Sailing enthusiasts, Maria-Nathalie Dono Suarez and Jeannot Jean wanted to live by the water and were looking for a place.
“Land at the start of the pandemic was expensive and one day we were passing by boat, we saw a camping trailer on land at the edge of the cliff,” says Ms. Dono Suarez. My husband let me find out. Then I offered him a sketch and he accepted! »
Teacher, Maria-Nathalie Dono Suarez designed the shape of the house. “I started drawing on the plans of my husband who works in construction and industrial insulation. Remembering the house he built eight years ago in Ecuador. A bit like the mother of the one we built in Lévis! »
It is a very narrow plot of land that accommodated the residence, at the foot of a wooded cliff. Featuring steel and fiber cement cladding, the house has 57 feet of frontage and only 18 feet of depth! With a height of 39 feet (12 m), it is equipped with a small cylindrical elevator from the Savaria firm. “We wanted to adapt the house for elderly people or people with disabilities,” says Ms. Dono Suarez. Or to a mother who is going to have a child. Or if we get hurt. As the house is all glass, a glass elevator is suitable. »
For this building with a living area of 3,118 ft2 – not including the garage (475 ft2) and the roof terrace (513 ft2) – the 17 rooms benefited from the firm’s expertise SGD A Design which makes many prestigious houses in Quebec, says Ms. Dono Suarez.
The kitchen and dining room space, with its 18-foot cathedral ceiling, is impressively bright. With a vertical cellar, a propane fireplace, an island with built-in bar and gas stove, and even a refrigerator with its cellar space for champagne.
The master bedroom has a breathtaking view of the river and, in the distance, of Quebec and its Château Frontenac. Nearby, the cycle path joins the Lévis ferry. “The landscape is serene,” says Ms. Dono Suarez. We see the boats passing by. We don’t even need a television! »
The house is on the waterfront, but it is not in a flood zone. “Even with the highest tide, there are still several feet in the little ravine on the bank,” she said. There is never any spillage in the street. »
The wardrobes and walk-in closet in the entrance were designed by Sanfaçon Design. The textured ceiling of the entrance is lacquered like several partitions. “Our aluminum windows have triple glass, like in commercial buildings,” says the owner’s wife. Motorized blinds have been installed on the bay windows. The floors, all heated, are made of porcelain ceramic. There is even a heated floor behind the house to melt the snow. The discreet garage was placed to the side.
The boudoir, on the top floor, offers 180-degree views, as does the terrace, with its dining area, lounge and whirlpool bath (jacuzzi).
The couple will not leave this glass setting because of traffic jams to go to Quebec. “My husband crosses the river every day and when you know what time to cross, you don’t have traffic,” says Ms. Dono Suarez. We are selling the house and our boat because we have another project in mind. Before we retire. But we will regret it, because we put love and imagination into it. We live in a crazy world today. When you enter this house, you feel peaceful, looking at the river. My husband and I are in love with water. We found zenitude here. You have to experience it to understand it. That’s why I now dream of having a beautiful chalet on the water’s edge! »