The Slate, as fittingly named by architect Alexander Blouin, sits in harmony with its natural surroundings on Île Bizard, one of Montreal’s three populated islands. The relatively new residence borders the shores of Lac des Deux Montagnes, or Lake of Two Mountains, with an unassuming single-story design that mirrors the landscape’s serene beauty. Natural materials and dynamic openings made possible with minimal sliding glass doors deliver a visually fluid, light-filled design that blurs the boundaries between indoor and outdoor spaces. Surrounded by lush greenery and the soft sounds of crashing waves from the lake, the home invites peaceful contemplation in tandem with memorable outdoor recreational experiences.
Envisioning a Lakeside Living Abode with Minimal Sliding Glass Doors
It All Started with a Boat
An impromptu speedboat purchase—and the realization that they had nowhere to use it—prompted the homeowners to search for a waterfront property with easy access to outdoor recreation. They landed on a linear lot adjacent to the water with the goal of tearing down the two existing cabins and building anew. Embracing the client’s vision of a California-style home focused on indoor-outdoor living, architect Alexander Blouin and a team from Quebec-based Blouin Beauchamp Architectes designed a lakeside abode tailored to the homeowner’s needs and the natural surroundings. Key to the vision was creating a timeless design, integrating a spacious garage, and providing dynamic layouts that opened to the outdoors.
Concrete, Wood, and Glass Pay Homage to the Natural Landscape
To ensure privacy, the home was set back into the lot, framed by a spacious courtyard and a concealing tree canopy. Wood, concrete, and glass elements create a strikingly modern, cohesive design that encourages fluidity and a minimal visual footprint on the landscape. This design philosophy extends to the interior living spaces where minimal slate floors, elegant wood ceilings, and minimal sliding glass doors evoke the iconic aesthetic of California mid-century homes. Structurally, the home’s L-shaped layout consists of two overlapping sections, with the rectangular, street-facing wing housing a spacious two-story garage. Described as a “man cave,” this wing includes a bar lounge, exercise room, and ample space to showcase the homeowner’s luxury car collection.
Dynamic Sliding Glass Doors Frame Natural Landscape
Adjacent to the garage, the square-shaped sister structure houses the primary living spaces, arranged around a central atrium. This serene space, bathed in natural light from dramatic skylights and framed by vertical wood slats, features a reflecting pool with hanging moss spheres for added visual appeal. From the atrium, a light-filled corridor flows into the expansive, open-concept common areas offering breathtaking views of the lake. Dynamic minimal sliding glass doors line the water-facing façade, flushing interiors with abundant daylight and creating an immersive sense of openness. With minimal frames and seamless thresholds, the 12-foot, 6-inch panels visually disappear, blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor living spaces. Enhancing this fluidity, the elegant wood ceiling and slate flooring continue into the outdoor courtyard, bridging the interior and exterior into one visually uninterrupted design.
Indoor-Outdoor Living with Contemporary Flair
Creating an impressive 34-foot-wide opening, the minimal sliding glass doors deliver a visually stunning double-height ceiling effect that enhances aesthetics and provides optimal transparency. Two additional systems open the kitchen to an outdoor dining area, flushing the space with fresh air ventilation while creating one free-flowing layout ideal for indoor-outdoor living. These, along with a fourth system in the primary suite, allow for quick access to the expansive patio and outdoor lounge areas. Outside, a short staircase adjacent to the veranda descends to a reflective pool and meticulously landscaped lawn. Further out, a narrow walkway leads to the home’s private dock, where the speedboat that started it all rests quietly in the water.
A Sensory Experience Throughout the Seasons
According to the architect, each of the interior and exterior elements has been designed to follow a path that highlights the natural elements of the site, and the architecture provides a sensory experience that enhances this remarkable setting. Nearly every room in the house offers an immersive indoor-outdoor living experience, capturing the warmth of sunlight, breathtaking views of the landscape, and the soothing sounds of rustling leaves. The minimal sliding glass doors in the kitchen, living room, and primary suite enhance this journey of the senses, allowing interior spaces to perfectly merge with the outdoors—whether open or closed and regardless of the weather. When needed, curtains provide privacy while adding an ethereal feel as they softly sway in the wind when the doors are open.
Minimal Design, Maximum Performance
With cero® minimal sliding glass doors, the home leverages the largest panels offered in the NanaWall product family, perfectly complementing its contemporary style and indoor-outdoor design. Minimal panel profiles perfectly frame the outdoors and deliver an outstanding 98% glass-to-frame ratio. To complement the home’s visual fluidity, each system was customized with a Black Gray powder coating to mirror the existing color palette. In the cold weather environment of Montreal, these systems were specified with triple-glazed panels and paired with a Performance Sill for optimal energy efficiency and comfort throughout the seasons. Convenient sill inserts create barefoot-friendly transitions to the outdoor living areas and a visually seamless threshold for enhanced aesthetics.
Final Thoughts
The Slate captures the essence of indoor-outdoor living through a masterful blend of architecture and landscape. Architect Alexander Blouin’s thoughtful design integrates natural materials and fluid spaces that echo the surrounding lakeside environment. With Cero minimal sliding glass doors, the home achieves optimal fluidity, where expansive glass panels dissolve the barrier between inside and out, embracing the lake’s beauty in every season. Thoughtful material choices and seamless transitions ensure a timeless aesthetic, while energy-efficient solutions make the home as functional as it is visually striking. The result is a tranquil retreat perfectly attuned to the homeowner’s vision of lakeside living where every space invites both reflection and a connection to the outdoors.
Discover more impressive residential design projects with cero® minimal sliding glass doors in our inspiring project gallery!