Camille Charland Perez is an interior designer. By dint of evolving in the business, she realized that many clients could not find what they wanted. Between the architect who can be very expensive and the affordable design, often made of soulless square boxes, there was no middle ground. And it is precisely this in-between that she is aiming for with her Oregon house project.
“I thought that there is a clientele that wants something else and this niche in the market is not exploited”, advances the young woman, known for renovation programs at CASA and TVA. This is how she founded, with her lover and business partner Jeffrey Labrie, the Oregon houses. The concept: five models of off-plan homes that people can build on their own, or with the help of a contractor.
On the site, you can view rough plans and 3D renderings of the interior and exterior of the houses. Then, those who buy a model receive detailed plans: foundation, structure, roof, as well as interior layout plans.
From there, customers have a choice of two avenues, says Camille Charland Perez. They can either leave with the plans, which are ready for construction, or opt for the Design Box. In this box, which people receive at home, are collected not only the technical specifications, but also physical samples of everything that ends up in the plans: floors, cabinets, tiles, color boxes for paint, interior finishes and exteriors… People can thus reproduce identically, if they wish, what they see in the 3D renderings. “It’s a turnkey service in terms of materials, lighting and furnishings,” sums up the designer.
While some companies here already offer a similar service — Camille cites Drummond Designs or Talo Plans as examples — Oregon stands out, according to her, for the originality of its proposals, from which an architectural style certainly emerges.
For example, the Mill Valley home model has a mid-century air with its long, sleek shape and red cedar siding. As for the Pebble Cottage, it has white wood siding and a cedar shingle roof; its interior is bright and uncluttered. The third model, the Wensley Cottage, is a little more traditional in its layout. However, what sets this house apart from the others is the greenhouse which is attached to the laundry area.
The other two models, one of which has an A-shape (the famous A frame), will be made available a little later. Coming too, other styles of proposals like independent studios and even small spas with sauna and spa.
To develop their project, Camille Charland Perez and her partner were inspired by the “relaxed” lifestyle of the West Coast (hence the name Oregon), where people often live more connected with nature and more removed from stress.
“Our philosophy behind Oregon is for people who want to slow down, simplify their lifestyle a bit,” says the designer. Thus, the abundant fenestration is designed to offer views of nature; also, the construction materials used are durable and include several ecological products such as sheep’s wool.
In the same vein, each model will be produced in limited quantities, specifies Camille. “So you end up with a project that’s almost unique, almost exclusive. We don’t want a model neighborhood with all our houses replicated. »
How much do you have to stretch to afford an Oregon home? The price differs from one model to another, in particular depending on the number of square feet as well as the cost of materials. For the Pebble, for example, the cost starts at $6,100 for blueprints only and rises to $10,600 if you add the Designer Box. On the Mill Valley side, the base cost is $6,600 and $11,100 with the designer package. This also does not include the price of the land.
In order to guide people, we also give the estimated cost of construction, based on the Canadian national average. For Cottage Pebble, fees range between $345,000 and $500,000, while for Mill Valley they range from $465,000 to $685,000. The range takes into consideration the different levels of support in the construction, for example if one chooses to call on a contractor or not, indicates Camille.
It’s a big year for the partners, already parents of a 2-year-old girl and expecting the stork again soon. Moreover, having themselves taken the time to review their priorities since the pandemic, they will very soon be moving “into the woods”. And yes, their home will be an Oregon!
