Montreal Home - Spring 2016

CANDICE OLSON

AT HOME WITH THE CELEBRITY DESIGNER

COTTAGE COOL Colin and Justin renovate a Haliburton cabin WATERFRONT WOW A shoreline home in Beaconsfield inspires family water activities

SERENITY NOW Tranquility abides in a riverside

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Rivière des Prairies home

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PLOUM sofa. Design by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec. www.ligne-roset-usa.com

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Nathalie LAPOINTE New Light City, 36 x 36 in.

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Hélène CARON Mathéo, 40 x 40 in.

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Denis ROY Vibrations, 30 x 60 in.

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Hugo LANDRY Out of the Wood, 36 x 48 in.

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EDITOR’S LETTER

SOME YEARS AGO, I took Héritage Montreal’s fascinating course in home restoration and renovation. Each class was taught by one of several architects, home inspectors and renovation specialists.

The lecture on how to restore a Victorian home was given by an architect who specializes in rehabilitating historic buildings. As she spoke, she illustrated her lecture with visual aids: photographs on the lecture hall’s screen of Victorian rooms, taken during the late 19th century.

These rooms were exquisite. They were replete with complex cornices, vast chandeliers, rosettes, wood inlays in f loors, deep baseboards and imposing hearths. But the element that provoked gasps among the viewers in the lecture hall was the decor, the heavy aesthetic we associate with the Victorian era. Hefty furnishings crafted of dark wood, brocade fabrics, damask wallpapers, dark panelling, substantial velvet drapes with their valances and swags, and deep, saturated colours created an ambience of weightiness.

Some years after taking the course, I interviewed a woman who had restored a Victorian home. But instead of slavishly imitating the design aesthetic of the 19th century, she painted all those cornices, rosettes and deep baseboards white and filled her rooms with contemporary furnishings. While respecting the history of her magnificent home, she was allowing it to reflect her contemporary lifestyle.

P.S.

The shift toward clean, minimal spaces has been coming for the past couple of decades but we’re now seeing it everywhere – in commercial, industrial and residential design.

Most of us want to live and work in light-filled, uncluttered spaces. The world is a complex place. The antidote to all that complexity is clean-lined, open spaces that are not ponderous and overbearing, homes that welcome us as soothing retreats at day’s end.

In this issue, we show you several such homes. Less is more in these spaces.

Paradoxically, the uncluttered, contemporary home may exemplify simplicity, but a lot of complex thought and effort goes into its design and creation, as you’ll see in the homes on these pages. Windows are large (and not covered by heavy drapery). Colour palettes are neutral and light. And while there is a distinct lack of clutter and fewer furnishings than our Victorian forebears had, there is no loss of comfort or beauty.

This is what home is all about now. This is how we live.

STEPHANIE WHITTAKER Editor-in-Chief stephanie@movatohome.com

There are several ways you can stay in touch with us:

@leahlipkowitz, @movatohome

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@leahlipkowitz, @movatohome

Š2016 California Closet Company, Inc. All rights reserved. Each franchise independently owned and operated.

for the love of home

Head Office & Manufacturing Facility: 453 Meloche, Dorval

californiaclosets.com 514.636.6336

CONTRIBUTORS

JULIE GEDEON Seasoned writer, editor and writing instructor/coach Julie Gedeon says she is happily envious of a Beaconsfield family that enjoys water activities from their new contemporary lakefront home. Her story about their gorgeous new home relates how much difference the right location makes when homeowners decide to build a new house.

SUSAN KELLY Candice Olson has a knack for designing sophisticated contemporary interiors.

Just ask the many fans of her television shows, of which writer Susan Kelly is one.

Susan is a regular contributor who was thrilled to have a private peek into the home Candice shares with her husband and two children. “She is just as down to earth and gracious as she appears on screen, and she kept me laughing with all the funny stories about her family,� Susan says.

SUSAN SEMENAK Can a building have a soul? Susan Semenak, the Montreal writer and journalist who wrote for this issue about a small, contemporary home in Rivière des Prairies, was moved to hear from the homeowner of the abode’s soothing effect on her. “Some places seem to radiate serenity,â€? Susan says. “You can feel it the minute you walk in.â€?

Volume 8, number 2, Spring issue 2016 Date of issue: May, 2016

4020 St. Ambroise Street Suite #367 Montreal, Qc. h4c 2c7

Call 1-855-410-4663 movatohome.com sales@movatohome.com

PUBLISHER Leah Lipkowitz ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER Hana Rakovski

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Stephanie Whittaker

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Jennifer Mula

ART DIRECTOR

OPERATIONS MANAGER

Mark Ruzayk

Tova Zajdel

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Phillipa Rispin PRODUCTION ARTIST Marieve Gagnon EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Wendy Loper ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS Carmen Lefebvre

CHIEF STRATEGIST Sheila Toby ACCOUNTING Joseph Tsang DIRECTOR OF SALES Kelly Chicoine SALES MANAGER Kelly Lance

Diane Dollisen ACCOUNT MANAGER CONTRIBUTORS

Joanne Mayoff

Tracey Arial Julie Gedeon Kathryn Greenaway Susan Kelly Colin McAllister Justin Ryan Susan Semenak

LEGAL DEPOSIT issn

1920-1370 Montreal Home

magazine Inc. 2016. All rights reserved. Any copying or reproduction of content without the written permission of Montreal Home magazine is strictly prohibited.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Publication # 41959020

Brandon BarrĂŠ Alberto Biscaro Gillian Jackson STYLISTS & SCOUTS Colin McAllister Candice Olson Denise Palisaitis

Anik PĂŠloquin Justin Ryan 18

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CONTENTS

56 ON THE COVER

Television’s Candice Olson applies her design flair to her own home

WATERFRONT WOW

A family adopts water sports after custom-building a Lac St. Louis shoreline home

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SENSE OF PLACE

Artist Sara Peck Colby portrays the bucolic landscape of the Eastern Townships

118

24 THIS JUST IN

An array of new items for your home 20

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ALWAYS MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE. BDI FURNITURE IS THOROUGHLY ENGINEERED AND THOUGHTFULLY DESIGNED TO BEAUTIFULLY INTEGRATE TECHNOLOGY INTO THE HOME AND OFFICE. VIEW THE COMPLETE COLLECTION AT BDIUSA.COM

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CONTENTS

46 PERFECTIONIST’S WORK

A homeowner who knows just what she wants designs her own home

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EDITOR’S LETTER

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WATERFRONT WOW A family adopts water sports after custom-building a Lac St. Louis shoreline home

64

THE WARM TOUCH Quebecers warm up to Valor natural gas and propane fireplaces

66

ON SHOW Ville St. Laurent furniture showroom is a draw for homeowners and designers

74

TRIED AND TRUE A Montreal window manufacturer releases products only after exhaustive testing

76

SERENITY NOW A Rivière des Prairies homeowner finds tranquility in her riverside home

88

SETTING THE BAR HIGH Opus Vancouver does a stunning redesign of its bar

90

A NEW LOCATION Company specializing in bathroom and kitchen surfaces opens a new store in Dorval

92

LIFELONG CAREER PREPARATION A real estate broker began learning her business in childhood

102

BOLD AND ELEGANT Montreal kitchen company makes a name for itself with daring design

104

A SMART APPROACH Home automation can be used to cool and heat a house

108

COTTAGE COOL Colin and Justin overhaul a down-at-heel Haliburton cabin

118

SENSE OF PLACE Artist Sara Peck Colby portrays the bucolic landscape of the Eastern Townships

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56 AT HOME WITH CANDICE

TV designer Candice Olson on the design of her own home

VANITY FLAIR

Company sells vanities that resemble high-end furniture

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DESIGN

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1. A NEW ANGLE ON VANITIES This au courant collection from Godi is going geometric. It boasts 3d contouring and abstract shapes with clean-lined appeal. A vibrant high-gloss finish, crystal-white quartz countertop and such features as hidden side shelving and built-in leds in the mirrors make it both attractive and highly functional.

——— GODI Bathroom presented by Dezign Market www.godibathroom.com 1-888-398-8380

2. DINNERWARE DETAIL The arabesque is a graceful design of ancient lineage that adds an elegant decorative touch to this dinnerware. We show just one item from the Ikat Arabesque collection of drinking glasses and plates, a cereal bowl and a platter in shatter-resistant dishwasher-safe melamine with a textural hammered edge – perfect indoors or out.

