“For me, Christmas is not so much the gifts and the decor as it is this opportunity to reconnect with loved ones,” says the owner of Maison Olive, Sabrina Ménard. It’s the only time when we take the time to see everyone, to get together, to tell each other what happened during our year. I like to keep it simple. »
It is in this minimalist spirit that she and her team created a festive decor for The Press, who sets the table for a Christmas feast. “We wanted it to remain accessible and affordable. Not all people have the means to buy what we sell, but everyone can find a few conifer branches and dried flowers to make a table centerpiece, she points out. And then our schedules are already quite busy. We shouldn’t have to make 60 commissions to set up a beautiful table! »
Entrepreneur and mother of four children, Sabrina Ménard knows something about this: as the holidays approach, she does not have time “to get bogged down in the flowers of the carpet”. Overload, overconsumption, very little for her.
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
Sabrina Ménard, founder of Maison Olive
When I look at decor on Instagram, it gives me anxiety. It’s too much, just too much! Too many things, too much perfection.
Sabrina Ménard, founder of Maison Olive
Entering the cozy environment of Maison Olive, the small boutique she opened in Beloeil a year ago, creates, on the contrary, calm. Sabrina Ménard showcases what she herself would welcome into her home: white, beige, brown, gray and classics that resist trends and time.
“A successful decor is one in which you feel good. And for me, it has to be gentle and calming. Bright colors like red quickly become aggressive. » What might seem boring to some is, however, far from it. The richness of the decor is expressed more subtly in the materials, textures and tone on tone.
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
White, beige, brown: colors that resist trends and are soothing
Before reaching a stalemate in her career, which coincided with a return from maternity leave, she had never thought of pursuing a career in design. “I hated my job. My boyfriend told me: “Resign and do what you do best!” »And what Sabrina Ménard excels at is the art of imagining a setting. “Decor and I have had a love-hate relationship for a long time. My mother was passionate about decoration. From Thursday to Sunday, we spent hours in stores with coloring books waiting for her to choose fabrics, furniture, new paint colors…”
She must have made up her mind; she had also caught the virus. This maternal heritage, however, found its comfort in a more conservative style and less driven by novelty and change.
For me, it’s important to keep your decor for a long time. When you invest in the right pieces, there’s no reason to go shopping every week.
Sabrina Ménard, founder of Maison Olive
A decor is not static, however. “A house has to be alive. It’s not true that in everyday reality, your throw and your cushions will stay perfectly in place. This is an ideal that is impossible to achieve. » The watchword, at Christmas and for all other days of the year, is therefore simplicity. “The magic of Christmas is that moment when the world stops. And to be able to pause, we must not feel any pressure to be perfect. »