Project Name: Maison Coursol
Project Type: Townhouse Renovation
Location: Southwest Montreal
Area: 980 sq ft per floor
Renovation Completion: 2022
Photographer: Studio CRBN
General Contractor: Giacomelli General Contracting
GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN
Discipline: Interior Design
Categories: Heritage Conservation: Gold Certification
Categories: Primary Bathroom: Gold Certification
publications:
In this highly inspiring project, the collaboration with exceptional clients, mindful of the quality of the space and architecture they inhabit, was a true opportunity. Having won the Montréal Heritage Operation Award – Caretaking Category in 2017 for their ability to highlight the architecture and heritage components of their home, the owners immediately understood the importance of respecting the built environment. The space to be renovated was very small, but orienting the interventions with a focus on heritage conservation provided a clear framework for the approach. A major source of inspiration was the layout of the house’s entrance. It perfectly married the house’s heritage architecture with contemporary marble flooring and décor punctuated with antiques.
The project’s mandate was to create a master suite, including a bedroom, bathroom, and wardrobe. As the first intervention, to mark the passage of time and the transformation that followed, the entry door to the suite was deliberately left unfinished. Then, inspired by the magnificent ornamental arch that once divided the double living room, the space was separated by reinterpreting the existing arch language, creating three distinct areas. First, a brightly lit antechamber was created through new French doors in the exterior wall, in the spirit of an old-fashioned boudoir. This space not only provides all the necessary and easily accessible storage but also offers room to relax and unwind.
It is through the boudoir that one can access the bedroom. Small but full of comfort, it evokes the cozy atmosphere of a hotel. To highlight the bed, a series of moldings were recreated on the wall behind it, recalling the wall ornamentation once present in the house.
Finally, a large bathroom was designed with softness and elegance, enveloped in noble materials. To access it, one must open, like a treasure chest, two small wooden doors found at an antique dealer and stripped to reveal their natural wood. This detail echoes the series of coat hooks installed on the entrance wall. The original inspiration of the house’s entrance is also reflected in the choice of materials for the bathroom. Indeed, the marble, installed in a herringbone pattern on the floor, was extended and adapted for the bathroom floor, the entire shower area, and the backsplash of the vanity. A living, natural, and recyclable material, it seamlessly links the existing and contemporary interventions with its timeless character. The living quality of the materials is also found in the concrete sink and the brass light fixtures, which will eventually develop a patina. The large wooden cabinet, meanwhile, recalls the wardrobe’s cutouts, but in a more modest form. Lastly, the threshold-free shower allows for easy, unobstructed access, offering the owners the possibility of aging peacefully in this small, comfortable suite with a nostalgic charm.