——— Linen Chest www.linenchest.com

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3. PETITE TUB, BIG STYLE The Voce tub comes in two lengths (55 and 67 inches), which will have you singing in the bath.

The smaller size fits in a space less than five feet long – rare for a freestanding tub. There’s no shortage of features in either size: Voce has a sophisticated oval shape and is composed of Lucite acrylic, which imparts a high-gloss finish and is easy to maintain. The drain and overflow, available in chrome or brushed nickel, are preinstalled, making for easy installation of the tub.

——— Fleurco www.fleurco.com 1-800-993-0033

For more than 35 years, our tight-knit, reliable team has been taking care of your needs.

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DESIGN

1. TRADITIONAL DESIGN, CONTEMPORARY APPEAL The Carrera bathroom vanity is of solid hardwood construction with a polished white Carrara marble countertop and a cUpc-certified undermount porcelain sink. This vanity is part of a collection that includes a medicine cabinet, a side cabinet, and mirrors. Available in white (shown), espresso, light grey in 30", 36", 48" (shown), 62”, and 75” sizes.

——— Golden Elite Centre Déco 88 Brunswick Blvd., Dollard-des-Ormeaux www.GoldenEliteDeco.com 514-243-8860

2. BRIGHT AND LIVELY The Luminarc Simply Colors dinnerware collection brings a pop of colour to the table. The balanced mix of transparency and colour is fresh and fun and can be mixed and matched for a unique touch. Made of fully tempered glass that is three times more shock-resistant than ordinary glass.

——— Linen Chest www.linenchest.com

4. ALFRESCO ATTRACTION Bring indoor design sophistication outdoors with the Manor collection. Made of waterrepellent and Uv-protected fabric, the collection includes tab curtains and pads for chairs, benches and loungers. Coordinating cushions are available in various sizes.

Fabric comes in plain, striped, geometric, floral, plaids and paisley.

——— Fabricville www.fabricville.com

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3. BEGIN WITH BELLA Every shower is built from the base up, and the Bella base is an ideal foundation.

It offers ergonomic seating, with either left or right configuration. It’s compatible with all in-line 60-inch and two-sided 60-by-32inch shower doors. The Bella base’s drain cover is available in chrome and brushed nickel finishes.

——— Fleurco www.fleurco.com 1-800-993-0033

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DESIGN MONTREAL SPRING 2016

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A WINDOW ON THE WATERFRONT

A Beaconsfield home is designed to take advantage of its spectacular shoreline view

BY JULIE GEDEON

A NEW WATERFRONT HOME has signif icantly changed the lifestyle of a West Island family. “As soon as we moved into our new house, I headed outside every day after work to kayak, paddleboard or Sea-Doo with our two teenaged boys or on my own,” says one of the homeowners. “I’d never previously done water activities in my life and now I love them.”

The homeowner credits his spouse with realizing the potential of a 23,000-square-foot property on the shoreline of Lac St. Louis.

“When the real estate agent showed me the dilapidated house, all I could see was expensive repairs,” he recalls. “But my wife opened my eyes to what we could build from scratch.”

Having always wanted to live by the water, the homeowner agreed to new construction, which had long been his wife’s wish. She wanted a contemporary home “that was really open on the main floor with lots of big windows – especially once we had this picturesque view,” she says. •

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DESIGN

A steel structure allows for vast windows and overall openness, including the glasssided catwalk linking the second-floor bedrooms. The living area furniture from Maison Corbeil offers the luxurious comfort the homeowners sought for the space in which they spend most of their time.

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The existing structure had to go. “It hadn’t been heated for years,” recalls architect Jean Gagnier who undertook the project with architect Monic Villeneuve. The homeowners had sought out Architectes Gagnier & Villeneuve based on the company’s expertise in designing contemporary homes.

Gagnier’s linear design for the 4,500-squarefoot, two-storey home provides every living space with spectacular waterfront views, except for a small tv room and laundry area.

On the main floor, the vistas are expansive within an open concept that features two storeys of windows in the living area. “We spend most of our time in there,” says Brigitte. “Even on a blah winter day, the scenery is incredible.”

Gagnier took into account the potentially excessive sunlight on the south-facing lake side by creating a steel structure for the entire house that could support a 12-foot overhang off the roof. “It provides needed shade on sunny days and shelter when it rains,” he says.

Steel construction also enabled Gagnier to design the windows that are unobstructed by supporting columns. “The glass panes actually meet at the outside corners,” he says.

The homeowner took more time choosing the right glass than anything else in the home. “We wanted something that would be as clear as possible but without excessive glare,” he says. He spoke to suppliers before deciding on a glass that is now popular

DESIGN MONTREAL SPRING 2016

The homeowners commissioned Beaconsfield artist Manon Lafrance to create a painting for the dining room wall. Mr. Chair refinished the dining table and chairs to complement the accent wall.

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in high-rise buildings. “The windows are fantastic, but the sun can still heat up the house, especially between December and January, surprisingly,” he says. “It was minus 17 degrees Celsius one morning when the air conditioner started working in the kitchen.”

Natural sunlight, well-insulated panes and a geothermal system that supplies radiant heat to all the flooring keep the electric bill reasonable, he adds.

His wife says she adores the home automation features that control the household temperature, security, and blinds that descend at dusk for nighttime privacy. “Monic immediately understood what I wanted in a

contemporary home,” she says. “Her design has the clean lines that we prefer.”

Villeneuve opted for a monochromatic scheme throughout most of the home, choosing from a rainbow of greys. “I also worked with various textures, such as the Japanese ceramic tiles in a basket-like weave around the fireplace,” she says.

The homeowners credit Villeneuve with truly listening to their plans. “I wanted ceramic tiles on the main floor so people would feel comfortable entering our home with their shoes on, and I didn’t have to worry about our dogs scratching the floors,” says one of the homeowners. “Our house is made for living.” •

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DESIGN

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The kitchen island is clad in statuario marble. The white lacquered cabinetry from Emporio Cuisine showcases Gaggenau appliances.

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DESIGN MONTREAL SPRING 2016

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Home automation by Discreet Integration ensures that the window blinds are automatically lowered at dusk for nighttime privacy.

While Villeneuve delivered on the couple’s desire for a streamlined look, she integrated magical touches, such as the Swarovski Crystalon Pendant lighting fixture over the dining room table. “The light from the ceiling is cast down on the suspended crystals like a work of art,” Villeneuve says.

She also incorporated some dramatic effects. “Everyone but Monic thought I was crazy when I said I wanted the wall facing the stairs to be a striking blue,” one of the homeowners recalls. “But she agreed that we needed that pop of colour and now everyone loves it.” •

(Left) Soft veining in the floor tiles and a textured wall were among the ways that architect Monic Villeneuve warmed up the mainly monochromatic scheme that the homeowners desired.

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Photo: Suzy Fouad

DESIGN

The couple hired Groupe Paramount for the excavation and landscaping. “I wanted a very Zen garden with simple lines to match our contemporary home, and Paramount did a superb job,” the homeowner says.

Ross Gregory, co-owner of Groupe Paramount, persuaded the homeowners to install an infinity pool even though it was twice the cost of a regular in-ground one. “When you’ve built a house of this calibre and have that kind of waterscape, you have to complement it with a higher-end pool,” Gregory says.

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Although he was initially sceptical, the homeowner agrees now. “It’s worth every penny because it’s so relaxing to watch the cascading water from the breakfast nook or hear it while sitting on the patio,” he says.

The whole house has been worth it in the couple’s view, especially given the joy they share with their sons who invite their friends over, and when family and friends visit. “And being able to sit anywhere in our house and see the lake is priceless,” he says. •

Groupe Paramount created the understated landscaping that the homeowners sought.

The infinity pool is a strong draw for the owners who love their home’s shoreline location and magnificent views.

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Photo: Suzy Fouad

“We spend most of our time in there.

Even on a blah winter day, the scenery is incredible.”

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DESIGN

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

A homeowner discovers her passion by designing her own home

BY KATHRYN GREENAWAY // STYLING: DENISE PALISAITIS

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DESIGN MONTREAL SPRING 2016

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“I think I’ve got an eye for design, so I’m jumping in head first. It’s what I want to do for the next 25 years.”

