In 1977, Pierre Roy was a young man, full of energy, and like many of his generation, he dreamed of going back to the land or at least living in the country. So, after reading an article on log home building kits, he thought, “Why not build a log house?” After all, the article said it was easy. “It was an ideal solution for us because it was affordable and we could do it at our own pace,” he explains. The fact that he had no experience in home construction was not an obstacle in his eyes.
Had he known all the work it entailed and the hardship he would face, he might have thought twice about it. “In fact, I wouldn’t have done it all,” he admits candidly. But unaware of future woes, he went ahead with enthusiasm.
Today, he has no regrets and is quite proud of his accomplishment. His first step was to buy a plot of land with 40 old apple trees in Otterburn Park on the south shore across the Saint Lawrence from Montreal. The 40,000-square-foot orchard was at the end of a private road, and it would take him a year of battling with Hydro Québec, the electric utility company, to have electricity brought in. He went ahead with building his home, and power was in place just in time for his family to move in. “I did most of the work with a hand saw,” he recalls.
The kit arrived, with each dovetail log, beam, and plank numbered and a diagram illustrating how to assemble them together. The company offered technical help by telephone (no Internet and e-mail in those days!) and even proposed to send a technician if necessary. But it was mostly up to Pierre to figure out the puzzle.
Friends and family pitched in and the construction went smoothly until a fateful weekend. “It was a really beautiful day, sunny, warm, and I had put up the rafters,” Pierre recalls. The next day, he would have finished the roof if gale force winds and hail hadn’t destroyed his work during the night. “It was the only major setback we experienced,” he remembers, though he admits to having made some mistakes and wasted time and money at times. That is why he recommends getting help from a professional if you have no experience in construction.
Within a year, the structure was up and Pierre moved in with his wife Francine and their two boys, aged six and eight. The interior was still unfinished. There were no doors, no kitchen cabinets, and only plywood floors. But everybody was delighted, especially the boys, who now had a huge playground.
With its tones of gray and white, the house stands out amid a lovely landscaped garden. The moldings around the windows and the sculpted posts of the front porch give it a touch of elegance, while two brick chimneys add color and contrast.
Warm and cozy are the adjectives that best describe the interior. Wood dominates on the ground floor, where the kitchen, dining area, and living room blend in. The floor boards are red pine and the stone fireplace complements the wrought iron ornaments, giving the room a rustic country feeling. A pellet stove hides behind the grid.
On the bookcase stands an imposing stone sculpture, the work of Pierre Roy when he was an art student at the university. He also made the dining room table with leftover planks from the floor, and for the banister, he used supporting posts found in an antique store. Builder, roofer, bricklayer, carpenter, this handyman learned many skills over the years.
Originally, the second story was divided into three bedrooms. Their sons having left the coop, the couple decided that two would suffice. So Pierre took down one wall, offering his wife a master suite. The cherry wood floor brightens the bedroom, which is painted a serene shade of lilac. The window is decked with indoor shutters instead of curtains.
The bathroom was also enlarged and brightened by the added window. Ceramic tiles cover the walls and encase the bathtub. The tiles around the mirror are of molten glass and underfloor heating provides well-appreciated comfort in winter.
A beautiful stained glass piece is set in the wall separating the main body of the house from the smaller part. It was specially commissioned by the owners, who chose the design as well as the colors. The family room is a touch rustic with its varnished ceiling, slate tiles behind the wood stove, and patchwork cushions. But it retains elegance and style. The painting of Old Québec next to the window is one of several original works displayed around the house and purchased over the years by the art-loving couple.
With the house finished, Pierre turned his attention to the garden, laying stone walkways, building trellises, and replacing the now defunct apple trees with other species of trees, shrubs, and perennials. His skill as a landscape designer and gardener is such that his garden has been featured in several magazines and was published in a coffee table book called Private Gardens of Québec (Jardins Privés du Québec) by Éditions Broquet.
Pierre Roy, a man of many talents is a happy one. The country life he had dreamed of so long ago has brought him and his family peace and tranquillity. “We are truly blessed.”