Colonial charm on the mountain | The Press

Located in the city center, the building has a very special past. You can also feel its whole history on its exterior walls. And for good reason: it has already served as the Cuban consulate in Montreal. Built in 1914, the building has had several lives, but has since been converted into a condo building. A couple bought one of their apartments and opened the doors to us.

They have the city at their feet, and the mountain behind. They live as if suspended in this part of the city center adjoining Mount Royal. “From inside, there are views that you don’t see at all when you’re in town, because it’s really higher,” notes designer Michaël Godmer, whom the couple called on for their renovations. Already, the approach to the building is an experience in itself: “It feels a bit like arriving in a castle, he says straight away. It really is a special place. »

But once inside the 790 ft accommodation^⁠2, nothing suggests his past as a former consulate. However, there is indeed charm in this apartment, which is somewhat reminiscent of its colonial style, or so we thought. Because ironically, these touches were added during the renovations. “There was not a lot of cachet that had been preserved, so we tried to bring back the original spirit a little”, summarizes Michaël Godmer.

A checkerboard in the entrance

From the entrance, the ceramic floor in a checkerboard pattern sets the tone. These are also the same sober colors, including beige and greige, which are available throughout the rest of the apartment.

The vestibule has been redesigned to make it more functional, explains the designer. Once through the door, we find ourselves in front of a wall of wooden slats, as well as a built-in bench. This is where we take off our shoes, and where guests can leave their belongings. But next to it, a panel conceals a small room, skilfully created by the thickness of the bench. “We like the idea of ​​a mud room, where we can put our bag, our stuff, then when we close the door, everything is hidden. »

The rest of the apartment then unfolds in a large open space, where the office, living room, dining room and kitchen coexist in a bright room.

This one looks new, but in fact, it is rather the finishes that have been modified, since the configuration already fulfilled its role well. “We completely changed the cover panels, the drawers, the doors”, lists Michaël Godmer. These changes required a certain budget, but never as much as if the kitchen had to be completely redone.

Finally, the bathroom is one of the rooms that has undergone the greatest transformation, but while keeping an original element, the counter. “It looks like there was a little nod to an all-inclusive in Cuba, it ‘fitted’,” says Michaël Godmer. I wanted to keep him and try to work with him. »

The look of the room was designed around this element, whose beige color harmonized naturally with the rest of the style. The wooden slats, the light fixtures and the floor, which takes up the motif of the entrance, form a soothing and coherent whole.

The mix of materials also contributes to creating a cocoon throughout the apartment. “We went with stone, wood, and even the texture of looped fabrics to warm up the space,” concludes the designer. Indeed, to the sobriety of the tones is added a judicious mix of materials, in order to create a warm whole in this extraordinary environment.