JOSÉE CARON IS A SELF-CONFESSED PERFECTIONIST. So when it came to designing the perfect family home for her firefighter husband and their two teenagers, she did it herself.

The result is a contemporary 6,800-squarefoot, two-storey home in the Montérégie region, 45 minutes from downtown Montreal.

Josée’s perfectionism is reflected in the details, be it the metal inserts in the mainf loor powder room’s custom vanity that neatly houses hand towels and soap, the wall in the front hall illuminated by led lighting, the framed, ‘living’ lichen canvas hanging in the dining room, or the playful bubble chair suspended in the kitchen’s gathering nook.

A calming, grey, white and black colour palette reigns in the common areas, warmed by the glow of walnut custom cabinetry and wide-plank hickory hardwood floors. Disciplined shots of colour draw the eye: the sparkle of a green chandelier in Josée’s dressing room, a vibrant abstract canvas hung in the living room that references the four seasons, a luxurious purple throw at the foot of the master suite’s bed.

Josée was drawn to design all her life, but the passion was relegated to part-time status for 25 years while she focused on running her car dealership. In 2007, she expanded the dealership to 41,000 square feet from 8,000, sourcing all the materials and interior design elements herself. “That’s when I knew design was what I wanted to do. I loved every minute of the project,” she says. “I began to take my vacation based on the dates of the furniture and design trade shows I wanted to attend.”

In 2015, Josée sold the dealership to dedicate herself full-time to establishing her design and custom furniture business, Infinity Dreams, in both Quebec and Florida. “I think I’ve got an eye for design, so I’m jumping in head first,” she says. “It’s what I want to do for the next 25 years.”

The home is the third residence Josée has designed for her family. She worked as project manager for all three builds and collaborated with Mascouche-based Évolution Architecture on the plans for the current home. The family moved into the house in August, 2012 and embraced the contemporary aesthetic. •

The living room showcases the style of Josée’s new design business, Infinity Dreams. All the furniture, globe light fixtures and artwork were sourced through the company.

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DESIGN

The kitchen’s white lacquer and walnut custom cabinetry is Josée’s design. Generous storage units keep kitchen chaos hidden. Range hood and appliances: Miele; stools, banquette, table and chairs: Infinity Dreams.

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(Above) The art on the dining room wall is a lichen-covered canvas.

Custom drapes: C&M Textiles; table, chairs, art and light fixture: Infinity Dreams.

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DESIGN

(Right) Josée’s dressing room is her retreat. Purple storage stools and dressing-table chair: Infinity Dreams.

“Once you’ve lived in a modern home, you’re hooked and you can’t go back,” Josée says.

“There is a luminous quality to the open, clean spaces. Even in the winter the home is flooded with natural light.”

From the front door, there is an uninterrupted view of the back wall’s bank of floor-toceiling windows. Soaring ceiling heights and strategically placed bamboo cuttings soothe rattled nerves at the end of a hectic day.

The living room and entrance hall ceilings are 23 feet high. In the dining room, the ceiling is 14 feet while the kitchen has a 10-foot ceiling.

A striking glass and open-tread staircase that Josée designed commands attention. She recalls the “intense” installation process and describes the results as “a work of art,” but adds she is most proud of the kitchen. “It is perfect. I love to cook. Every storage need has been met. I left nothing to chance,” she says.

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An expansive, L-shaped quartz-topped island has a cooktop and prep sink. One wall that boasts a trio of Miele wall ovens, including a steamer, is lined with sleek storage units and display shelves.

A sparkling black chandelier hangs over the glass tabletop in the breakfast nook. A corner space with display shelves, a media unit and the aforementioned bubble chair has become the teenage son’s favourite hangout.

The kitchen embraces Josée’s approach to design. “My goal is to solve everyday problems,” she says. “From one house to the next, I refined my approach and came up with solutions to make our day-to-day living as smooth as possible.”

The family entertains frequently. The open format of the common living spaces is great for dancing in a house wired for sound.

A two-sided fireplace separates the living and dining rooms. The generous, glass-walled wine cellar stands within easy reach.

On the second f loor are the children’s bedrooms and bathroom, a laundry room and the master suite that is accessed through double doors. Josée designed his and her dressing rooms and separated the master bath from the sleeping area with a glass wall and two-sided fireplace. “When I enter the room I think I’m in a boutique,” she says.

The finished basement has a large family room with a ping pong table, a bathroom, cold room and a home cinema.

“We love our neighbourhood because it is a tranquil environment with big yards,” Josée says.

“And the house? When we arrive home at the end of the day, we know we are chez nous. We say ‘My goodness, it feels good to be here.’ ” •

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A glass wall with a two-sided fireplace separates the sleeping area from the master bathroom. A curtain can be drawn at night to block morning light.

Fireplace: Ortal Heating Solutions.

Bathed in natural light, the master bathroom exudes calm. Tiles: Ciot; sinks: MontrĂŠal-Les-Bains; tub: Baliscus.

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DESIGN

Divine design at home Television’s Candice Olson applies her design flair to her own home

BY SUSAN KELLY ◆ PHOTOGRAPHY: GILLIAN JACKSON ◆ STYLING: CANDICE OLSON

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DESIGN

“It’s very much a home meant to be lived in and not just looked at.”

CANDICE OLSON’S FLAIR for creating elegant contemporary interiors has been showcased for more than a decade on two hit television shows – Divine Design and Candice Tells All (W Network/HGTV) – and in six best-selling books. Her ability to break down the basics of superior style in a down-to-earth way, spiced with a bit of wacky and irreverent humour, has won her legions of fans.

When it comes to the design of her home’s kitchen and bathroom, it’s very much a family affair. The designer shares the home with her builder husband, Jurij Sennecke, and two children: Pyper, 12, and Beckett, 10.

“My husband and I really designed the house together to suit our personal lifestyle and how we saw it evolving with our children,” Candice says. “It’s very much a home meant to be lived in and not just looked at.”

With busy professional parents juggling two careers and kids involved in countless sports, home life is laughingly described by Candice as “more zoo than Zen. It’s like living with a tribe of baboons but a lot less civilized.”

Candice goes on to say “that’s probably why we all love the home’s wilderness setting.”

Perched high above a forested ravine with an expansive golf course view, the Don Mills home allows the children to roam freely while Candice and Jurij enjoy the picturesque scenery. Whether it’s the colours of the sky during an impending summer rainstorm or the ever-changing seasons, Candice cites Mother Nature, whom she considers “the biggest and the best designer of them all,” as her major source of design inspiration for her extensive collection of signature home fashions.

“I get to see some of her finest work on display every day,” she says. “It’s inspiring, to say the least.”

Candice admits she approached the kitchen’s design a little backwards. “I fell head over heels for some onyx slabs with wonderful stormy blue-grey veining and caramel accents,” she says. “And they became the starting point for the rest of the home’s palette and finishes.” The couple decided to •

The kitchen design was inspired by the onyx countertops and their “wonderful stormy blue-grey veining and caramel accents.” In contrast, the island is topped with leather-finished black granite. Candice and Jurij love to cook and entertain, and they appreciate the style and performance of Thermador appliances. Their custom cabinetry is by Dundene Homes, and the pendant lights over the island are by Restoration Hardware.

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Candice wanted something a little more contemporary amid the kitchen’s traditional style, so she chose counter stools by McGuire in a mix of wire and wood. The sinks and streamlined faucets are by Kohler.

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DESIGN MONTREAL SPRING 2016

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(Opposite) Onyx slabs not only top the counters, they also run up the walls for dramatic effect. (This page) The designer has a rare quiet moment in a life that she describes as “more zoo than Zen.”

use the spectacular slabs like pieces of art in the kitchen, running the stone from the countertops vertically up the wall so that it could be viewed and enjoyed from other areas in the open-concept layout.

For contrast, Candice chose a material she has long loved – aged, leather-finished black granite – for the island countertop. It crowns a pine cabinet whose antiqued surface was intended to stand up to such punishment as restless children kicking their feet as they spin on the counter stools. And even though the family’s pups chose one corner to gnaw on while teething, she finds the cabinet is aging as gracefully as she anticipated.

