The client, after spending many years in a large home on Ile-des-Sœurs, had taken an apartment with a panoramic view of downtown Montreal, Mount Royal and the St. Lawrence River. From the start, it seemed to me that this magnificent view – one of the best in Montreal – should become the focus of the project. The client wanted to live in a bright, warm loft-style apartment. I suggested a space much like the large contemporary lofts of Manhattan or Los Angeles, a loft that would speak of calm and comfort yet look out over the continually changing showcase of the city. The apartment comprises two zones: on one side, the shared areas: the living room, dining room and kitchen as well as a living area/home theatre; and on the other, the private quarters of the client and his son. Detailed work began on the interior envelope, playing with different coatings and colours for the volumes, using whites and shades of grey and brown to create a pared-down, warm environment. In the large main room, the floors are finished in planks of ash baked to a warm caffe latte. A great interior wall of white oak stained a charcoal grey forms a perfect backdrop, maximizing the sense of space and turning the focus to the spectacular view and the contemporary furniture. A detail: all the baseboard heating units have been covered in ash to match the floors.
