This family retreat located in the Laurentian Mountains in southern Quebec offers total privacy and plentiful nearby amenities.
IF your key requirements for a cabin in the country are total privacy and lots of flat land, you would probably not be looking for a place in Wentworth-Nord, which is situated in the mountainous resort region of the Laurentians in Quebec. And yet, for its owners Avi and Olga Krivorot, this stunning lakefront cabin offers more than they could ask for.
Built in 2009, this log and timber cabin is set at the end of a private road that cuts through 25 acres of pristine woodland that overlooks Lake Wentworth. The lake is quite large, and the cabin is located in a deep and narrow cove with no neighbors on its shoreline, offering total peace and seclusion, much to the delight of the Krivorots. As the cabin was in mint condition when the couple purchased it from the previous owner in 2017, the only change made inside was upgrading the master bedroom’s en suite. “It was too rustic,” says Avi, “and not exactly what we wanted.”
More important to Avi and Olga was making the most of this exceptional piece of land. And to do so, some major landscaping work had to be undertaken. A big portion of the terrain was levelled by a contractor so Avi and his sons could play soccer. A hot tub was tucked under the trees on one side of the cabin, and a 16’x30’ in-ground salt-water swimming pool was placed right in the front yard. (Salt-water pools are becoming more and more popular, as they need almost no maintenance compared with chlorinated pools. A filtering system turns the salt into chlorine, which cleans the pool. The amount of chlorine is negligible compared to a traditional pool, so the water doesn’t smell and is gentler on skin and hair.)
The family loves the great outdoors that surround their property, and they make use of a maintained one-mile loop in the forest for walks. Other trails are easily accessible for 4 x 4 all-terrain vehicle riding and snowmobiling. The lake is ideal for kayaking, jet skiing and fishing, and it’s stocked with 1,000 rainbow trout every year. There are also three major ski resorts near the cabin. These numerous outdoor activities within a short distance of the cabin make the location ideal for the outdoor-loving family.
The cabin’s architecture is in the traditional pièce-sur-pièce fashion, is not overly rustic, and combines milled Eastern white pine flat profile logs and timber-frame elements with cut stone cladding on the lower walk-out level. The standing-seam sheet-metal roof is bright blue, an uncommon color on a cabin in Quebec. It makes the cabin stand out against the greenery and echoes the soothing blue mood of the pool.
On the main floor, wood dominates the open-space design, yet it’s very bright, thanks to the abundance of tall windows. The vaulted ceiling is lined with cedar planks. The overall décor is low-key, almost minimalist. There are no bright colors and very few decorative objects, so as not to distract from the beauty of the architecture and the relaxing mood, say Avi and Olga. Shielded from neighbors by mature conifer and deciduous trees, there is no need for curtains or blinds on the windows.
In the kitchen, the large island is topped with yellow-nuanced granite and can accommodate three people. An unusual feature of the sink is that it has two faucets. The smaller one is fitted with a filter for drinking water, while the larger is used for rinsing the dishes. The pine wood cabinets, some inlaid with glass, have a sturdy, vintage look to them.
Protruding from the right side of the cabin, the glassed-in dining room seems to float in a sea of green foliage and offers a striking view of the lake through the trees. Its rotunda-like shape begged for a round dining table, which was custom-made in Italy from a design created by Avi. The thick wooden tabletop stands on curved steel legs. Eight can sit comfortably on the leather retro-design high-back armchairs. The cast-iron, slow-burning wood fireplace in the living room shares an open space with the kitchen. It’s equipped with a fan to control the temperature and diffuse the heat throughout the space. Like all the furniture in the house, the plush leather sofas are of the highest quality and design, all carefully chosen by the couple.
In the master bedroom, the king-size bed faces several tall windows and the forest beyond. It stands on a wooden frame with a headboard that matches the night stands. The ensemble also includes a dresser with an oval mirror. As mentioned earlier, the en suite was renovated and looks very stylish, with a free-standing bathtub, large clear-glass shower stall, and ultra-modern chrome plumbing fixtures. But the overall cabin mood was preserved. The heated floor, covered with imitation wood ceramic tiles that look and feel like wood, is the only heating system needed in the room.
The staircase, with a landing mid-way, leads to the lower walk-out level and is made up of pine wood planks, timber beams and delicate, twisted wrought-iron balusters. Numerous 2×4 studs—pressed together, sanded smooth and varnished by local artisans—were used to make each of the wide, thick steps. On this level is the family room, four bedrooms and two bathrooms. The kids have a lot of fun in their bedroom, which is furnished with two sets of bunk beds and brightly colored covers and curtains. Dedicated to fun and games, the family room is less formal than the rest of the cabin. Large pine beams span the plasterboard ceiling encased with spotlights. The floor is all hardwood except in one corner of the room just below the dining room (hence its round shape), where ceramic tiles were laid for a mudroom. A door leads outside to the wooden decks and the pool.
In normal times, big parties with friends and family are regular events at the cabin, and it is not uncommon for one hundred guests to gather around the pool, which is equipped with a Bluetooth surround-sound system. “The first time we entertained on such a grand scale, we worried that we would disturb our neighbors on either side of our property,” says Avi. “So, I called them up and asked if they could hear the music blaring. They said not at all. The dense forest serves as a buffer.”
While totally private, the cabin is not isolated—some fine restaurants and other conveniences are just a few minutes away. All in all, Avi and Olga say the cabin is the perfect country estate for their family.
- One-story home with walk-out lower level
- Square footage: 3,536
- Bedrooms:5
- Baths:3.5