The striking wood-beam ceiling detail, she says, is “brilliant,” her German husband’s idea. With its two-storey skylight, the kitchen area is always treated to ample natural light.

Candice’s brainstorm was to inset panels of woven brass on the large cabinet doors that discreetly conceal several refrigerators, freezers and pantries. (“We feed a lot of kids in this house!”) She loves the metal’s gentle gleam, which will develop a soft patina over time.

Brass details on hardware also add warm

contrast against the cool blue-grey painted cabinetry.

The top-floor master bathroom is part of a new addition to the 1960s split-level home and was designed as a private sanctuary. “Well, that was the original idea, but I have to admit that all four of us – and our two little Cotonpoo pups – have been in there all at once,” says Candice. “It could double as a car wash.”

The bathroom divides the bedroom by a long marble-clad, European-style shower, with glass walls on both sides. For privacy, she installed a frosted film on the glass, inspired by a personal favourite pattern from her 11 top-selling Candice Olson collections for York Wallcoverings. She loves the pattern so much that it’s featured in her latest textile collection with Kravet Fabrics.

Everything was chosen to create a serene retreat. Still taking cues from the onyx in the kitchen downstairs, “it’s more about the rich caramel colour upstairs,” Candice says.

There’s a hint of it in the Calacatta marble counters and the warm mushroom-coloured marble floor tile, her hubby’s fave. •

“My husband and I really designed the house together to suit our personal lifestyle and how we saw it evolving with our children.”

Photo: Brandon Barré

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Candice’s eclectic style means that a sleek, contemporary floating walnut vanity and makeup counter meet a furry Tibetan yak-hair stool in the master bathroom. Further evidence of her approach to decorating is found on her website at www.candiceolson.com.

Medium-toned walnut cabinetry contains a multitude of drawers to tame the usual bathroom clutter and to keep clean contemporary lines reading as such. It also floats above the floors to instil a sense of lightness and space, further enhanced by under-lighting for a special effect.

The vanity area epitomizes her style in more ways than one, Candice says. It practises what she preaches: that contemporary yet comfortable design is about a mix of periods and styles, playing pared-down, modern elements against embellished traditional ones.

Here it’s an ornate vintage Venetian mirror paired with contemporary cabinetry and a Tibetan yak-hair stool. That stool features another signature style element: fur. The Calgary-raised designer points out that an affinity for furry things may be in her genes, since her grandfather was a trapper by trade.

“And I think that stool softens the look and makes the whole room,” she says. “Plus it’s just so quirky and funny. When you put it all together, it’s just me.” •

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RADIATING WARMTH IN QUEBEC

The Truchon team makes a name here for Valor Fireplaces

BY TRACEY ARIAL

“A Valor is a fireplace that’s warm and beautiful. Just stand in front of one of them. You can feel the difference.”

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DESIGN MONTREAL SPRING 2016

CHARLES TRUCHON CAN’T HELP BUT SHARE his enthusiasm for the natural gas and propane fireplaces he sells. “Someone who buys a Valor at any point in their life won’t want any other brand,” he says. “A Valor is a fireplace that’s warm and beautiful. Just stand in front of one of them. You can feel the difference. Our best advertising is by word of mouth.”

Despite those words, there’s no doubt that the Truchon family has helped make the brand known in Quebec.

Valor was originally developed in Birmingham, England, but the Miles family brought it

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to Canada in 1984. Gary Miles created a manufacturing plant in British Columbia and began selling natural gas and propane fireplaces in Western Canada. His sons, Paul and Martin, now run the company in North Vancouver.

The Quebec market was developed in the late 1990s by Pierre Truchon, Charles’s father.

Charles joined his father six years ago. He particularly likes Valor’s continual improvements that ensure they are years ahead of safety regulations. Barrier screens were added to all 14 models in January, 2013, and safety pilots were added in 2010.

Charles and his father are so enthusiastic about the product they sell, they persuaded Charles’s brother Vincent to join them last year. Together, all three Truchons work on marketing Valor natural gas and propane fireplaces throughout Quebec. Each of the three has a skill that gives clients confidence.

Pierre specializes in sales. He spends all his time meeting with clients and ensuring he knows what they need. Charles figures out how things work. He specializes in training installers so that they love Valor fireplaces as much as he does. Vincent is the new guy, who will do almost anything to “solve a situation.”

“Last year, one of our clients in Quebec City called us on a Tuesday after realizing that he hadn’t ordered a fireplace for an exposition that would begin the following day,” says Charles. “Vincent sourced the required fireplace in a Montreal area retailer and drove it to Quebec City to have it installed by 3 p.m. the very same day. That’s the kind of service we provide.” •

Valor Fireplaces www.valorfireplaces.com 514-294-1474 (see Buyer’s Guide for Valor dealers)

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DESIGN

SHOW TIME Avenue Design is a large showroom filled with the best in furniture and accessories

BY SUSAN SEMENAK

Avenue Design 3425 Cote Vertu Blvd., Ville St. Laurent 514-340-9351 www.avenuedesigncanada.com

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“Our shoppers are not limited to what’s available in Montreal. They have access to products from around the world.”

AVENUE DESIGN IS A FURNITURE SHOWROOM. The 9,000-square-foot space on Côte Vertu Blvd. in Ville St. Laurent is a gallery of beautiful things, a resource centre for interior designers, and a place to see and touch high-end furniture and accessories from around the world. Just don’t call it a furniture store.

Dino Bonomo, owner of Avenue Design, describes his showroom as “more of an experience.” “We don’t have furniture sales people here, we have interior designers,” Bonomo says.

Now one of the largest interior design resource centres in Quebec, Avenue Design was founded as a drapery and upholstery fabric boutique. It has evolved into a multi-platform design service for the public and the trade, featuring a wide and eclectic mix of furnishings and accessories that span the design spectrum

from classic and transitional to contemporary. Though online shopping in North America is In its massive New York-style showroom, on the rise, Bonomo says people still want to see, furniture and decor items are presented in touch and sit on the furniture they are about to carefully curated vignettes. Visitors move invest in. They want to know what the finish feels from one setting to the next, absorbing ideas like, how vibrant the colour is, how a piece looks and inspiration along the way. But the show- with different detailing. And most people want room features just 10 per cent of the products help as they develop their own personal style. that Avenue Design’s team has hand-chosen The designers guide clients through the process, in its travels to international design shows and using inspirational images and mood boards to visits to manufacturers. The rest are available help them identify the look they are after. To eliminate mistakes, they create room layouts on the company’s website.

“Our shoppers are not limited to what’s that maximize space and optimize traffic flow. available in Montreal. They have access to They’ll even go to a client’s house to photoproducts from around the world,” Bonomo says. graph a room to get a better sense of the space.

The showroom features a series of large “We try to stimulate people’s imagination, to screens where shoppers, with the help of a team show them the many ways that furniture pieces of six in-house designers and three customer can be put together to create a look,” Bonomo service staff, can peruse fabrics and styles. says. “We make it a fun and creative process.” •

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Our three magazines have combined online to deliver the best in Canadian design from Montreal, Vancouver & Toronto.

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DESIGN

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“Canadians are starting to appreciate our unique designs in the marketplace.”

VANITY FLAIR Canadians fall in love with bathroom vanities that are high-end furnishings A VAUGHAN-BASED WHOLESALER is betting that Canadian tastes in bathroom vanities will face a big shake-up in the next few years. Dezign Market distributes luxurious bathroom vanities by GODI. “In Canada, people have been used to something practical and simple,” says co-founder Katerina Zherinova. “In Europe and elsewhere around the world, people have furniture in their bathrooms.”

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The GODI products look more like end tables or dressers than bathroom vanities. The wood exteriors are Italian-designed and hand-crafted of sustainably sourced walnut, ash and oak that is certified by the Forestry Stewardship Council.

They are topped with such natural stone as Carrara marble and black crystal granite.

Inspired by the work of Spanish modernist architect Antoni Gaudí, the vanities come in a multitude of shapes; some are sculptural, some curvy. A few are square, like traditional bathroom vanities, but their doors are inlaid with extravagant decorations.

DESIGN MONTREAL SPRING 2016

Zherinova expects design trends for bathrooms in Canada to follow what’s already happened in Europe and Asia. “In Canada, it’s all about built-ins; in Europe, it’s about furniture pieces,” she says. “There are so many people with different backgrounds in Canada. All the Eastern Europeans, Russians and Italians want to recreate designs from back home.”

