Remarkable, this vast property at 4260 Dorchester Boulevard is one of the heritage houses of Westmount. Lovingly renovated, it has regained all its luster and responds to a contemporary lifestyle.
Géraldine Lerch and Jérôme Thuillier have always been passionate about architecture and love change. From Paris, which they left with their four young children to create a guest house in Provence, then to Quebec, where they have been based since 2016, the couple multiplies their projects.
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
Jérôme Thuillier and Géraldine Lerch
“I especially have a taste for moving and the excitement of change, whereas Jérôme really has the ability to visualize the transformation of a property,” explains M.me Lerch. Arriving in Montreal, they rented a house in Westmount for three years, the time it took for the father to study interior design at CEGEP, then they decided to acquire a property.
“We wanted six rooms, which was not easy to find, so we put little notes in all the mailboxes in the neighborhood to inform people that we were looking for a house,” recalls Géraldine Lerch. Through a discussion with the neighbor at 4260 Dorchester Boulevard, the couple had the opportunity to meet the owner of the place. After 40 years spent in this residence, he agreed to sell the house to her.
A permit record!
However, the ancestral beauty is damaged by time and an enormous beef belly is detected on an entire facade, which risks causing a complete collapse of the structure. The former owner took charge of this renovation, and the damaged wall was then dismantled on the three floors, the foundation rebuilt solidly, then the new wall, entirely insulated.
The renovations continued and the couple even broke the record for posted building permits, to the point of appearing in the local newspaper! “The beef belly problem had to be dealt with urgently because it was dangerous, so we filed the permits gradually,” continues the bubbly hostess.
The couple took advantage of this necessary work to create new openings at the rear and thus benefit from a clear view and then beautiful interior light, which distinguishes their home from the surrounding houses.
“It wasn’t easy for the municipality to accept, but I redesigned each of the windows, taking inspiration from an old window with a diamond pattern found in the basement,” explains Jérôme Thuillier, who founded from his company Jérôme Thuillier – JT Design.
Pleasant surprises when renovating
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
The space has been opened up for more light.
We often have unpleasant surprises when we renovate, but in this case, the hosts had some good ones. For example, they realized when they wanted to make a double opening inside that there had already been one in the past, which simplified the work envisaged. Then, in the kitchen, they discovered a hidden fireplace, to which the designer restored its nobility.
Jérôme Thuillier does everything possible to restore and revalue these treasures from yesteryear. He called on specialized craftsmen to renovate or make identical architectural details, including rose windows, moldings and sumptuous floors.
Games of contrasts
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
Tassel ceiling lights reinforce the Victorian character of the residence.
The entrance, the dining area, the living room immerse us in an elegant and warm atmosphere where the old or classic elements are magnified by natural light. “I notably reinforced the Victorian character of the dining room by adding pendant ceiling lights (Ferblantier Florent Llorca) typical of this style,” says the owner-designer.
On the other hand, the kitchen, formerly partitioned into three zones, surprises with its modernity. However, the journey from one room to another remains harmonious thanks to the choice of authentic materials and a few eclectic touches.
I am a man of contrasts. I like beautiful things and I try to capitalize on what is beautiful about what exists.
Jérôme Thuillier, co-owner
Space was also optimized on the upper floor, where there was only one bathroom, huge and with two skylights. The new concept now offers two bathrooms, one for the owners’ daughters and the other associated with the master bedroom. On this same level, the now closed balcony accommodates a double office in black and white, like the kitchen. The whitewashed brick brings texture to the space and contrasts with the high-gloss ebony stretch ceiling.
The boys, for their part, occupy the apartment on the ground floor, which has also been completely redesigned.
A new challenge
When they met, Géraldine Lerch and Jérôme Thuillier moved every three years maximum. “I’m frustrated because we’ve been here for five years. Jérôme feels it less, because he does renovations for others and the result of his work makes me want to move. »
They therefore decided to sell their beautiful home, which also earned the gentleman the congratulations of the head of urban planning at Westmount town hall for the quality of the renovation, to embark on another project. “The house could be suitable for a large intergenerational family, but the garden level can also be used as an office for professionals,” notes Mme Lerch. The future will tell!
Consult the property file
The property in brief
Asking price: $3,100,000
Municipal assessment: $1,494,000
Year of construction: 1895
Land area: 14,500 ft2
Living area: 4460 ft2
Property tax: $11,145
School tax: $1505
Broker: Fabrice Voltzenlogel, real estate broker M Immobilier