Tasked with creating the perfect getaway for a large, nature-loving family, Perron Design applied its signature style to a private mountainside chalet in Quebec’s Charlevoix region. The Perron team’s mandate was to design a residence capable of accommodating numerous guests, family members, and friends as not only a meeting place, but also a well-being space where everyone feels comfortably at home. The image of a private, luxurious, boutique-style retreat with five suites was clear from the start, both for the team and the client, and there was a collective air of enthusiasm surrounding the project.
Blurring the line between residential and commercial, Perron used its expertise and its links with European manufacturers to design a tailor-made and extraordinary project dubbed Chalet Bertha, exploiting the theme of the hotel for a residence for a family in dire need of space.
“The client wanted a real turnkey solution, which is rather rare,” says Sarah Ève Hébert, Associate Designer at Perron. “They left the field open to us and we decided to play the ‘hotel’ card down to the smallest detail, including placing the crockery in the cupboards, the luggage trolley in the hallway, and the Bertha-labeled shower products and toothbrushes in the bathrooms. And thanks to the privileged links we have with several major manufacturers, we also designed custom-made furniture directly imported from Europe.”
The design team thought of everything to make the family chalet a place of relaxation and vacations worthy of the biggest hotel chains: modern suites with every comfort, a terrace with spa, fireplace, and panoramic view of the river, a games room for children with a climbing wall, gym, garage and ski lockers, a professional kitchen, and more.
To infuse the hotel concept with elegance, a brand image specific to Bertha was created to provide refined and fun guest experiences. Each suite has its own name, and bathroom products are adorned with pretty Bertha labels.
The Sno, Nev, Ho, Lumi, and Sne suites, whose names are inspired by the word ‘snow’ in a variety of languages, are furnished in similar ways, but with different colour palettes. Each is equipped with a full bathroom for guest comfort, just like in a hotel.
The interior design, which Perron wanted to be Nordic-inspired to pay homage to the mountains, is minimalist, warm, and highly functional. It reveals an exposed fir wood frame, whitewashed to measure. The large volumes, added to the base plans to enlarge the space in accordance with the rules of the project, are bathed in natural light thanks to abundant fenestration, creating a constant link with the outside, the river, and the surrounding nature. Natural materials such as wood, indoor plants, and felted wool were favored, as were soft colors and clean lines in order to highlight the Nordic inspiration.
“We punctuated the ensemble, very neutral and minimalist, with textured, colorful and unusual elements for Quebec,” explains Sarah Ève Hébert. “We wanted to infuse it with a sense of Nordicity, pleasure, and eclecticism.”
A yellow piano sits in the living room, a custom-made red slide provides access to the children’s playroom, and a colorful ambiance contributes to a more intimate dining area in the common dining room: the team of designers combined materials, colors, and new concepts in order to inject the positive energy that the client wanted the chalet to radiate.
On the ground floor, a room whose suspended fireplace takes center stage and invites guests to relax after a long day of skiing. Thanks to brick flooring, there is no need to remove wet boots, and a boot warmer is also hidden in the adjacent walk-in closet.
A large space reserved for the happy moments of children the ground floor is equipped with a climbing wall, dormitory, swing, retractable walls, a slide, and furniture designed specifically for their height. Everything has been carefully thought out to ensure that the children can indulge in play in a safe and ultra-colourful environment.
The common areas are located upstairs. The grandiose 500 sq. ft. lounge, directly inspired by lobbies of the grandest hotels, is comprised of spaces designed for reading, meeting, and contemplation. The kitchen, abundantly equipped with professional equipment, is subtly hidden behind large panels, allowing the family to invite a chef to the chalet to tantalize the taste buds of their many guests. A bar and a cellar complete the tasteful offering. Unique pieces of furniture, imported from high-end European manufacturers such as Sancal, Dooor, Moooi, and Bonaldo, are accompanied by hand-woven cushions and rugs from local artisans from L’Isle-aux-Coudres.
“Bertha is a chalet-hotel characterized by its holiday spirit, flavored by Nordic inspirations,” concludes Sarah Ève Hébert. “Its design honors both European prestige and Quebec charm.”
Photography by Ulysse Lemerise.
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