Dezign Market has exclusive rights in Canada to distribute GODI products. The company has a showroom with a full bath, partial displays and 18 vanities. It functions as a space for

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retailers, designers and the general public to see the full array of the collection and is open by appointment only.

All GODI vanities undergo a finishing process that includes four layers of undercoat paint and three layers of top-coat paint using materials low in vocs (volatile organic compounds) to ensure a durable, environmentally safe and water-resistant surface.

Dezign Market has created partnerships with retailers that carry GODI products, including two of the top plumbing retailers

in Montreal – Ciot and Matériaux de Plomberie PMF. Others are starting to call and ask for information. “Canadians are starting to appreciate our unique designs in the marketplace,” says Zherinova. “We have customers purchasing more than one complete set for their homes. When I hear how happy they are with our product, it makes me very happy.” •

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DESIGN

ONLY THE BEST Company spends time perfecting products before selling them

BY TRACEY ARIAL

“All our products have to pass very high test results to be ready for market.”

IT TOOK YEARS TO CONCEIVE, test, and manufacture its most recent product – an aluminum window – before Groupe Atlanta deemed it ready to sell.

“All our products have to pass very high test results to be ready for market,” says company project manager Domenic Spezio.

“We don’t only do residential; we also do condo developments. The products we use in residential have the same standards we use in a 15-storey building.”

Handling wind loads and resisting water infiltration are among the key tests done on the products at the Air-Ins test facility in Varennes. But all of Groupe Atlanta’s products

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are Energy Star-compliant to ensure they meet energy-efficiency standards. Among the company’s offerings are PVC and hybrid casement windows, aluminum sliders, various custom-made combination windows, garage doors, patio doors, aluminum balcony railings, and awnings.

The entire product selection is on display in the company’s east-end Montreal showroom. The building also houses a 40,000 square-foot production facility. Twenty-five employees operate the plant, which contains state-of-the-art machinery. Another 25 people work in administration, sales and installation.

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“We don’t only do residential; we also do condo developments. The products we use in residential have the same standards we use in a 15-storey building.”

Groupe Atlanta 8330 Pascal Gagnon St., St Leonard 514-326-7888 www.groupeatlanta.ca

Everyone reports to current president Joseph Spezio, who is Domenic’s father. Seventeen years ago, he joined the company, which had been founded in 1978.

Groupe Atlanta handles more than 6,000 installations across the island of Montreal, in Laval and on the South Shore every year.

“We focus a lot on client satisfaction. We have a service vehicle on the road five days a week to serve our clients best,” Domenic says.

He adds that ensuring on-going service doesn’t just protect relationships, but also provides crucial information the company needs to continue developing quality products for the future. •

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DESIGN

Watching the river flow A homeowner finds serenity and beauty in her shoreline home

BY SUSAN SEMENAK · PHOTOGRAPHY: ALBERTO BISCARO · STYLING: ANIK PÉLOQUIN

THE LITTLE HOUSE BY THE RIVER is a haven. “What I love best about this place is the mood that envelops me when I am home,” says the home’s owner on an early-spring morning.

From her back windows she can see the waves of Rivière des Prairies lapping against the shore, the wild grasses in the garden swaying in the wind. “It has been a gift, at a time when I needed serenity and calm,” she says.

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it is small. But for her, it’s just right. After experiencing the vagaries of life, the homeowner says the house has been a balm for her soul ever since she moved in two years ago.

Anik Péloquin, the architect who designed the house, says her client knew exactly what she wanted: a home that was affordable and intimate, bright and modern but not spare and white. She had long been looking for a waterfront property. When this narrow parcel (it’s only 48 feet wide) with a former summer cottage came up for sale, the homeowner bought it and had the old structure torn down to make room for her dream house. •

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Photo: Movato Home

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DESIGN

The house, designed by Anik Péloquin and built by contractor

On a waterfront property such as this, it’s all about the view. The back of

Fernand Martel, is clad in brick and heat-treated wood, which

the house features numerous floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding doors,

is long-lasting and virtually maintenance-free.

which admit plenty of light and offer views of Rivière des Prairies.

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“What I love best about this place is the mood that envelops me when I am home.”

“The dimensions of the lot immediately ruled out a grosse affaire,” says Péloquin. “But anyway, my client is not showy. She’s a discreet kind of person.”

The architect set about designing a small and understated contemporary house, albeit one with personality. To prevent having a large expanse of wall on the facade, Péloquin recessed the entrance and interplayed brick, wood and sandblasted glass. She punctuated the rear of the L-shaped house with floor-toceiling windows and sliding doors to capture the water view from every possible vantage point, including a second-floor covered balcony where the owner has her morning coffee. On the ground level, she added a concrete patio that descends gradually to the backyard.

Inside, she ignored the popular trend toward an open plan and gave each area its own defined space. The kitchen, for example,

is separated from the living room by floor-toceiling sliding doors that can be left open or closed. “I know it’s the current style, but big open spaces are not for everyone,” says Péloquin. “It’s nice to have separate spaces where one person can watch television and another can read quietly or listen to the radio. Where you can hide away the dirty dishes while you linger with guests after dinner.”

Péloquin had already worked with her client on her previous home, so the two quickly understood each other. The homeowner wanted a house that would be snug but never cramped. And it needed three bedrooms.

Inside and out, it had to be easy to clean and maintain. The homeowner uses her free time to cycle, travel, enjoy life – not to keep house. “I am at the stage where I am looking to make things as simple as can be. For example, I want a garden that doesn’t need •

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The architect says she took inspiration from mid-century French and Danish interior design, which produced modern but thoroughly domestic and comfortable rooms. In the kitchen, a wall of cabinets is punctuated by an alcove that houses the phone and computer; for a jolt of colour, it is clad in red laminate.

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DESIGN MONTREAL SPRING 2016

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The kitchen is separated from the living room by two sliding wood panels that allow the cook to “hide her mess” if she chooses. The cabinets by Ébénisterie Claude Tourigny are clad in pale greenish-grey high-gloss Formica laminate.

Photo: Movato Home

The counters are granite.

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DESIGN

“I am at the stage where I am looking to make things as simple as can be.”

much weeding or watering,” she says. “And I am reducing the amount of stuff I own so that I am less constrained by it all. I want instead to be free to be active or contemplative or adventurous.”

But simple doesn’t mean boring. The homeowner insisted that the house be swathed in colour, not jolting tones but cool, relaxing blues and greens, with a punch of red or orange here and there. “I adore colour,” she says. “It’s energizing and inspiring.”

Péloquin says she tempered the homeowner’s colourful exuberance with plenty of white and pale greenish-grey. In the

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bathroom, for example, one whole wall is tiled in kaleidoscope-coloured glass mosaic tiles that the two of them found in the liquidation room of a St. Leonard ceramics store and paired with a wall-to-wall vanity in orange laminate. As a counterbalance, the rest of the bathroom is white. “People often say they are afraid of colour. They worry that they will tire of it,” Péloquin says. “But if you really love a colour and it is well calibrated within a room, you won’t weary of it.”

Just as the owner never wearies of nature’s beauty flowing peacefully behind her home. •

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28e Édition

5 . 6 . 7 mai | May 2016 Place Bonaventure sidim.com

PARTICIPEZ AU HAPPENING DESIGN DE L’ANNÉE BE PART OF THE DESIGN HAPPENING OF THE YEAR

© Rémi Coignard-Friedman

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Porte-parole de la 28e édition du SIDIM / Spokesperson of the 28th edition of the SIDIM

fresh . design . comfortable CONFORT . FRAICHEUR . DESIGN

MONTREAL, QC | GRIFFINTOWN | MGBWMONTREAL.COM

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DESIGN

PACIFIC-STYLE

SERENITY

Opus Hotel’s newly renovated lounge invites relaxation and conversation

BY JULIE GEDEON

VANCOUVER IS WELCOMING guests to its OPUS Bar, a newly renovated lounge that encourages daytime relaxation and evening fun in a decor inspired by the Pacific Ocean.

