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DESIGN
CREATING A WOW! EFFECT
Interior designer Nadine Thomson bestows dramatic design on this Baie d’Urfé powder room
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BY NADINE THOMSON PHOTOGRAPHY: LUISA GONZALEZ
THIS HOUSE IN BAIE D’URFÉ, on Montreal’s West Island, offers beautiful views of Lake St. Louis. And when Gene and Mary Tsartolias bought it in 1990, they saw a diamond in the rough. Eighteen years ago, the couple did a largescale renovation on the house, followed by a more modest “refresh” in 2012. Fast forward to 2018 and the now empty-nesters have braved yet another renovation starting with this ground-floor powder room. As is typical of many homes, this one has a powder room that is a small, high-traffic space used by everyone, including guests. My clients asked me to create a spectacular showcase space that would reflect their personalities; they’re willing to take design risks while keeping a strong focus on durable materials and high functionality. They also wished to keep a few of the room’s existing elements to ensure continuity between the new space and the rest of the home’s details and craftmanship. At 55 by 61 inches (approximately 23 square feet), this space was definitely a challenge to design because of its modest dimensions. Since powder rooms are meant for quick visits, a dramatic look works well. This was a perfect opportunity to create a wow factor, which we did by installing a contemporary piece of furniture as the vanity. We also used various shades of warm gold and shimmering black through wallpaper and wainscotting. The result? A space that was transformed from a humdrum utilitarian room into a pièce de résistance. •
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THE WINTER ISSUE
1. The original powder room’s solid oak moldings and door were preserved along with the crystal knobs with brass detailing and matching solid-brass hinges. The original colour and finish of the outside of the door was kept, but the inside was painted the same colour as the wainscot (Benjamin Moore Jet Black 2120-10) with a high-gloss finish. Don’t let the name fool you; this is actually a very warm black with a strong undertone of brown and it has a soft-black feeling. There’s nothing harsh about it.
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2. The clients loved the idea of a marble floor. However, they were concerned about the maintenance and performance of such a delicate material in a high-traffic area. Instead, they opted for a high-gloss-finish porcelain tile that replicates marble but is more durable. Ciot cut the 24-by-24-inch porcelain tiles down to three-quarters of an inch by three inches for a classic herringbone pattern; they were placed on a mesh for easy installation.
Before
3. The Hudson Metal Single Washstand, fitted with a Lugarno faucet with aged-brass finish, is from Restoration Hardware. It has a Caesarstone counter in Pure White and occupies approximately half of the floor space. However, because it has an open bottom, this piece of furniture does not feel obtrusive, and it affords the homeowners much-needed counterspace that they didn’t have with their previous pedestal sink. The countertop is extremely durable.
