Stephane Gaulin-Brown Design is excited to announce the completion of their latest project, which draws inspiration from its historical and natural surroundings. Element Tremblant is a modern take on the classic ski experience, weaving traditional and contemporary design elements to create a unique space that reflects the beauty, history, and culture of the region.
The design process involved extensive research into Mont Tremblant’s rich cultural and natural heritage. “The client and I were inspired by the suave adventurous spirit of the area’s early pioneers like Stan Ferguson and Hans Falkner, as well as 1940’s après-ski paintings of cozy hangouts around the fireplace,” says Gaulin-Brown. The design also grew out of the chalet’s natural context: the ferns, the birch trees, the deer, and the large glacial boulders strewn across the forest floor.
The exterior of the chalet features painted wood siding, divided into upper and lower portions. The bottom section is black vertical board and batten, while the upper portion is an ochre colored horizontal tongue and groove. The design allows the large band of windows along the main facade to blend with the lower band, acting as one cohesive darkened base, like charred logs from which the upper ochre portion rises like a fire. This motif is enhanced by the continuation of the siding upwards into the curving soffit. The shape also recalls the traditional québecois roof with its curved ends.
At 1400 sq ft, the chalet has three bedrooms and two bathrooms. To maximize the living area, the bedrooms were designed on an intimate scale. The main living area walls are clad in a stain resistant russian plywood, which adds a natural warmth to the space. The space’s windows run horizontally from wall to wall, offering occupants panoramic views while 12 foot ceilings rise up above them. Outside, the land slopes up, and from the interior, all one can see is the forest floor, covered in ancient glacial erratic boulders, and the roaming white- tailed deer.
On the north end of the living space, the fireplace and T.V cabinet are conceptually designed together with the base made from poured concrete creating an ideal environment for storing firewood. The fireplace is clad in powder coated steel, which wraps underneath the wall cabinet hiding the TV and board games during the day. Its rounded corner creates fluidity as it naturally flows into the primary bedroom.
Above the cabinet is a mechanical space covered in copper-toned metal panels that reflect the lights of the space, casting a warm glow across the living area. Recessed uplit LED lighting along the length of the main living space adds drama, perfectly setting the stage for après-ski hangouts.
Across the living space, the kitchen echoes its spatial counterpart by employing copper-toned metal paneling which crowns the kitchen block, creating a suave carefree vibe reminiscent of early Tremblant pioneers. Historical images, sourced with permission from the National Library of Québec, are framed around the home to make the sense of history visceral. In the primary bedroom, a historical photo of the original Mont Tremblant steam train occupies a full wall.
The ultimate goal was to design a space that feels both modern and timeless, perfectly embodying the essence of Mont Tremblant as it is and as it could be.