“We’ve created a space where people can leisurely enjoy freshly baked pastries with a special coffee or healthy juiced beverage during the day, and return later for a sophisticated but laidback vibe,” says Nicholas Gandossi, the hotel’s general manager. “Our dJ plays hip-hop

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and other ’90s music Thursday to Saturday but maintains a volume that still permits everyone to comfortably engage in conversation.”

The stylish Yaletown boutique hotel again teamed up with designer Robert Bailey, who’s been involved with the decor since the property’s inception, as well as Craig Stanghetta, who spearheads the creativity at Ste. Marie Art + Design.

Zebra marble creates the splash of elegance on the L-shaped bar that defines the new space

and punctuates the more subtle marble in the lobby and elsewhere. Local artisan Brian Hembrey created the wavy effects on the wall behind the bar in Benjamin Moore’s Kensington Blue.

He’s also the talent behind the polished-plaster framing around the EcoSmart fireplace.

The signature O is fashioned of brass and glass shelving. And the Knoll Bertoia stools are just beachy, inviting travellers and locals to sit and sip the Opus 97, a twist on the cocktail originally

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“RBI Design Office custom-made the serpentine sofa in a pewter-grey leather for us.” named for the hotel’s room count and featuring vodka, kiwi syrup, mint and ginger liqueur.

Supporting pillars remain encased in the original mosaic tile painstakingly applied for the hotel’s opening in 2002. “We couldn’t imagine destroying that craftsmanship,” Gandossi says. The beige and brown tiles contrast nicely with the zebra marble and suggest pebbles and sand in a linear motif.

Existing recessed white tube lights were

replaced with sunshiny yellow ones that reverberate in the gold accent pillows and brass chandelier on the way to the upscale Italian La Pentola restaurant.

The star-studded granite catwalk is as lustrous as the day the hotel opened because the buffed wax finish is removed and replaced on a regular basis to keep it sparkling next to the marble flooring and new indigo-blue wool carpeting by Colin Campbell.

OPUS Vancouver 322 Davie St., Vancouver 866-642-6787 www.vancouver.opushotel.com

“RBI Design Office custom-made the serpentine sofa in a pewter-grey leather for us,” Gandossi says. The blue velvet chairs are likewise upholstered in a fabric exclusive to Opus. They anchor the tables with a concrete base and white quartz surface.

“We accommodate many filmmaking guests, and they want comfort, service, and really fast Wi-Fi in a chic, welcoming environment.” •

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DESIGN

SURFACING IN THE WEST ISLAND Company that specializes in kitchen and bathroom surfaces finds a new home in Dorval

BY TRACEY ARIAL

IT’S AN EYE-CATCHER. The most noticeable element in the Dorval showroom of Comptoir St-Denis is a striking 98-by-43-inch slab of backlit onyx that resembles a photograph of a moonscape. “Yes, of course it’s for sale,” says showroom manager Chantal Parizeau.

“Everything here is for sale.”

Until this new 2,000-square-foot showroom opened on the service road next to highway 20, loyal customers were willing to cross the

“We’re getting busier now that people know we’re here. We expect our business to keep growing as word of mouth spreads.”

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Île aux Tourtes Bridge to choose their granite “We’re getting busier now that people know countertops, wooden sinks and other kitchen we’re here,” says Parizeau. “We expect our surface products from Comptoir St-Denis’ business to keep growing as word of mouth headquarters in Vaudreuil. The company has spreads.” Sometimes, the store hosts local been building a reputation for quality products chefs and events. at a fair price since 1986. It operates two facili- Almost every type of material a customer ties in the off-island town, with the Henry Ford might want for a kitchen or bathroom surface St. location doubling as a showroom. Company appears somewhere in the new space. officials expect the Dorval location to become The main reception desk is made of bright the main service outlet once it is well known. white onyx. Next to it sits a fully functional

DESIGN MONTREAL SPRING 2016

kitchen, its surfaces made of Corian, granite, marble and quartz. Several sinks are also on display, including a luxurious carved limestone double sink. Even the bathroom features unusual Corian and granite options. The stone diaper-changing station doubles as a makeup stand. The sink includes a built-in hand dryer.

The walls next to the reception area showcase granite, quartz and Corian samples. One section is devoted to Caesarstone, a flexible,

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stain-proof, low-maintenance countertop material certified for commercial food preparation. Also on display is eco by Cosentino, a product composed of such recycled materials as mirror, glass, porcelain, earthenware and vitrified ash.

On the other side of the reception desk sits a giant wooden daisy that shows off the beauty of maple, cherry, dark and light walnut, oak and tiger wood surfaces.

Next to that, there will soon be a selection of granite slabs, the latest decorative addition to the showroom. It’s all about getting comfortable – and visible – in a new location. •

COMPTOIR ST-DENIS 1250 Heron Rd., Dorval 514-538-7117 www.comptoirst-denis.com

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RIGHT BUYERS, RIGHT SELLERS, RIGHT PRICE Real estate broker strives to ensure the best service for all her clients

BY JULIE GEDEON

SYLVIE MÉNARD IS A REAL ESTATE BROKER on a mission. “My goal is always twofold: to find the right buyer at the right price for each seller, and then to find another ideal home for that seller,” she says.

A residential broker with Profusion Realty Inc., Ménard says she knows her business after living in Montreal and on the South Shore, and renovating several of her own homes.

“When I take my clients through a property, I can give them a real idea of its potential,” she says.

“I also explain the essential upgrades.”

Ménard says she does everything she can to showcase a home at its best. “My sUv is packed with items I often use for staging a home,” she says. “There have been times when a client has had second thoughts about selling after seeing how I’ve reorganized a space and freshened up its decor.”

Ménard hires professional photographers to capture a home in its best light. She also invests in well-targeted advertising and holds several open houses. “I do what it takes to achieve my client’s goal as quickly as possible,” she says.

Real estate runs in her family. Her father, Paul, became a successful promoter by developing his great-grandfather’s land on Lac Taureau

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in Saint-Michel-des-Saints. “Family and friends thought he was crazy to develop in the Lanaudière region in the late 1970s, so far away from Montreal,” she recalls.

She and her sister, Nancy, were 10 and eight years old respectively when they first accompanied their father on weekends after he obtained the Quebec government’s permission to proceed with the project. “We helped to measure out lots, determine the best views for each property, and remove some trees to create beautiful vistas,” she says. “Working with my father taught me perseverance – one of my core values.”

Her other core values, she adds, are respect, confidence, quality and joy.

“I’m passionate about what I do. I love collaborating with people to achieve mutual goals.”

Ménard recommends architects, designers, trades and craftspeople who have demonstrated their knowledge, skills and professionalism. And she knows what she’s talking about. After graduating from HEC Montréal, she travelled abroad and settled in France, where she worked in marketing. “I often travelled throughout Europe where I truly began to appreciate the beauty of good architecture and design,” she says. “I return at least once a year to stay on top of European trends.”

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Her father taught her about property management when he owned several apartment blocks on the South Shore of Montreal. “On weekends, the whole family was involved in administering the sale of land in the Lanaudière, and during the week, we cleaned and renovated the apartment units so that I learned every aspect of revitalizing a property,” she says.

Ménard often accompanied her father when they met with potential buyers and learned

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how to present and sell land. “I learned how to achieve solutions by watching and listening to negotiations with various people,” she says.

She has renovated six of her own homes since returning from France a dozen years ago. “I’m now in the process of finishing my condo, which I might enjoy for another two years before I sell it and buy something else,” she says. “There’s nothing I can’t figure out how to do by myself, so when I show possible

buyers a condo or house, I know the possibilities and can relate to all of them.”

She does her homework to help sellers understand their property’s value in the market, and to make buyers aware of their options. “I prefer to carry fewer listings so I can be generous with my time,” she says. “I do extensive market comparisons on a spreadsheet to ensure selling prices match a property’s true value, and that buyers understand their long-term investment.” •

“Working with my father taught me perseverance – one of my core values.”

Sylvie Ménard, real estate broker 514-827-6200 www.profusionimmo.ca

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DESIGN

A BOLD APPROACH Kitchen company is distinguished by forward-looking design and quality

BY SUSAN KELLY

The name pretty much says it all. It’s a composite word meant to evoke images of bold and elegant style, forward-looking yet rooted in history. Audacia Design on Devonshire Rd. designs and sells exquisitely elegant kitchens, bathrooms and custom cabinetry, along with a large selection of distinctive accessories.

