The couple invested in geothermal heating systems and bought materials exclusively from local sources. Exposed beams, picture windows and an inner courtyard create a cozy and warm living space.

A local artisan created hemp and limestone walls, which have a velvety appearance. "The walls don't contain gypsum or paint and are VOC free," says Karsenti.

Wood and polystyrene forms with a coating of black carbon paint support the hemp and limestone top layer. The black carbon paint blocks electromagnetic waves (EMFs) from cell phone towers, Karsenti and others believe. "With all the information available and the statistics to support the health problems related to EMFs, we are taking precautions — especially since we have a child in the house," she says.

"I admit that I wasn't aware of using black carbon paint to block EMFs," says designer Gervais Fortin, "but as a designer I'm in favor of creating a client's vision of a happy and healthy home."

"The phones inside the house have cords, so they don't give off EMFs," says Karsenti. She carries a cell phone in her purse but switches it to airplane mode in the house and reroutes cell phone calls to the home's landline.

Sofa: Meubles Re-no

Fortin used recycled granite for the kitchen countertops and sourced the zero-VOC cabinetry from Nu-Green in Montreal. "Even the cabinet's lacquer is ecofriendly," Karsenti says.

The faucets have adaptors that reduce water flow according to the users' needs. The family has more kitchen countertop space because of the absence of an EMF-emitting microwave. "There was some resistance as to understanding our decisions," Karsenti says. "But now people who have worked on the house see the result, and they're starting to realize that our approach makes sense."

Fortin sourced the kitchen table and breakfast nook from Atelier 001-A. "The wood used for both tables was from the wood of the previous house and dated back to the 1890s," he says.

In the master bedroom, double-glazed windows ensure minimal heat loss during the winter, and recycled white ash floors visually expand the space and heighten its expansiveness. A large square window by the bed faces a maple tree that changes colors seasonally. "It's like a live picture frame," says Karsenti.

Transom windows naturally ventilate the bathroom. The vanity mirror reflects and doubles the lush views from the opposing windows. The hand-crafted tub, vanity and sink are made of an ecofriendly composite material, and natural stone softens the angular contemporary suite with its curves.

Tub, vanity, sink: Ramacieri Soligo, Wetstyle

A partial wall visually separates the toilet from the bed, but the soaking tub and vanity are part of the room's open plan. To protect the wood floors, the couples uses a bath mat and keeps splashes to a minimum. "The child's bath is different from ours," Karsenti says, "but our bath is pretty special: spa like and calming, a bit like a Japanese soaking tub space."

A green roof populated by native plants helps insulate the house.

On average, people in Montreal buy and sell their homes every five years, Karsenti says. "This mentality promotes people choosing materials with short life spans, ones that fill the waste sites. But we plan on staying in this home for as long as we can. It's our legacy to our family."