The owner’s tour | At the foot of the mountain, in Piedmont

Owners open the doors of their exceptional homes to us, offered on the resale market.

Accumulating the decades while maintaining your dynamism and presence is not given to everyone. It’s primarily a question of genetics, the rest is a matter of maintenance. A judiciously applied stroke of the scalpel can also enhance the subject. But yes, we are talking about this Mid-Century house in Piedmont.

Built in 1963, the home had always belonged to the same Montreal family when it was put up for sale in 2020. Let’s remember the start of the pandemic, when house prices were soaring, propelled by multiple offers. It was in this context that Steve Pilon and Stéphane Ducharme rang the doorbell of this property, located almost at the foot of Mount Olympia. It didn’t take them long after walking in to realize that they had just found the house of their dreams: a solid mid-century, with very good genes, that they could renovate to their liking in order to settle down there. and to spend happy days there during their eventual retirement.

” We take her ! »

Hey, ho, wait a moment, they weren’t the only ones in the running!

There’s not much suspense here. Since we are talking about it today, the deal has been concluded. “Our agent suggested we write a letter to the owner. We said that we wanted to renovate it, bring it into modernity, but keep its period character… remembers Mr. Pilon. Finally we got it. »

Retain the assets

We love the Mid-Century for their elegance, their clean lines, the nobility of their materials, their brightness and their great functionality. It had all these advantages, in addition to having been well maintained by owners who had the means and who used it as a chalet, confides Mr. Pilon.

However, the house had too many divisions and mirrors for the taste of the new owners. The kitchen, renovated in the 1990s, was a little dated, as was the entrance, the bathrooms, the carpets, the wallpaper in several places and so on. The stone fireplace in the living room, however, was one of their big favorites. “We clicked on the corner of the fireplace, it makes it a unique piece, we wanted to highlight it,” relates Mr. Pilon.

The new owners’ idea was to open up the space. They didn’t have to look far to come up with the plans. Mr. Ducharme is an engineer and designer and both have taste. They also have an eye for detecting architectural assets that must be preserved, unless they absolutely want to commit a sin.

This is how the original ceiling of the living room, made of wood wool panels, very efficient acoustically, was preserved. “With ceilings of this height (12 feet), there could be some echo, but there is none,” says Mr. Pilon. The exposed beams and the staircase which leads to the basement have remained, as has the very practical three-season veranda. What a joy to be inside while being outside, when there are mosquitoes!

Furniture from the 1960s left by the previous owners has been salvaged and transformed, like this madame’s desk turned double vanity in the master bathroom, and this magnificent glass chandelier in the dining room.

There were already quite a few full-height windows, but not enough for the new owners’ tastes. They removed part of the wall that separated the kitchen from the sunroom and installed two sets of French doors that facilitate circulation. The windows of two of the bedrooms in the basement, which is more of a garden level, have also made way for French windows.

Black has its effect

Black is not a color, we have been told this enough, but in this house on Chemin Terzi, it brings “its” color. Its intensity and dramatic effect bring out the purity of white in the kitchen, bathroom, powder room and even in the downstairs hallway. The basement family room has been transformed into a workout room. To provide height, the stucco ceiling was removed, revealing elements of the building’s mechanics. These were left bare, but painted black. The resulting industrial effect fits perfectly with the purpose of the room.

The owners have also renovated some exterior features, including the pool area. Very down to earth, but very important, they connected the sewers to the city system. No more problems with septic tanks and even wells, since the water supply comes from the City’s aqueduct system.

With almost 38,000 square feet, the land surrounded by trees enjoys great privacy. As for the property’s geographic location, it is ideal for outdoor enthusiasts, like Mr. Pilon. You can walk to Mount Olympia in about fifteen minutes, with your skis on your shoulder. The P’tit Train du Nord park is nearby, as is a golf course. Services are also nearby.

After investing so much in this house, the owners thought they would live there for a long time. But an arthritis problem for Mr. Pilon foiled the plans. Co-owner of an eyewear store, he sold his shares and retired earlier than planned. Mr. Ducharme and he now plan to settle in a place with a drier climate.

Consult the property file