Quebec resident Leigh Partington and her husband
Leigh and Mark first bought a shipping container and modified it into a comfortable (albeit cramped) place to live during the building process — no small feat in its own right. Leigh’s father worked on their new home with his crew during the week while Leigh, a high school teacher, and Mark, a marketing director, went to work. On weekends, the couple took on whatever tasks they could to speed the process along.
The design changed more than a few times along the way, as Leigh explained in a feature on Apartment Therapy (with photos by
Throughout the many phases of designing and building the home, one essential element remained the same. Leigh and Mark were determined to give pride of place to a painting by their friend, up-and-coming Montreal artist Dan Climan. Before they even broke ground, they made sure the proportions of the living room would be just right to put the painting on display.
Leigh explains: “Our cottage captures the idea that you inherit much from your parents and family genetically, and that as adults you have to build on it to grow as a person. This cottage was truly a family endeavor. My father spent countless hours helping, my mother would come randomly to help paint siding or bring cookies, and my aunts would do the same. We spent hours chatting about the past and the future, listening to their suggestions (sometimes ignoring their suggestions), and building something that was us, but also them.”
“My husband loves random art (he had a friend who is an artist paint Oscar the Grouch under the wooden toilet seat) and so we have many different styles within our attempt at an English cottage, but it is that ‘eccentricity’ that captures us. I chose lime paint and a pale brown palette for the walls and rooms as my homage to English country houses (or at least how I picture them in my mind). This is a place of relaxation and our palette certainly helps us achieve that.”
Ultimately, the home is a tranquil marriage of clean, simple lines, natural materials, and gorgeous views of the surrounding forests. It’s a great example of how budget constraints can actually produce a more satisfying result. The owners were able to take a hands-on role in the process and allow it to evolve naturally as they went.
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