The Owner’s Tour | A Beloved Centenarian

Owners open the doors of their exceptional homes, offered on the resale market.

Ross Munro has put all his talent as a cabinetmaker-designer into the patient renovation of his ancestral home in Milton-Park, built at the end of the 19th century.^e century at the foot of Mount Royal. The result? A perfect blend of the current art of living and the charm of yesteryear.

The owner’s love of beautiful things is evident even before you step through the front door. The thick mahogany steps on the façade, the sleek staircase railing, the elegant yet imposing light fixture and, above all, the magnificent stained glass window in the vestibule bear the signature of renowned Quebec artisans.

“They are friends,” says the man who has designed original furniture, ingenious staircases and various architectural elements for luxury residences in Canada and the United States for 30 years. “The light fixture and the railing were created by Donald Ventura. The stained glass window is a creation of Carole Lachance.”

The rest of the house is in keeping with this.

Each of its 14 rooms has an original, sober and elegant cachet. This unique touch can be translated by a piece of furniture integrated into the master bedroom, obviously custom-made, a pantry hidden in a corner of a secondary living room, or exotic wood applied to the walls of a bathroom.

The faux marble finish on the living room fireplace mantel, for example, is the work of decorative painter Marie-Pierre Ayoul. The illusion is perfect. “I approached her with the project after she painted a client’s kitchen island that was originally supposed to be marble. It was too heavy, so we made it out of wood and she gave it her own touch of magic,” Munro recalls.

Beauty box

It is with this same magic that the latter was able to transform this house, which was in need of love when it was purchased, almost 20 years ago, into this jewel of beauty.

“It wasn’t in good shape, but it still seemed solid to me. I could see its potential. The foundations were sound, the walls weren’t cracked, nothing had moved in 100 years. I knew I could invest in it,” explains Ross Munro, who quickly fell in love with the high ceilings and large rooms of the venerable home.

“Just the stairwell at the entrance is huge,” he notes. “And the light comes through the house, even though there are no windows facing south.”

Milton Park’s proximity to downtown also weighed heavily in the balance.

“And there are three supermarkets nearby. Everything is within walking distance,” adds the owner, pointing to Jeanne-Mance Park, located two blocks away.

Renovation and expansion

Quietly, over the years, Mr. Munro had the plumbing, electrical system and roof repaired. He had the façade re-pointed and the windows changed. The furnace was replaced. He also decided to build an extension at the back, after nearly falling through the floor of the back terrace.

“As it was obvious that this part of the house had to be rebuilt, we took the opportunity to close the walls and add a large bathroom to the master bedroom. There is no other house as deep on the street,” he says.

The owner also did not hesitate to redevelop the ground floor to build a kitchen that he designed and built himself, in perfect harmony with the era of the house. All the modern appliances have been perfectly camouflaged in wooden cabinets, painted a green that is both current and old-fashioned.

What do you call this particular green? “It’s the color of a Bianchi bike,” the accomplished cyclist replies, with a wry smile.

Ross Munro also took advantage of the renovations to add a lovely terrace, attached to the kitchen and dining room. At its end is a barrel-shaped spa, with a personal design that is once again well integrated.

Most of the furniture, which is largely responsible for the charm of the house, bears the designer’s signature. The large dining room table, made of shedua – an exotic wood from Ghana and the Ivory Coast – is a technical feat, he points out.

The house can be sold fully furnished, Mr. Munro continues. “These are my creations, but I am not sentimental. I will be happy if they make a connoisseur happy,” says the man who has just sold the business he built.

“I am starting a new chapter in my life. I will now devote myself to design. I will see where life takes me,” he concludes with a smile.