For decades, owner and president Jean Drouin specialized in custom construction, including providing kitchens for luxury condo projects. He soon built a name for himself creating quality kitchens. “Because I had been building custom homes, many people asked me to renovate their kitchens. So it just made sense to open my own boutique,” Drouin says. Five years ago he did so, opening the showroom in the design district where parking is plentiful.

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Audacia Design is the exclusive Quebec distributor of Downsview Kitchens. Based in Ontario, the company has crafted top-of-the-line cabinetry and hardware for nearly half a century. What attracted Drouin to the company was its renowned craftsmanship and the way it set design trends rather than following them.

“And the mechanics, like soft closes, materials and construction are the best I’ve seen in the industry,” he says. Downsview kitchen and bathroom cabinets don’t just look superb, they’re built for longevity. They are environmentally sound, too, guaranteed formaldehyde-free and certified epp (Environmentally Preferred Product). Audacia also offers a cabinetry line made in Quebec.

Audacia Design 8162 Devonshire Rd., Town of Mount Royal www.audaciadesign.com 514-344-8000

Customers can see and feel the quality for themselves at the showroom and test-drive such things as a tambour unit for storing small appliances or a revolutionary lifting mechanism for opening a wall cabinet. There are several full kitchens of various styles on display, each intended to pique the imagination – spanning the design gamut from traditional to transitional and contemporary.

Audacia has on staff a team of designers ready to help customers get the right look.

They can assist with everything from room layout and placement of cabinetry and appliances, to colour schemes, hardware and other finishing touches, whether the project involves just the kitchen, bathroom, closet or entire house.

Audacia’s designs can be found throughout the city. A fair number of customers reside in upscale neighbourhoods such as Westmount, Town of Mount Royal and Outremont. Drouin’s customer list includes high-profile names he’s too discreet to drop. One belongs to a famous Quebecoise singer, who hired him to design and construct a new home. Audacia also does a brisk trade in replacing the kitchens and bathrooms of older homes. Many Hampstead homeowners, for instance, find Downsview cabinetry ideal when converting their Tudor-style mansions into open-concept modern spaces.

Drouin is the third generation of his family in the building business, following in the footsteps of his father and two grandfathers. Today, he oversees multiple crews of installers the company employs. All are chosen to meet stringent installation standards, and are fully licensed and bonded. They take time to do it right and go the extra mile, if necessary. Last year, for instance, one of the crews installed a granite countertop on December 24 so the homeowners could celebrate the holidays in style.

Drouin believes it’s the personal touch in addition to style and quality that sets Audacia apart. He’s had customers drop by years after a project is finished to tell him how much they still love their kitchens. “We treat people’s homes like our own and pride ourselves on creating stylish additions to the home that can last a generation or more,” he says. •

“And the mechanics, like soft closes … are the best I’ve seen in the industry.”

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Home automation systems can run a home’s HVAC technology

WARMING UP TO GETTING SMART

LIFESTYLE

IMAGINE DRIVING FROM WORK on a hot August day and having the air conditioning in your home increase so that it reaches the perfect temperature just as you pull into the driveway. It’s not a dream; it’s a reality with home automation technology.

Home automation technology allows occupants to control individual items or systems, such as air conditioning, within their homes using a Wi-Fi-enabled device such as a smartphone, tablet or computer. Changes can be programmed by someone in the house or at a remove (at work, for example), and can be scheduled for implementation immediately or at some later time – for instance, a country home’s heating system can be instructed to increase the internal temperature every Friday afternoon during ski season, so it’s toasty inside when everyone arrives for the weekend.

Klimfax is one local company providing home automation technology for hvac (heating, ventilation, air conditioning). Its home automation systems serve several purposes.

By making the hvac process more efficient and customized to specific needs (for example, keeping bathroom heat down overnight, then causing the underfloor hydronic heating system to warm it up just in time for the morning), an automation system reduces emissions and saves energy, which in turn translates into financial savings.

Michael Bastrash, sales director and vice president at Klimfax, says that home automation technology can be installed for most types of hvac systems: conventional heating and air conditioning as well as geothermal systems.

It can control hydronic radiant-heated floors and even heaters for indoor swimming pools.

“We install smart home systems in new construction but, since they’re based on wireless technology, we can also retrofit existing homes,” Bastrash says. He explains that the retrofit process begins with a home visit by a Klimfax technician who determines what type

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of hvac system is present. After a thorough assessment of equipment and household needs, the company recommends specific types and locations of thermostats.

“We also offer complete after-sale service,” Bastrash says. “If there’s a problem with a system we monitor, we receive an alert and can contact the homeowner if necessary.” He says that if there’s a power failure, battery backups enable systems to be controlled manually.

The Quebec government currently offers incentives for households to switch to efficient hvac systems. The government’s Rénoclimat

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program offers $5,365 in grants to homeowners who replace an oil or propane heating system with a geothermal one. A grant of $2,115 is available to homeowners who replace an electric system with geothermal heating.

The Chauffez Vert initiative provides $1,275 to households that replace oil furnaces with electric heat. If a propane-gas system is replaced, the maximum amount is $850.

The Chauffez Vert initiative also provides a $250 grant to replace a domestic oil-fueled water heater with an electric one, and $200 to replace a propane water heater with an electric version.

The Quebec government’s RénoVert program offers homeowners a 20 per cent tax credit on expenses that exceed $2,500 incurred in boosting a home’s energy efficiency. Geothermal and outdoor heat pump installations are applicable for this program.

When replacing an old system, it makes sense to maximize efficiency and savings by controlling the new hvac with smart home technology. The technology also increases comfort as it customizes heating and cooling to a household’s specific needs. You’ve got a smart phone; why not get a smart home? •

• Spring Issue 2016 •

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DESIGN

Colin and Justin transform a dated cottage

BY COLIN MCALLISTER AND JUSTIN RYAN // INTERIOR PHOTOGRAPHY: BRANDON BARRÉ

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IF YOU WATCHED the first season of Cabin Pressure, you’ll have seen our trials and tribulations as we transformed a cottage in Muskoka. For season two, we bought a ramshackle fixer-upper in Haliburton, some 200 kilometres northeast of Toronto. A big job?

Oh, yes. And then some…

First things first: the exterior. We reshingled the roof before recladding the entire facade in grey Cape Cod wood siding. Then we wrapped a western red cedar deck around the cottage and installed glass-and-metal perimeter railings. Furnished with a wicker patio set, the deck is where we spend most of our time when it’s sunny. The propane-powered firebowl is a valuable asset when temperatures dip and the sky showcases twinkling stars.

Erecting a screened porch was our next major job. A granite floor sets the scene for a comfy wicker-framed sofa and woven occasional chairs.

A former basement laundry room seemed the ideal location for a guest bedroom. After tearing off the pine cladding in the room, we replaced the window with a huge fixed panel and a door that affords access to the deck. A cute wee table and chairs, positioned in front of the window, trick the mind into perceiving extra space because of the additional function.

Next up was a spot of upcycling, which we tackled using discarded boards from our old dock. Sanded back to life and installed wallto-wall, they make a commanding statement in the new guest space.

An Ikea captain’s bed with drawers offers storage. Flanked by space-saving bracketed nightstand crates and accessorized with Homesense throws and pillows, this tangerine and brown vignette is redolent of traditional cottages.

The guest bedroom complete, it was time for Cabin Pressure’s Game of Thrones. The bathroom, as we found it, was a visual washout, and it was carpeted. Yuck. •

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(This and preceding pages) The open-plan living-dining-kitchen area is flooded with light thanks to new windows and doors that are crisply outlined in black. The black is repeated in the railings around the new western red cedar deck that sees heavy use on sunny days. See buyer’s guide for sources.

“Next up was a spot of upcycling, which we tackled using discarded boards from our old dock.”

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“A wooden bed gives the guest room an organic ambience, while gnarled wooden stools and Anglepoise lamps make the space practical.”

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Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan

But we can fi x anything. To streamline, we specified flush-mounted recessed lighting and, space being compromised, under-floor heating. Graphite-coloured marble creates an indulgent ambience while ebony-toned faucets and storage niches are cute finishing details.

