The owner’s tour | Without compromise in Limoilou

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

(Quebec) With its lively alleys, its stacked houses and its local shops, the Limoilou district in Quebec resembles the Plateau Mont-Royal. And like in Montreal, its buildings often need a facelift.

Ann-Sophie, a professional from Quebec City, wanted to live in this dynamic neighbourhood, but also live in a modern house. Two desires that seemed irreconcilable. “A new house in Limoilou doesn’t exist,” she says. So the young woman bought a duplex in the neighbourhood during the pandemic and converted the two large five-and-a-half-room apartments into a single-family home.

Passionate about interior design, she surrounded herself with the architectural firm Lanterne and the Filz workshop to carry out the work. The creation of the plans and the choice of contractors lasted a year before the construction site could finally get underway. “I thought about this house from A to Z,” says the owner. It’s an investment of time and heart.” It’s also a major investment of money, because the 1929 building was completely redone. The basement was dug, the structure was solidified, a roof terrace was added and the rooms were all redesigned.

Yet, on the surface, the metamorphosis is almost impossible to perceive. This particularity makes the young professional proud.

This concern for harmony between the old and the modern is also observed in several details inside. The metal stair railings are a nod to those used on the exterior balconies, typical of Limoilou, while the floors, doors and built-in furniture are made of oak, which gives the rooms a lot of warmth.

“I didn’t use any white,” says Ann-Sophie. “Everything is cream or beige to bring a warm feel.” The owner emphasizes that she loves enveloping colors, one of the signatures of Australian and Mexican design. However, she admits that this look was difficult to combine with Quebec’s cold climate.

Rethink everything

The transformation of the duplex began in August 2021 and the work was intensive. In just four months, the two dark and dated dwellings became a modern, spacious and bright house. In the kitchen, the light comes from a large window that goes all the way to the second floor. This opening was possible thanks to the creation of a mezzanine between the two levels.

Filz studio advised to give some details a rounded shape in order to break the straight lines associated with the contemporary style. Thus, the mezzanine, the shower and even the light fixtures have this shape.

As the work took place towards the end of the pandemic, the creation of an office space was considered. This closed room on the ground floor can also be used as a fourth bedroom.

After two years of not going out, during COVID-19, Ann-Sophie also wanted to add a rooftop terrace. This space required major work to reinforce the structure and add a staircase inside. “I’m not a financial winner, but I have gained experience,” she admits.

The owner still had ideas for improving her dream home in Limoilou. The large grassy yard, where there are parking spaces, could have accommodated an in-ground pool. The basement, still on concrete, could have been finished to add another bedroom. But the young mother is short on time. She wants a smaller living space to devote more time to her family. However, she already has renovation ideas in mind for a future home, but the work will undoubtedly be less ambitious and less expensive.

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