House Tours
This Earthy Montreal Home Is All About Bringing The Outdoors In
TEXT Iris Benaroia, PHOTOGRAPHY Maxime Desbiens, STYLING Nicola Marc
House Tours
This Earthy Montreal Home Is All About Bringing The Outdoors In
A connection to nature is forged in this Montreal home through the abundance of wood both inside and out.
Summers are made for lazy alfresco meals and entertaining outdoors. This family of four longed to indulge in just such occasions in their own backyard in Montreal’s NDG neighbourhood. But their Tudor-style home had a small exit to the yard and limited views of it from indoors. A generously glassed rear addition overseen by Maurice Martel Architecte and Bipède Design changed all that. Now the kids (both are under 10) can scamper and snack outdoors while the parents keep watch from inside.
“The family vacation in the Eastern Townships, so that feeling of a warm, woodsy retreat was appealing to them,” says Milaré Turgeon, the principal designer of Artcomposé, who acted as a consultant on the 2,200-square-foot residence, sourcing millwork and choosing colours and furnishings. “They wanted a playful take on Midcentury Modern style, so that it would feel vibrant, fresh and calm.”
Growing Zones
ARCHITECT, Maurice Martel, Maurice Martel Architecte. CONSTRUCTION, Construction N. Deslauriers Inc. DESIGN, Bipède Design. DECORATING, Milaré Turgeon, Artcomposé. DECKING, Techo-Bloc. SOFA, CHAIR, TABLES, PLANTERS, STRING LIGHTS, Club Piscine. CUSHIONS, HomeSense. FLOOR CUSHIONS, BLACK POT (on table), TABLEWARE, EQ3.
Multitiered zones neatly organize the yard, carving out sections for different activities. “The decking creates an easeful continuation from indoors to outdoors,” says Milaré Turgeon of the composite material that can withstand harsh winters. A built-in planter alongside the fence, meanwhile, breaks up the hard surfaces with bright greenery.
Sunken Treasure
SOFA, CHAIRS, BLUE PILLOW, Perez Furniture. THROW, PILLOWS, EQ3.
Wood ceiling rafters are cozy in the sunken addition, which features heated concrete floors for year- round warmth. The room’s earthy tones get a pick- me-up from the cobalt blue bouclé furniture; the sofa’s plump form also has a whimsical presence in the space. “Those pieces are family friendly, casual and versatile,” says Milaré. “You can easily move them around.”
A Fresh Beginning
Laurent Guérin ARTWORK, Galerie Simon Blais. PENDANT, Atelier Anaka. CREDENZA, Crate and Barrel. CHAIR FAB- RIC, Theo. TALL WHITE VASE, WHITE FLOWER POT, EQ3. PLANTS, Art et Fleurs.
Milaré convinced the family not to toss their dining set, which was too good not to revive. Once scratched and dull, the table now has a soft sheen; the velvet chairs got a makeover, too. “I redid them in a French tweed that’s as luxurious as a Chanel suit,” says Milaré. Above, the elegant, slim-profile pendant doesn’t detract from the spellbinding photograph.
Illuminating Idea
PENDANT, Kelli. PLATES, PLACEMATS, NAPKINS, VASE, EQ3. BANQUETTE DESIGN, Bipède Design; FABRIC, Luum Textiles.
A shapely light fixture adds sculp- tural interest above the banquette. With its ribbons of black-stained oak, the handcrafted Japanese paper lantern is a modern rendition of old-school versions. “When lit, its glow fills up the space,” says Milaré, adding that the dark details echo the black-trimmed windows.
Plums and mustards are very Mid- century Modern, says Milaré. As luck would have it, the artwork matched perfectly – it’s a piece of paper exhumed from the walls during the renovation, and that they later had framed. Meanwhile, the underside of the seats and the table leg are trimmed in shimmery bronze detail- ing to complement the banquette’s warm tones.
Lean & Green
LIGHT FIXTURE, Lambert & Fils. STOOLS, Élément de Base. CABINE- TRY PAINT, Green Earth 7748, Sherwin-Williams.
The colourful oak kitchen is youthful and eye catching. “We chose a green for the cabinets that was fresh and fun,” says Milaré. In front of them, the Caesarstone island is a hardworking feature used for meal prep and dining. The fetching open-niche design is for displaying dishware.
In Place
MILLWORK, Bipède Design. THROW, VASES, LARGE WHITE CUSHION, VELVET CUSHION, LINEN CUSHION WITH STRIPES, EQ3. FLOWERS, Art et Fleurs. SCONCES, Visual Comfort.
Tucked into a rich wood-filled nook, an integrated bed with floating side tables and upper storage saves space while looking stylish, says Milaré. “Bespoke millwork provides visual continuity,” she says. “Because there are no handles anywhere, it eases the eye and feels seamless.”
“Because this is a city house, pri- vacy was an issue,” says Milaré. “The sheers cover the window, and they bring a nice softness to the space. They are a light greige sandy linen.” And at night, a simple click of a button activates remote-controlled blackout blinds.
Ground Control
VANITY, Coroa Design. PLUMBING FIXTURES, WALL TILES, Ramacieri Soligo. Rose-tone SCONCES, Wayfair. PLANT POT, LIDDED CONTAINERS, EQ3. PLANT, Art et Fleurs. TOWELS, HomeSense.
Black is a grounding colour throughout the house. “In the primary bedroom, I used black sconces to add contrast against the oak,” says Milaré. In the shower, a black-lined door and dark plumbing fixtures pop against the light blue oblong tiles.
The wall-mounted faucets free up the countertop and allow the wall of beautiful tile to take centre stage. The soft blue tile adds textural richness against the earthy countertop, while the matte-finish rose-gold sconce brings in another layer of interest. “I love mixing metals and colours in lighting,” says Milaré.
Stylish & Snug
QUILT, PILLOWCASE, CUSHIONS, HomeSense. THROW, EQ3. MILLWORK, WALLPAPER, Coroa Design.
“The daughter’s bedroom is really, really small,” says Milaré. “Thinking vertically was the only solution to get the most out of the space.” The wrapped millwork, including a nightstand and an open nook for books, is adorable and stylish. “There’s even a trundle bed for sleepovers,” she says.
Originally, Milaré had found a pricey wallpaper for the clients’ daughter’s room. As a budget-friendly alterna- tive, Milaré chose to draw her own mural and had it reproduced. “It’s serene and peaceful,” she says, noting that unlike some wallpaper used in kids’ rooms, it’s an element that won’t look childish as the girl gets older.
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