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Blue Hills House by La SHED Architecture

This single story residence nestles itself between the surrounding trees on a steeply sloped lot in Morin-Heights, Québec, Canada. Dubbed the Blue Hills Home, the residence was designed as a refuge for a family looking to escape the urban life and head to a more natural environment. The homeowners hired La SHED architecture to create a retreat that would blend in and be discreet in its location while from the inside, making it feel completely open to its surroundings.

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Throughout the year, the landscape changes depending on the season, giving the homeowners constant, ever-changing views to enjoy.

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The long, rectangular design holds 2300 square feet of space with plenty of large windows to take in the views. They went that shape to avoid disturbing too much of the existing trees.

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The exterior is clad in vertical eastern cedar slats, similar to the bark on the trees, that will age over the years.

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In certain spots, extra slats go over the previous slats creating a subtle, raised texture. Windows and doors are hidden away within alcoves so that no matter what the weather is, they can open the windows for fresh air without the rain coming in.

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The concrete floors help heat the home during the winter and keep it cool during the summer.

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The public spaces are located at the center of the design with the private areas based at the ends.

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The interior is kept a crisp white helping to make the home appear bright. The large window and sliding glass doors keep the light pouring into the space.

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Photo by Maxime Brouillet, courtesy of v2com.net.

Caroline Williamson is Editor-in-Chief of Design Milk. She has a BFA in photography from SCAD and can usually be found searching for vintage wares, doing New York Times crossword puzzles in pen, or reworking playlists on Spotify.