Architects Marika Drolet-Ferguson and Mathieu Boucher-Côté have created their own version of a Swedish sommarhus on the Acadian Peninsula in New Brunswick, building a 650-square-foot addition to Marika's family property for $173,000. The couple, who co-founded design firm Nordais, spent years living nomadically between teaching positions and artist residencies before deciding to settle down and start a family.
"For us, it was about designing a home for the life that we wanted to live," says Drolet-Ferguson. After frequently returning to her childhood home in Tracadie-Sheila, New Brunswick, the couple decided it made sense to build something permanent there, immersed in the natural beauty of the Acadian Peninsula.
The design was heavily influenced by their travels through Sweden, Norway, and Iceland, as well as Marika's graduate research in the Netherlands. A pivotal inspiration came during their 2016 artist residency in Sweden, where they encountered the traditional sommarhus culture. "Everyone just disappears to their sommarhus in nature or by the sea. They're disconnected from technology," explains Marika.
"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. Their solution was a compact addition that shares the eastern wall of Marika's parents' 1980s home and connects through a basement level where they carved out a bedroom and additional storage space.
The new structure houses an open-plan living space, kitchen and dining area, bathroom, and small loft. "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?" explains Marika. The footprint provides enough space for their growing family while maintaining their goals of compact, energy-efficient living.
Sustainability guided many of their material choices and construction methods. The couple reused and sourced materials locally wherever possible, with Mathieu and friends handling much of the labor to reduce costs. Ceiling planks were salvaged from a nearby 125-year-old barn, while insulation is made from recycled wood fiber and hemp panels. The walls feature local white pine, and the exterior is clad in untreated red cedar that "gets grayer every year," as Marika notes, matching her parents' home.
The home incorporates passive solar design strategies including photovoltaic panels, high ceilings, and large windows for heating and cooling. Without air conditioning, the house stays comfortable in summer through cross-ventilation, with cooling winds coming off a nearby river and a mezzanine window that helps release heat. Solar panels provide about 75 percent of the family's energy needs and charge their electric car during the day while remaining connected to the grid.
Interior spaces blend built-in furniture, restored vintage finds, and personal objects collected over the couple's decade together. The living room features built-ins made from crib mattresses and cushions, with hidden storage underneath for firewood, their daughter's toys, and even their cat's litter box. The kitchen showcases cherry wood cabinetry designed by the couple and fabricated by a local maker, paired with a soapstone sink quarried in Quebec.
Personal touches throughout the home include Marika's childhood piano, handmade ceramics, and a coffee table purchased from a stationery shop in Quebec City. A cozy mezzanine nook serves multiple purposes for naps, yoga, or meditation, while sliding windows in the open-concept living and dining room frame forest views.
The couple intentionally designed their home to be flexible for future needs. It could someday function as an office, rental unit, or even be swapped with her parents as they age. Marika's graduate research in the Netherlands on density and multigenerational living influenced this adaptable approach.
Currently, the home perfectly suits their life as a family of three, with immediate connection to nature through 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 project demonstrates how thoughtful design can create a meaningful connection to place while minimizing environmental impact and maximizing functionality within a modest budget.