To serve as a vanity below the new window, we cut live-edge hemlock into a tapered wedge and topped it with a stone sink. Further visual softening comes from the woodtopped stool and the naturally shed deer antler found in the forest nearby.

Next up: another guest bedroom. To increase connection to the outdoors, we installed an outsized window. A dramatic move, perhaps, but just look at that transformation! For a modern aesthetic, we opted for white drywall topped and tailed with timber. The brushed oak flooring is hard-wearing and attractive; its oiled eight-inch boards add a heritage look.

A wooden bed gives the guest room an organic ambience, while gnarled wooden stools (topped with glass to extend their surface) and Anglepoise lamps make the space practical.

The original master bedroom upstairs had a boxy feel with its pine cladding and peeling wallpaper. We removed the lowered ceiling before opening it to the roofline and recladding it with walnut-stained pine. The extra width and height infused the space with character. •

The kitchen (above and opposite) was originally walled off from the living-dining area. The breakfast bar is topped with practical Caesarstone, and the oven is concealed within. Colin and Justin used liveedge wood slabs in several places, including the dining table and the main bathroom vanity shelf, and as the vanity in a secondary bathroom (left), where the slab sits atop an old treadle sewing machine base. Most rooms in the cottage have brushed oak flooring for a heritage look.

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In keeping with the loft-apartment vibe, we added a statuesque brushed steel bed and timber-topped nightstands for a modern but friendly look, thanks to faux fur, woolen throws and plump, yielding cushions. Splashes of red add drama.

Further detail comes from the salvaged barn doors, behind which lies the ceramic-tiled ensuite bathroom. We opted for a long steelframed Unik Stone vanity which, topped with a custom black faucet, reflects the modern cottage look we wanted. If you follow our work, you’ll know we love trawling antiques barns and thrift stores for items to upcycle.

Examples of this are the ten-dollar shoe molds, which we sanded, spray-painted black and hung on a wall as towel hangers.

Next up was the kitchen renovation. First job? Removing the walls and opening the space to the main, double-height living room zone. A tall rear elevation of white Ikea cabinets conceals refrigeration and a sink, while a run of units topped with Caesarstone forms a breakfast bar that contains a built-in oven.

Our final destination was the living/dining room. Swapping out rickety windows and doors for larger, black-framed alternatives transformed our cottage inside and out. Furniture is placed in two areas – sitting and dining – with a sofa conferring the cozy, lived-in look you get with soft brown leather. The live-edge dining table delivers a wow factor and is accompanied

by Wegner-style wishbone chairs. To warm the space, we added a compact wood stove, which is flanked by a pair of Mid-century Modern-style chairs. It’s a focal point and an ideal spot when temperatures plunge.

We can honestly report that rebuilding our cabin was a joy. Working with Randy Blain, our contractor, and our team, was a blast. We’re grateful to all of them.

If you’re in the area, come on by. Just make sure you bring a bottle. •

(Above, this page and opposite) A bunk room provides space for guests. The main bathroom boasts a live-edge wood vanity shelf and stone sink. (Bottom, this page and opposite) The master bedroom and ensuite bathroom are mostly neutral with splashes of red.

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DESIGN

THE MEMORY OF PLACE

BY PHILLIPA RISPIN

Montreal artist interprets the landscape of the Eastern Townships

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THERE’S A CERTAIN romantic view of the artist as someone

driven by the muse, sketching madly and slapping paint on canvas in a frenzy to get that image down.

Some artists might work that way, but for most it’s a considered tug between inspiration and technique, between the desire to formulate and register a concept and the need to do it satisfactorily.

And then the artist must step back and look, really look, at the work. The 19th-century artist John Singer Sargent phrased it thus: “An artist painting a picture should have at his side a man with a club to hit him over the head when the picture is finished.”

It’s a dictum that artist Sara Peck Colby has taken to heart; in fact, she has Sargent’s words on a wall of her studio. They encapsulate an important lesson she learned while studying with Charles Stegeman at the Banff School of Fine Arts (now known as the Banff Centre).

“Everything he said seemed to resonate with me: technically putting the paint on the canvas and attitude,” Colby recounts. “He encouraged his students to watch as they were painting.

Watch the painting, and not assume that you’re just going from a to z – not ‘I want this field to be green.’ Watch as you’re putting on the colour and what’s happening as it’s going on. There may be wonderful things that you’ll miss if you’re just on your way to getting that field to be green.”

It’s important to Colby to control what’s on the canvas so that the message is clear, because art is “such a personal thing,” she says. “Art is a very personal communication between the artist and the viewer… It’s the best part of human-to-human [communication]; I hope to touch people with what I felt when I either saw the view or was painting the view or the time of day or the lighting or the smell, or the sound. I find it very satisfying to have that communication. •

Sara Peck Colby is represented by Gemst (www.gemst.com).

Her work will be the focus of a solo show between June 5 and July 24 at the Uplands Cultural Centre, 9 Speid St., Sherbrooke.

819-564-0409 www.uplands.ca

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DESIGN

“When I’m successful, people come up to me and say ‘That’s exactly what I saw last weekend when I was skiing in the woods’ or ‘You caught it. That’s a Sara landscape. That’s how we think of it.’ It makes me shiver to think that I can touch people with a feeling so basic.”

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Landscapes are indeed one of Colby’s most common subjects. She paints mostly Quebec scenes, and she concentrates on what she calls simple beauty, simple things that everyone has access to, such as the colour of sky in March or a prickly bush on the side of the road.

The Eastern Townships countryside has figured prominently in her art for the past two decades.

She and her husband and their two now-grown children have often gone there, and she says that being exposed to the seasons in the countryside has been an eye-opener throughout her life.

DESIGN MONTREAL SPRING 2016

“Because I don’t live out there – people say ‘how can you paint that when you don’t live there’ – I think in a way it gives me more appreciation and it’s more special to me. I bring the ideas back to my Montreal studio and can go back there, to the fields and the ski trails or whatever

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and interpret them from memory. That maybe gives me a different perspective. I put more of myself in because the thing isn’t right there saying ‘No, that road goes that way and that mountain is exactly that shape.’ ” Colby started her art education at the Montreal Museum

School of Fine Art and was fortunate enough to take classes with Arthur Lismer. She recounts how he would enter the studio at the beginning of the week and announce, “It’s Monday. We’re going to do the wash. We’re going to learn how to do washes in watercolours.” •

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“An artist painting a picture should have at his side a man with a club to hit him over the head when the picture is finished.”

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Colby now paints almost exclusively in acrylics.

It was originally a matter of expediency, she says.

“I had young children at that point. I also didn’t have much time. Acrylics dry fast and are nontoxic. I got an effect that I was quite satisfied with.”

The short drying time of acrylics is ideal for artists who paint fairly intensively. “I work on more than one painting at a time,” she says. “I find it’s good to put a painting aside and let it

sit there. I look at it sideways and sometimes it resolves itself or I find the answer when I’m not working on it.”

She describes pausing in the process of producing a painting “a good thing,” especially when beginning a new piece. She finds that “I usually know in the first hour or two whether I’m going anywhere.” The key? “Sargent hits me with a club.” •

Sara Peck Colby is represented by Gemst (www.gemst.com). Her work will be the focus of a solo show between June 5 and July 24 at the Uplands Cultural Centre, 9 Speid St., Sherbrooke.

819-564-0409 www.uplands.ca

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Construction Fernand Martel 514-583-8777 Ébénisterie Claude Tourigny 819-294-9840 HAPPY HOME IN HALIBURTON Colin and Justin www.colinandjustin.tv Rebarn.ca www.rebarn.ca 647-968-4004 Artemano www.artemano.ca Euro Vinyl Windows and Doors www.evw.ca 905-851-9711 Real Cedar www.realcedar.com Rubinet www.rubinet.com

DIVINE DESIGN AT HOME Candice Olson www.candiceolson.com Dundene Homes www.dundenehomes.ca 416-863-6116 Kohler www.ca.kohler.com 800-456-4537 McGuire www.mcguirefurniture.com 800-662-4847 Restoration Hardware www.restorationhardware.com 800-762-1005 A WINDOW ON THE WATERFRONT Architectes Gagnier Villeneuve www.gagniervilleneuve.com 514-694-4532 Groupe Paramount www.groupeparamount.ca 514-683-6644

AD LIST MONTREAL SPRING 2016

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