Design lesson at Mélodie Violet

From organizing spaces to improve our way of life to decorative details that transform the decor, Mélodie Violet, founder of the Imagine agency, presents her designer tips by opening the doors of her completely renovated Montreal home to us.

Emmanuelle Mozayan-Verschaeve
special collaboration

Mélodie Violet and her husband bought this row house, dating from 1875, at the beginning of 2019. “It was the first time we had become owners and it was the second house we had visited. It had been on sale for about four months, no one wanted it because its layout was very special, says the designer. On the ground floor, there was the living room on the street side which opened onto the kitchen, a small dining area and, behind, was an uninsulated extension where a pool table was installed. Upstairs, each of the two bedrooms had its own bathroom, but without any partition, including the toilet! It is clear that this could put off many buyers, especially since not everyone has a vision of the potential. I immediately liked it vibes “, she explains.

The young woman saw there a great opportunity to renovate to create a home to her liking and start a family there in the Pointe-Saint-Charles district, which she particularly likes. The couple lived for a year without doing any work, to fully immerse themselves in the place, using one bedroom to sleep and the bathroom in the other… And Mélodie Violet worked on the plans for six months.

Then, she acted as general contractor, planning all the stages, the first being the interior demolition, which began on February 23, 2020. “COVID-19 arrived on March 15; everything was destroyed and we were in the land of the crawl space… Obviously, it was completely unexpected and as I am a great forward-thinker by virtue of my job, I felt really helpless at the time. But I quickly said to myself that we had to be reactive and resourceful, so I had delivered or I went to buy everything we needed in a hurry, because I suspected that the government was going to close everything, ”recalls Violet melody.

The designer has invested a lot in this complicated project in order to design a functional, harmonious and thoughtful layout with the aim of being pleasant to live in 24 hours a day, since she has her workspace at home. From the entrance to the bathroom via the office and the kitchen, here are his pro tips.

A spacious entrance

The entrance sets the tone for the house since it is the first place you discover. The designer relocated the staircase to make the room more comfortable, wide enough to store a stroller and for guests to take off their coats and boots without jostling. “I wanted to create a carpet effect, so I chose a tile with a delicate pattern [Ciot], but in very neutral tones, says Mélodie Violet. I highlighted this floor with a matte finish forest green stain on the walls [peinture Farrow & Ball]. The result is very enveloping. » A fairly wide aluminum molding forms a neat junction between the porcelain and the wooden floor, and decorative Kartell coat hooks in different colors and various sizes accessorize the partition. Discreet, the transparent console serves as an occasional piece of furniture and gives pride of place to colorful objects, including the wool poufs (G Furn), equipped with a leather handle. “They serve as seating and are easy to move. »

An independent office

The designer has reorganized the space so that her office is adjacent to the entrance and faces the street. It is accessed by a sliding door which adjoins the service of the entrance hall. She likes to work and enjoy the liveliness of the neighborhood by watching people pass by outside, while the common areas of the private part, located on the courtyard side, immerse her in a completely different atmosphere. Bathed in light and inhabited by a minimum of furniture and objects, this tidy room is conducive to concentration and creativity.

Refined cuisine

A drop delimits the living-dining area of ​​the kitchen. Mélodie Violet has attached a black piece of furniture to the island which serves as a showcase on the living room side, in addition to concealing the worktop. “The advantage is that I can cook or work at the sink while chatting with my friends, but without them seeing what I’m doing. I voluntarily placed the living room in front, because the guests have an aperitif there while waiting to sit down to eat. This is something that is often forgotten and yet it is much more user-friendly for exchanges. Then we sit together in the dining room. » Gray marble countertops and backsplash, gold hardware, and textured black cabinet finish lend a sleek, contemporary style to this room. The cupboard near the refrigerator contains small appliances. “I always plan a pantry in the kitchens so that it is always impeccable. » The beamed ceiling circumscribes the space and reinforces the effects of textures.

Comfort guaranteed in the living room

The living room occupies the old uninsulated extension. The flagship piece of the place, the generous modular sofa with padded seat (Maison Corbeil) invites you to relax. The designer designed and then had Frédérik Charlebois Ébéniste make an audio cabinet to match the shelf that runs along the kitchen island. Nothing is superfluous in Mélodie Violet’s house, but the choice of simple elements, such as the coffee table (EQ3), the nobility of the materials, the omnipresence of the bleached oak floor and the green plants breathe conviviality and warmth into this interior.

Set of moldings in the dining room

The designer played with the moldings to dress up three partitions: one in her office, a second in the kitchen and a third in the dining room. “I wanted white walls, but I had to furnish them, give them depth. I used the same collection as my baseboards and door frames, but in different widths, three in total, to create a dynamic. The transparent chairs recall the sideboard at the entrance, while the spiral shape of the chandelier [Artemide] brings roundness. »

A chic bathroom

It is important to make a connection between the spaces, including the bathroom. The counter is therefore made of marble like that of the kitchen and the lower part of the wall is covered with moldings painted black, like the cabinet at the back of the island. In this tiny room, the choice of a mini-sink and a wall-mounted faucet (Cabano) was essential to respect the refined style. The laundry room hides behind the mustard velvet curtain whose color echoes one of the poufs in the entrance.

A single staircase

The staircase designed by Mélodie Violet and produced by Atelier Gris had to be floating so as not to weigh down the space, but at the same time very aesthetic. The white metal, which responds to the search for minimalism and lightness, contrasts with the warm-coloured brick column. A true technical feat of bending metal, this sculptural element rests on a walnut box that gives it a distinctive touch. The addition of three small warm white lights magnifies the materials. Concerned about the smallest detail, the designer embedded the black metal shelves directly into the gypsum to avoid unsightly supports.

Sleek but enveloping bathrooms

The bathrooms, once integrated directly into the bedrooms, are now well separated rooms. That of the owners is all in marble (Ciot), including the low wall in front of the shower, easier to maintain than a glass wall, while that intended for the guests is covered with a white ceramic wall (Céragrès) which contrasts with the blue paint. In these two spaces, the tiles do not go up to the ceiling in order to give an effect of superposition and to encircle the places.