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Affective Memory
By : Desjardins Bherer
GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN – 16th edition
Discipline : Interior Design
Categories : Residence / Residential Space ≤ 1,600 sq. ft. (≤ 150 sq.m.) : Gold Certification
Categories : Residence / Classic/Timeless Residential Space : Gold Certification
Categories : Special Awards / Interior Design + Art Integration : Gold Certification
Categories : Special Awards / Low Cost Design : Platinum Winner
The clients who bought this classic Montreal duplex, both professional designers, delight in interiors with contrasts, unique objects and travel souvenirs. After careers spanning 25 years, they wanted to take on a project they had long dreamed of: creating a home for themselves and their family that would reflect their personal style.
The clients were drawn to this duplex for the quality of its original moldings, attractive wainscoting and multiple-lite French doors. They took the plunge and embarked on a new adventure.
Shortly after acquiring the apartment, which was in its original state, the owners began work in the basement. They tore out the concrete floor and installed a layer of insulation under a new slab of sealed concrete. They also had pipework installed for a future bathroom.
Years went by, and the children grew. The time had come to continue the work.
The goal was to pare down the interior while maintaining the apartment’s original character. The owners wanted to keep the layout of the rooms in the front – two double living rooms on either side of a central hall – but dedicate one of these rooms to new uses. The back of the apartment underwent a more extensive transformation to create modern, friendly living spaces.
The overarching theme of the project would be consistency. All the floors on the ground floor were replaced with matte-finished oak, in perfect harmony with the original mouldings and woodwork, which were still in good condition. The wainscoting was painted white. Suspending George Nelson’s Bubble Saucer lamp in each of the double living rooms helped unify the whole. The decor features the use of black, white and gray, as well as gold, in a nod to the original brass door handles.
In the living room, the eye is drawn to a large photograph by Chin-Chien Wang, one of the first painters whose work appealed to the man of the house. Some colour is provided by the invigorating green of a Maralunga sofa, by Cassina, a favourite of the owners. It is matched with two Bertoia wire armchairs by Knoll, found at a flea market. The table in the centre of the room holds a blown glass vase by Verre d’Onge as well as some objects of beauty, including catalogs from exhibitions seen by the family. The System 606 shelving, by Vitsoe, houses the sound system and some books. It is both practical and scalable.
The dining room furniture is by Atelier Vaste, a Quebec company. The old pink of the chairs blends in perfectly with the emerald sofa, a colour that is picked up in a drawing by Quebecer André Jasmin, one of the couple’s favourite artists. The original built-in furniture has been kept, and the plates on the picture rail are souvenirs from family travels.
The owners chose the other double living room at the front of the apartment as their living space. They placed the office near the window, to profit from the daylight, and nestled the master bed in the alcove. Modern cabinets provide efficient office storage space. The bed, in a smaller space, is covered by an embroidered blanket purchased in Belgium by the maternal grandmother. A wall lamp by Ingo Maurer brings a modern touch and some light into the alcove.
The bathroom dares to use gold in a series of contemporary faucets. The black granite floor is in stark contrast to the white bathroom fixtures, and the mirrors hide spacious medicine cabinets.
Giving the room some dynamism is the iconic black and white checkerboard shower wall, in a nod to New York’s Morgans Hotel as decorated by the renowned designer Andrée Putman in 1984.
The kitchen occupies what was originally a bedroom, with new openings added to let in the light. Appliances are hidden from view, and the solid gray cabinets contrast with the Ceppo marble of the countertops and the island, which are in the project’s colour palette.
The small living area next to the kitchen features a sofa designed by Élément de base, a Quebec company. Shelving identical to that in the living room supports a television, and the room is completed by small terracotta tables.
A clever combination of various light sources is used to create moods in this friendly space. Recessed Laser Blade fixtures from iGuzzini, a linear suspension lamp from the Quebec manufacturer Sistemalux, and under-cabinet lighting provide a wealth of possibilities, in part through dimmer switches. A white guardrail sets off the staircase to the basement, where the children have their domain.
For more height in the basement, the concrete slab has been left uncovered and the exposed ceiling joists have been painted white. The children’s bathroom is reminiscent of their parents’: identical sinks and faucets, a hanging toilet and abundant medicine cabinets. A large photograph, a souvenir of a trip to Iceland, hangs above the bath.
New windows, larger than the original ones, were installed to give plenty of natural light to the children’s large rooms. Fish hanging on the wall – mementos of family travels – indicate the directions to the children’s rooms. A living room in the basement completes their quarters.
This renovation reflects the tastes of its owners and showcases the talent of favoured local and international designers. The rooms have been carefully decorated and feature a host of objects they cherish. It all sets the stage for joyful family times in this tailor-made home.
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