Alexandra L-Cossette and her husband, a big fan of the Montreal Canadiens, were the first to book an apartment in the first Tour des Canadiens. It was in 2014, long before the condos went on sale.
They wanted the penthouse to be handed over to them in its simplest form, so that they could decide for themselves the layout of the rooms and the finishes. Along the way, their wish was not honored. In February 2018, when they took possession of apartment 4703, it had been fully furnished and did not meet their needs or tastes. Mme L-Cossette took matters into his own hands, having everything removed and starting over.
Become a designer
“There were three bedrooms and two bathrooms, and everything was disproportionate, either too small or too large”, says the businesswoman, who had not planned to supervise the site, design the interior design, choose all the materials and do business with the 23 entrepreneurs who have helped transform the space during a year and a half full of twists and turns. She had retained the services of a renowned interior designer, who envisioned a budget of $ 1 million. The latter having withdrawn and the work of another designer having disappointed her, the owner rolled up her sleeves and saw to the smallest details of the renovation.
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PHOTO PROVIDED BY ALEXANDRA L-COSSETTE
In February 2018, when the owners took possession of apartment 4703, it had been fully furnished and did not meet their needs or tastes. The choice of finishes was limited. The flooring was chocolate colored wood. The kitchen was in place of the bar and the pantry.
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PHOTO PROVIDED BY ALEXANDRA L-COSSETTE
Everything has been removed, to start anew. The owner had it installed in another property and recycled everything she could.
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ILLUSTRATION PROVIDED BY ALEXANDRA L-COSSETTE
Here is the plan of the 4703 penthouse delivered to the owners. It had three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Note: the bathtub in the master bedroom.
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ILLUSTRATION PROVIDED BY ALEXANDRA L-COSSETTE
Here is the plan of the 4703 penthouse as modified by the owner. She changed the proportions of the rooms and wardrobes. She also moved the kitchen to the heart of the home. There is now a bedroom, an office and two bathrooms.
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“We just had to take the time to look at exactly what our needs were,” she explains. Instead of having a much too spacious bedroom and two other very ordinary bedrooms, I played with the space to create a beautiful bedroom and a large closet, inspired by shops, to better see what we have, and a office. It’s made for a couple. It’s rare for families to buy a 2,000 sq. Ft. Penthouse anyway.2. ”
I had fun adding a little whimsy and things that I haven’t seen anywhere else.
Alexandra L-Cossette
The filtration of water inside the condo is a perfect example. Considering filtering drinking water, she wondered if it was not possible to filter all the water, whether it is used for drinking, for washing clothes and hair in the shower or for preparation. meals. She found a larger model than the one usually used in residences, which was easily installed, since the housing had been completely stripped. “It’s fantastic and easy to change, once a year,” she says. It is a great privilege to always have exceptional water quality. ”
A condo well of its time
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
Alexandra L-Cossette had many items custom made to achieve the desired effect. This is particularly the case of the cellar, which serves to delimit the space devoted to the bar. It is very transparent, with its translucent plastic end caps.
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
The refrigerator with touch screen is one of the devices with advanced technology. In the kitchen, the cabinet doors are equipped with an electrical system.
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
The owner opted for the Canadian theme, favoring blue, white and red. Finding the red of the CH a little aggressive and the blue too conservative, she chose an orange red and a more electric blue. For white, she sought to strike a balance between glossy white (reminiscent of an ice rink) and matte white.
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
The master bedroom door opens automatically, as in the series Star Trek.
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
The bathroom adjoining the master bedroom has a large shower, which lights up in various colors, a smart toilet and lots of storage. The room also includes a bathtub, since the one previously installed in the bedroom has been removed.
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Curious and on the lookout for innovations, by professional deformation, Alexandra L-Cossette gave herself the challenge of bringing the condo into the XXIe century. “As long as I had the project in hand, I wondered what we could do to stand out and increase our level of comfort,” she says. Among other things, I wanted cabinet doors with an electrical system, doors that open automatically, in addition to the stereo, lighting and automated curtains.
“The first home automation firm I approached told me it would cost around $ 245,000. The second firm’s bid was for $ 300,000. It was my folly to see how far I could go without spending a fortune. I did a lot of research. By my calculations, I think I did this for about $ 32,000, with the help of an electrician, who was an ally. He did a lot of custom things. Small motors for electric doors, for example, were ordered in Australia and converted for adaptation here. ”
Mme L-Cossette has paid particular attention to the lighting, programmed to create the desired atmosphere. “No matter what furniture you choose, if you can put the lights in the right place, that’s what makes a wow effect, just like the choice of the floor,” she says. These are the two extremes. The effect is prettier because you have respected the top and the bottom. ”
The owner is also particularly proud of the large shiny white tiles which cover a large part of the (heated) floor and which help to make the penthouse bright. They are reminiscent of the Bell Center skating rink and fit perfectly into the theme that guided his thinking. Her husband, she recalls, has five business season passes. She too is a supporter and wanted to take into account the iconic place where they would reside.
“I wanted to be in the tone of the Tour des Canadiens with the three colors blue, white and red,” she reveals. I find the red a bit aggressive and the blue too conservative, so I chose an orangey red and a more electric blue. For white, I tried to find a balance between glossy white and matte white. ”
The renovations were completed in March 2020, just before the start of the pandemic. The couple, happier than ever in their penthouse in L’Île-des-Sœurs, decided to stay there and put the apartment up for sale. Others will benefit.
Consult the property sheet
The works in brief
A must: Give the penthouse its own identity by choosing the finishes and pushing the integration of home automation quite far.
An aberration to correct: The bathtub in a glass cage in the old master bedroom, disproportionately large.
An essential tool: the application WhatsApp, which allowed the owner to manage the work remotely, including receiving videos, voice messages and texts.
Duration of work: One and a half years.
Number of entrepreneurs: 23, some of whom had to be replaced quickly because they made mistakes.
Rule of thumb: Always have three submissions made.