to a Quebec home – twice!
Welcoming and warm. That was the feeling the owner of this home in St-Jérôme, Que., wanted when she asked Sophie Paiement-Lefebvre to design its interior during the home’s construction in 2016. Fast-forward to 2021 and Sophie received the same brief for the same home, but this time to bring holiday decor to the bright, open-concept space. “The owner wanted people who visit to feel comfortable, as if they were returning to their family home,” says Sophie, who opted for a festive look plucked straight from nature. Fresh greenery and woodsy accents mix with more dressy holiday finery in whites, creams and gold. That mix mimics Sophie’s 2016 formula of rustic wood alongside clean-lined modern elements, all set against a white and stone-grey backdrop. It suits the owner’s relaxed approach to entertaining and everyday life, where friends are like family, and all are welcomed with warmth during the holidays and all year round.
Photography: Drew Hadley | STYLING: Carolina Auz | DESIGNER: Sophie Paiement-Lefebvre. WREATH, CONSOLE, RUG, Wayfair. ART, H&M Home. PENDANT, CDE Electric. BARN DOOR and HARDWARE, Richelieu Hardware.
Designer Sophie Paiement-Lefebvre switched out blue accent walls for forest green in the entryway. “Blue with wood [on the barn door] was too cold,” says Sophie. Painting the ceiling in the same green makes the gold pendant pop. Hints of holiday decor begin here. “Natural branches from the woods add a rustic and warm touch that can stay all through the winter season, not just in the holidays,” says Sophie of the arrangement on the console. A wreath on the inside of the door is a surprise. “The natural green elements add a traditional touch,” she says. A garland on the kitchen range hood, which is visible from the entry, links the spaces.
Photography: Drew Hadley | STYLING: Carolina Auz | BAR STOOLS, Bouclair. KITCHEN CABINETRY, Cuisirama. BACKSPLASH, ItalNord. CLOCHE, HomeSense. Custom RANGE HOOD, Soudure Normand.
Wood beams, hardwood flooring, panelling on the island and floating shelves foster a relaxed, welcoming country feel to the kitchen, but an on-trend patterned backsplash, modern bar stools and a clean-lined island ground the room in the present. “We wanted to create a warm, homey atmosphere, so the cooking area had to be the focal point of the room,” says Sophie. She custom-designed a black metal range hood that’s sophisticated and punctuates the room’s mostly white and wood palette. “Decorating it with fir and adding countertop accessories in wood and marble brings the area to the foreground at first glance,” says the designer.
Photography: Drew Hadley | STYLING: Carolina Auz
A wooden tree and cutting boards echo the other wood elements and flank the range, punctuating the room’s focal point. “It’s important to integrate holiday decorating with the home’s existing architectural elements,” says Sophie. On the island, LED lights sparkle in the reflections of glass ornaments under a cloche. Sophie mixed in greenery, including artificial eucalyptus and real fir branches, attaining a balance between sophisticated and natural touches, which defines her design direction throughout.
Photography: Drew Hadley | STYLING: Carolina Auz | SOFA, Maison Corbeil. FIREPLACE INSERT, Kozy Heat. COFFEE TABLES, RUG, Wayfair. CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS, HomeSense. Gold-tone CUTLERY, Amazon.
“In an open-concept home, there should be similar finishing elements in your decorative choices to ensure continuity,” says Sophie. “If the materials are used repeatedly, it reinforces an effect of openness and makes the home seem bigger.”
Photography: Drew Hadley | STYLING: Carolina Auz
White-and-black patterned cushions add an extra layer of coziness to the soft grey sectional. The tight palette of white and grey is used throughout the house in finishes like the stone flooring in the entryway and the kitchen’s quartz countertops. The brick fireplace was a request of the owner’s. Sophie had it painted white. “My client wanted a retro-looking fireplace, so we built one with standard red bricks and grey mortar, but brush-painted everything white,” she says.
Photography: Drew Hadley | STYLING: Carolina Auz
Photography: Drew Hadley | STYLING: Carolina Auz
The dining room table was a lucky second-hand find, as are may of the tabletop accessories.
Photography: Drew Hadley | STYLING: Carolina Auz | BEDSIDE TABLES, CUSHION, HomeSense. BEDDING, Zara Home. RUG, Wayfair.
A maple panelled wall in the primary bedroom creates a cozy ski chalet feel. Sophie found the two wreaths and star that hang over the bed at a thrift shop. She stripped off the existing garish elements and replaced them with fragrant homemade dried orange slices and aromatic eucalyptus to promote sweet dreams. Tiny trees on the night tables sport just a touch of flocking for a snowy look that – not coincidentally – ties the trees in with the white-meets-woodsy palette.
The horizontal installation of the wood panelling reinforces the lines of the twin clerestory windows and also visually links to the beams in the living room.
Photography: Drew Hadley | STYLING: Carolina Auz | TUB, Costco. TILES, Ceragres. PLUMBING, Viau et Fils. BATH TRAY, Amazon.
A wintry palette of grey and white is calming in the primary ensuite. “In a bathroom, you need a peaceful energy,” says Sophie, who used a light hand with the festive decor. The trio of fallen birch logs propped in the corner was found on the property. Fairy lights give them a bit of holiday shine for a subtle festive feel. At the window, blinds open from both the top and the bottom sills, allowing in light while preserving privacy.
Photography: Drew Hadley | STYLING: Carolina Auz
Sophie’s trademark simple wreath on the inside of the ensuite’s door has a Scandi simplicity, as do the flocked balsam branches. The all-white nutcracker was a fortuitous find. Says Sophie: “I was so lucky to find it in white, but if I hadn’t, I would have painted it!” Pale wood cabinetry is contrasted with black hardware for visual interest. Two sconces, also in black metal, illuminate the twin sinks.
Photography: Drew Hadley | STYLING: Carolina Auz
Photography: Drew Hadley | Styling: Carolina Auz | RATTAN CHAIR, IKEA. RUG, Wayfair. HOLIDAY ACCESSORIES, HomeSense. DRAPERY, Bouclair
“A child’s room should reflect their personality, but should also be soothing, so we chose soft, warm colours,” says Sophie. “This also leaves room for toys and posters that the child gets to choose.” She dressed the bed in a wool plaid that brings a bit of traditional holiday red into the scheme, but will also look right long after the holidays. Sophie added a reading corner with a rattan chair that reinforces the home’s mix of white with natural elements.
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