Posted at 12:00 p.m.
There is certainly a part of this place in the work of the artist France Malo. A living and creative space, this property, which she has lived in for almost 30 years, combines a residence and an artist’s studio on a vast lot, in the shadow of Mont Saint-Hilaire.
“I like to look at spaces. Winter is extraordinary here… the trees are like another world,” says France Malo. Multidisciplinary artist, recognized in particular for her sporting art – her fascination for moving bodies having led her to become the official artist of the Quebec Federation of Cycling Sports -, France Malo also paints contemporary and climatic architecture in her studio located set back from the main building.
-
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
She receives clients and collectors in the living area which also serves as a gallery.
-
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
The cedar walls have been preserved, as has the flooring in the entrance hall.
-
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
A slow combustion stove sits in the center of the main room.
-
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
With large windows, the living room is very bright.
-
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
One of the four bedrooms
-
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
In the bathroom, we love the large skylight.
-
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
The family room in the basement
-
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
Several trees and a wide variety of perennials adorn the grounds.
-
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
The inground pool, which will have to be fenced off by the new owners. The silhouette of Mont Saint-Hilaire looms in the distance.
1/9
“All of this developed with the spirit of the house,” underlines the one whose paintings have been exhibited in Quebec and abroad. “The renowned architect who designed this house [André Léonard, à qui l’on doit aussi trois stations du métro de Montréal] and the designer [Réal Houle], the first owner, have done everything to ensure that this timeless property survives fashions and can evolve. This thought also motivates my art. »
France Malo found this house after returning from a three-year stay in the United States, including two in California. On the way home, in her Westfalia, she had dreamed of a contemporary house with an inground pool. A native of Mont-Saint-Hilaire, she was first looking to return to settle in her hometown when she was bewitched by this house, located on the territory of the neighboring municipality, Otterburn Park. “There is a lot of soul in this house. The first thing I was looking for was a place where there was potential to do a workshop. »
-
PHOTO NANCY HARVEY, FROM THE PROPRIO DIRECT WEBSITE
The workshop, which could also be used as a pavilion for guests, is located near the house.
-
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
Formerly a garage-workshop, the space was transformed by the artist with the help of an interior designer friend.
-
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
The mezzanine railing was designed by a cabinetmaker and contains two original stained glass windows from Montreal buildings that were salvaged by France Malo.
-
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
On the mezzanine, a small living room has been fitted out.
1/4
And now she finds one that, with its horizontality, minimalism and western cedar ceiling, reminds her of her years in California.
I don’t really like the suburbs as such, but when I enter here, I am in a haven of peace, in another space. We are isolated, we are at home. I needed this after California, in a small apartment, with a small garden.
France Malo, multidisciplinary artist
A great place for nature
Whereas here, it’s the opposite. The land having belonged to a local nurseryman—at that time, there was no building except the one that serves as a workshop today—there are several mature trees there, including two bicentenary oaks. As soon as she arrived, the new owner worked to complete the landscaping by planting hostas, rhododendrons, fruit trees, vegetable plants and ground covers over the years, while leaving room for native plants.
The current house was erected in 1976 for the designer-owner of whom Mme Malo bought it. Built in stages, it testifies to a concern for fluidity. The large living area serves as a gallery for France Malo, who exhibits her paintings there and receives collectors there. Her creative work is expressed in her studio, a former garage-workshop that she has adapted to her needs. Equipped with a bathroom and a kitchenette, the space could be devoted to other uses, such as an office for telecommuting or accommodation for guests.
Several improvements have also been made to the house over the years, including the enlargement of the openings to create views resembling paintings, the artist always looking for perspective. Wood and gas stoves were also installed in the basement and in the workshop, after the massive ice storm that hit the region in 1998.
A sustainable home
But, for the sake of ecology and respect for the work of the architect, the owner, who now lives in the house with her husband, wanted to minimize the impact of her interventions. In the entrance hall and in the kitchen, there are still the original brown-ocher tiles that are also found in several Montreal metro stations. The parquet floor has also been kept in a few rooms, but with a darker shade which makes it more noble.
“It’s a solid house,” says Mr.me Bad. Whoever built it had the same concern as me: a house must be durable, then you work on it and leave it to others. »
When she told her friends about her intention to sell her, they didn’t believe she would leave. “I love it here, it makes me so happy to leave. It’s my favorite thing in life. But with her career as an artist on the rise, maintaining a large piece of land became too time-consuming. The couple plans to settle in Magog, where they have owned a condo for a few years. “I love life there. And I was well received as an artist. All he has to do is find a studio that will inspire him just as much.
The property in brief
Asking price: $1,300,000
Year built: 1976
Dimensions of the main building: 52.4 ft by 31 ft
Studio dimensions: 20 ft by 30 ft
Land area: 28,275 ft2
Municipal assessment (2020): $459,400
Property tax (2022): $4408
School tax (2022): $431
Description: Two-level house with four bedrooms and two bathrooms, with a finished basement. A few steps from the house is another building with mezzanine, terrace and carport, currently converted into an artist’s studio. Large partially wooded and landscaped lot on which there is an inground pool and a spa.
Broker: Francine Quesnel, Proprio Direct