“For us, it was about designing a home for the life that we wanted to live,” says Marika Drolet-Ferguson. She and her partner, Mathieu Boucher-Côté, who are both architects and cofounded design firm Nordais, had spent years living nomadically when they decided to settle down and have a child. Between teaching gigs and artist residencies, they’d often return to Marika’s childhood home in Tracadie-Sheila, New Brunswick, so it made sense to them to build something there; it was just a matter of asking themselves what a permanent home might look like immersed in the beauty of the Acadian Peninsula.

“We were questioning the best way to return to this land while minimizing the environmental impact of materials, so we spent years reflecting on what we could do,” says Mathieu. Early concepts included sketches inspired by their travels through Sweden, Norway, and Iceland, as well as Marika’s graduate research in the Netherlands. A key influence was the Swedish sommarhus tradition they encountered while doing an artist residency in the country in 2016. “Everyone just disappears to their sommarhus in nature or by the sea. They’re disconnected from technology,” says Marika.

The exterior is clad in untreated red cedar, “so it gets grayer every year,” remarks Marika. Her parents’ home features the same, a detail that connects the two buildings." layout="" credit="Photo by Félix Michaud" photoUserId=""/>

Today, Marika, Mathieu, and their three-year-old daughter have a sommarhus of their own, of sorts, having built a 650-square-foot addition off of Marika’s parents’ home that provides direct access to the peninsula’s bounty. The addition, which holds an open-plan living space, a kitchen/dining area, a bathroom, and a small loft, shares the eastern wall of the original 1980s residence and connects through a basement, where the couple carved out a bedroom and extra storage. Because New Brunswick winters are well below freezing and summers hover around the mid-70s, “we aren’t in a situation where we can live in a tiny house and be happy in there for what, thirty years?” says Marika. The footprint, with the added basement area, felt like a big enough space for them to grow into (and be stuck inside of when the weather is untenable) while still matching their goal of a compact, energy-efficient build.

Editors’ note: The dollar amount in the headline is in USD. Figures below are in Canadian dollars.

$30,000 Land	$5,500 Site Work	$18,000 Foundation
$30,000 Structural	$8,500 Wall Finishes	$4,850 Flooring
$3,000 Roofing	$500 Hardware	$9,800 Electrical
$2,750 Plumbing	$500 Landscaping	$3,250 Kitchen & Bath Fixtures
$1,400 Lighting	$18,000 Cabinetry	$2,000 Countertops
$4,000 Appliances	$7,500 Windows & Glazing	$2,250 Doors
$2,000 Millwork	$2,200 Tilework	$9,000 Furnishings & Decor
$500 Permitting	$16,000 Labor	$500 Demolition
$44,000 Solar Panels	$11,000 Coastal Erosion Prevention Work
Grand Total: $237,000

The couple reused and sourced materials locally wherever possible, and Mathieu and friends handled much of the labor, helping cut down on costs. Planks for the ceilings were salvaged from a nearby 125-year-old barn, the insulation is made from recycled wood fiber and hemp panels, and the walls are local white pine. The home also features photovoltaic panels, high ceilings, and large windows that support passive solar heating and cooling.

In the kitchen, cherry wood cabinetry—designed by the couple and fabricated by a local maker—pairs with a soapstone sink quarried in Quebec." layout="bleed" credit="Photo by Félix Michaud" photoUserId=""/>

The interiors are filled with a mix of built-ins, restored vintage finds—like a coffee table purchased from a stationery shop in Quebec City—and personal objects, including Marika’s childhood piano and handmade ceramics gathered over a decade together. The built-ins in the living room are made from crib mattresses and cushions. “Under it, we store wood for the stove, our daughter’s toys, and even our cat’s litter box,” says Marika.

Her graduate research in the Netherlands also shaped their thinking on density and multigenerational living. The couple intentionally designed their home to be flexible: it could someday be used as an office, a rental unit, or even swapped with her parents as they age. For now, it suits their current life perfectly as a family of three. The home has an immediate connection to nature, opening onto a garden and riverside landscape. “We have raspberries, strawberries, wild blueberries, and mushrooms on-site—we have all this. Outside living for us is part of the house,” says Marika.

The home doesn’t have air-conditioning but stays comfortable in the summer thanks to passive design strategies. The window arrangement provides cross-ventilation, with cooling winds coming off a nearby river. A window in the mezzanine helps release heat. Solar panels provide about 75 percent of the family’s energy needs, and they charge their electric car during the day while remaining connected to the grid." layout="" credit="Photo by Félix Michaud" photoUserId=""/>

More Budget Breakdown stories:

Their $98K Los Angeles Basement Reno Came In at More Than Double What They Planned

An Oregon Designer Turns a Quonset Hut Into a Guesthouse for $345K

Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Marika Drolet-Ferguson and Mathieu Boucher-Côté, Nordais/ @nordais_architecture

Interior Design: Marika Drolet-Ferguson and Mathieu Boucher-Côté, Nordais/ @nordais_architecture

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Budget Breakdown: An Architect Couple’s $173K Home Is Inspired by Swedish Summer Houses