Hang Le Hong and Robert Mainville dreamed of a well thought out and welcoming interior, but have no concept of design and are even helpless in a furniture or decoration store. They therefore called on a specialist who was able to create a turnkey universe for them.
Posted at 4:00 p.m.
“We bought the house in 2005 and I immediately gave birth to our first child. The decoration dated back to the construction of the 1990s, the floors were carpet, which was replaced by hardwood floors. Then we had our second child,” says Hang Le Hong.
A good ten years later, no other renovations had been undertaken.
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
Owners Hang Le Hong and Robert Mainville (left) called on designer Mélyssa Robert (right) to accompany them throughout their renovation project.
Decoration is beyond me! We appreciate pretty things, we are surrounded by beautiful houses in L’Île-des-Sœurs and we watch magazines or programs on the subject, but we don’t even have the spark to think of undertaking something.
Hang Le Hong, co-owner
“For me, entering a furniture store is quite a mountain! continues this dynamic woman who works in the financial field like her husband, Robert Mainville.
The couple therefore decided to hire interior designer Mélyssa Robert to take care of the development of their property from A to Z in two stages: the ground floor and the first floor in 2019, then the basement. -sol two years later. The four members of the family and their two dogs went to live in a small apartment near the residence for the duration of the works of the first phase. Robert went daily to see the construction site. “It wasn’t to supervise because Mélyssa had hired a contractor to take care of everything, but just to make sure it was the right choice. »
We often hear about clashes when people do renovations, but we never had flat or difficult discussions, it was very good in every way because we really trusted the designer.
Robert Mainville, co-owner
Both wanted a modern, but timeless, chic atmosphere, but above all not stuffy to feel comfortable, then easy to maintain, especially since a cat and mice have been added to the family. For the rest, the designer had carte blanche.
Three special requests
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
White and light wood in the background provide a peaceful atmosphere in the open area. The layout and choice of furniture ensure comfort, including for the dogs in the house, since the projecting window covered with cushions is specially intended for them.
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
Better planning and taller cabinets optimize space and storage. The discreetly marbled backsplash and smooth fronts accentuate the clean style.
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
A lunch area is arranged in the extension of the area lounge from the kitchen.
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
The designer organized a corner with two armchairs in the kitchen. “Robert and I like to sit there for a coffee in the morning or a glass of wine in the evening to take the time to celebrate the day. This is my Starbucks corner,” says Hang Le Hong, landlady.
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PHOTO PROVIDED BY MÉLYSSA ROBERT, DESIGNER
The kitchen before the works
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
Thick shelves fixed in the niche that connects the dining area to the living room showcase decorative objects and add life. This library replaces an old fireplace that could no longer be used. Robust, the table and the bench (Wazo) bring an authentic and warm touch.
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
In the living room, the neutral hues, the sober and soft lines of the sofa and the armchair (JC Perreault) and the round table (Beige) will go through the years without going out of style.
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
The furniture in the master bedroom has been retained, but the style has been updated with new decorative accessories, including bedding and window treatment.
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Mélyssa Robert accompanied her clients without leaving anything to chance, from the new planning of the space to planning the soil for the indoor plants. They also had slightly more specific requests, such as creating a corner lounge in the kitchen. The area of the latter has been more than doubled by using the space formerly reserved for the dining room, which has been relocated to the living room. “We completely removed the wall so that the entire ground floor benefits from the light coming in from the large French window, then we reconfigured the kitchen, in order to offer plenty of storage space, counters, an island, a lunch section and a corner with two armchairs”, explains the designer. Although it is open, this room is isolated from the other common areas because it is located below. The glossy white countertops and cabinets in the kitchen ensure the contemporary effect and certain wood-style facades as well as the exotic wood dining room table bring the warm spirit.
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
Natural light is omnipresent in the common rooms thanks to the French window in the kitchen, but the privacy of the latter is preserved, because it is below and a low wall separates it from the dining room.
If the parents have invested little in the choices of the project, this is not the case for the children, Charlotte and Thomas. “We took the time to meet them, to see what their specific tastes and needs were. The young girl was particularly involved in all the spaces; she’s the one who chose the kitchen faucet, for example,” emphasizes Mélyssa Robert.
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
The girls’ bathroom has plenty of closed storage under the sinks and above, on either side of the mirror. The herringbone backsplash brings a refined note and the wood-finished walls serve as a common thread with the rest of the house. Lights integrated into the niches magnify the atmosphere in the dark.
Second original wish on the part of the masters of the place: to fit out a bathroom for the girls and one for the guys. “Generally, we have the parents’ bathroom, then the children’s, but not here. Each has two sinks, very small in the men’s because the room is small. They have a shower and the women have a bathtub. We did a different look for each, but there is always a common thread with the rest of the decor of the house.
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
In the basement, where there is a sectional (Element de base) perfect for teenagers to receive their friends, the large mirror perpendicular to the audio cabinet enlarges the space. The marbled panel on which the television is fixed produces a balance between the different elements and inhabits the partition.
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
Designer Mélyssa Robert placed Thomas’ desk between storage cabinets connected by two shelves. The whole is integrated harmoniously into the basement.
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The third major request was to create a perfect basement for teenagers. “We had to create a well-integrated gaming area for the son, a dance area with a mirror, another to play the guitar. Everything is therefore planned for young people to have fun and organize karaoke or cinema evenings. “The sofa is comfortable and not very fragile. It’s perfect for the children and it was important for us that they find it beautiful, that they are proud to invite their friends to our home,” says their mother.
“We had no idea what such renovations would cost and we made readjustments based on Mélyssa’s improvement proposals, but she always respected our budget,” says Robert Mainville. For the 50and birthday of his dear and tender, he called on the services of the Beige decoration boutique, which came to put a final touch with a few accessories, such as candles, to the designer’s layout. “I know that we can’t say that well-being can be bought, but here, we live it day by day thanks to the renovations that have been made. The work done is incredible, our house is not very big, but it’s like a dream for us now and it was really worth the investment,” adds Hang Le Hong.