The Magic of L’Île Mystérieuse (The Mysterious Island)

FOR. design planning created the magic of L’Île Mystérieuse, where the story of a Jules Verne enthusiast unfolds. After having unearthed over 300 artifacts from auctions and estate sales over the years, the client dreamed of opening a museum where his collection could be displayed.

Photo credit: GoXplore

Washbasins space
Photo credit: GoXplore

Reflection of washbasins space
Photo credit: GoXplore

A real estate opportunity presented itself that allowed the client to convert his dream into reality, and to share his passion for all things Jules Verne with local and visiting tourists. To do so, he created an entire ecosystem around the museum, adding a restaurant-lounge and boutique. The result is Île Mystérieuse, named after the Jules Verne novel (The Mysterious Island) detailing the tragic end of his famous Captain Nemo.

Display detail
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Printing on curtain wall
Photo credit: GoXplore

Photo credit: GoXplore

Photo credit: GoXplore

This Île Mystérieuse is anchored in a 20th-century building nicknamed the Blue House, to which a new glass extension has been added. The house's doors, windows, and roof were completely renovated, while its stone walls and fireplaces were preserved and restored to their original state. A curtain-wall extension, housing the mini-museum and boutique, impresses with its large exterior custom-made fresco depicting Captain Nemo's poignant death on Mysterious Island. The restaurant's entrance is similarly distinguished by a giant backlit map of the island, while a bay window and porthole portray maritime scenes and sea creatures.

Photo credit: GoXplore

Photo credit: GoXplore

Photo credit: GoXplore

Inside, visitors are immersed in a 19th-century cigar lounge atmosphere, where Jules Verne first editions, works of art, and ship models are displayed like a cabinet of curiosities. Rattan furniture, coffered walls, and cabinetry details reminiscent of old china cabinets further evoke the essence of the period.

Photo credit: GoXplore

Circular staircase detail
Photo credit: GoXplore

Circular staircase
Photo credit: GoXplore

The journey of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea continues around a large circular bar and staircase, all in bronze mesh and illuminated with fixtures propelling a beam of light. The resulting imagery is reminiscent of a submarine descending into the aquatic vortex. On the ceiling, glittering points of light recreate the constellation of Aquarius, Jules Verne’s astrological sign. Perforated metal mesh recurs as a dividing wall between the public area and the dining room benches, adjacent to a bronze arch that marks a pompous entrance to the restaurant area.

Bathrooms
Photo credit: GoXplore

Photo credit: GoXplore

Photo credit: GoXplore

Outdoor terrace
Photo credit: GoXplore

At the bottom of the circular staircase, the bathrooms are bathed in the blackness of the abyss. Custom-designed for this project, the wallpaper features skulls, gloomy-looking fish, eels, and golden coral against a murky background. A small spotlight timidly diffuses light, like a lantern fish. Under a large mirrored dome at the washbasin, visitors have the impression of being observed under a magnifying glass or through a telescope.

FOR. design planning

FOR. design planning is an interior design firm specializing in corporate, commercial, and multi-unit residential projects. Since 1969, it has designed more than 25 million square feet of interiors in Canada and internationally.