Montreal Home - Spring 2018

THE

SPRING ISSUE

SELLERS’ MARKET Montreal real estate transactions move into high gear

SPRING CLEANING

FABULOUS IN FLORIDA

Declutter and organize your home

A Montreal designer reimagines a Palm Beach home

AT HOME WITH ERIN KLEINBERG

JUICE USE

The health benefits of juicing

HOROSCOPE HELP

MOTHER’S DAY GIFT GUIDE

$6.95

MAISON & OBJET PARIS

www.movatohome.com

Métier Creative’s co-founder welcomes us to her Toronto home

DESIGN AND REALIZATION OF

CUSTOM PATIOS AND TERRACES

1368-7 MONTÉE MASSON LAVAL (QUEBEC) CANADA, H7E 4P2 Résidentiel - Commercial - Industriel

(514) 728-4633 WWW.PATIODESIGN.CA

Original art... for the original you!

34, SAINT-PAUL WEST, MONTREAL, QUEBEC H2Y 1Y8

T : 514.845.2525 F : 514.845.2124 info@galerielebourget.com

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ANICKO Contresens, 40 x 40 in.

66, SAINT-PAUL WEST MONTREAL, QUEBEC H2Y 1Y8

T : 514.848.8944 F : 514.848.7230 info@leluxart.com

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Najib CHAKCHEM Enjoy the Moment, 40 x 60 in.

34, SAINT-PAUL WEST, MONTREAL, QUEBEC H2Y 1Y8

T : 514.845.2525 F : 514.845.2124 info@galerielebourget.com

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Lynn GARCEAU Dreams, 48 x 48 in.

66, SAINT-PAUL WEST MONTREAL, QUEBEC H2Y 1Y8

T : 514.848.8944 F : 514.848.7230 info@leluxart.com

www.leluxart.com

Mathieu CARRIER Miss Circus, 48 x 48 in.

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EDITOR’S LETTER

ECONOMIC INDICATORS TELL US THAT, OVERALL, people are wealthier now than at any other time in history. Wages are higher. Goods are cheaper.

Cheaper goods and the ability to buy them have resulted in increased consumption. Everyone, it seems, has a lot more stuff now than they had several decades ago. Yes, we are more materially comfortable. But is more really better?

It’s ironic that as we have come to produce and acquire more stuff, an industry has sprung up to help us dispose of said stuff once it turns into clutter. Personal organizers and clutter clearers are in big demand these days.

For this issue, Susan Kelly interviewed personal organizers about how we can tackle clutter in our homes to simplify our lives. One of the organizers Susan interviewed told me that she has a long waiting list of people who require her services. It’s not surprising.

And the work of professional organizers is not limited to advising people about what to keep and what to cast off. There is always a psychological component in the act of editing one’s belongings. Organizers have told me that choosing to dispose of clutter invariably taps into the emotions that we attach to our possessions, even when they clutter our lives and metaphorically weigh us down. It’s not always a simple process. But it is a rewarding one.

The spring is traditionally a time of rejuvenation. There is something refreshing about throwing open windows after they’ve been tightly shut all winter. That primal urge, triggered by the vernal equinox, extends to taking a fresh look at everything we have. Do we need it? Do we use it? Does it serve a purpose? Does it give us joy?

There are several ways you can stay in touch with us: @movatohome @movatohome @movatohome

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If you are struggling to decide what to do about clutter in your own home, the organizers Susan interviewed may have the perfect solution for you.

Houses aren’t the only things that get cleaned in the spring. The spring cleanse of the human body is another trend that doesn’t seem to be slowing down. There’s an industry around that, too. Juice bars are fast gaining in popularity, and with good reason. Cold-pressed juices are delicious, and the health benefits of consuming them are many.

In this issue, writer Julie Gedeon explores why we’re flocking to juice bars to knock back a kale and algae smoothie almost as eagerly as we swig our five-dollar cappuccinos.

It’s all part of the spring urge to clean up, spruce up, cast off, and rejuvenate. Our homes are sanctuaries, our bodies temples.

And finally, we’re springing ahead with a new look. Montreal Home is under new management. In the months to come, we’ll introduce new features that we promise will keep you engaged and excited. In this issue, our new look begins with the cover. Our new content includes our first-ever astrology column, which will help you get your home organized this spring. We hope you’ll love these changes as much as we do, and look forward to introducing many more fascinating features in future issues.

STEPHANIE WHITTAKER Editor-in-Chief stephanie@movatohome.com

www.fleurco.com · www.designashower.com

CONTRIBUTORS

KAREN SEIDMAN Veteran news reporter Karen Seidman considers artist Maryse Chartrand, whom she profiles in this issue, among the few people she has had the good fortune to interview who made a lasting impression. “When life dealt her tremendous hardship and heartbreak, Maryse found the inner strength not just to survive, but to find a way to flourish,” Karen says. “She not only had the necessary courage, but also the talent and perseverance required to make it in the demanding field of glass art.”

BRENDA O’FARRELL In this issue, writer, editor and journalist Brenda O’Farrell takes a look at Montreal’s active real estate landscape. “At the moment, it is definitely a seller’s market,” she says. “And all indications point to it staying that way.” Brenda also profiles a home that was re-imagined by Montreal interior designer Scott Yetman to be put up for sale in another hot market: Palm Beach, Florida. It would make a great second home. Or, as the designer says, a great “third, or fourth or fifth home,” she says. Her story offers you a glimpse into the privileged life in this small part of the Sunshine State.

WENDY HELFENBAUM Wendy Helfenbaum is a print journalist and TV producer who covers real estate, architecture, design, DIY, travel, and gardening. For this issue, Wendy researches and reports on the growing popularity of infinity pools: vanishing-edge swimming pools that allow homeowners to capitalize on superb views. Wendy’s work has appeared in such publications as Style at Home, Country Gardens, Realtor.com, Canadian Gardening, Canadian Living and Renovation Contractor.

Volume 10, number 2, Spring Issue 2018 Date of Issue: April, 2018

6100 TransCanada Highway Suite 100, Pointe-Claire Quebec H9R 1B9

Call 1-866-846-1640 movatohome.com sales@movatohome.com

PUBLISHER Dr. Sharon Azrieli CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Stanley Kirsh

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Stephanie Whittaker ART DIRECTOR Randy Laybourne EDITORIAL MANAGER Tracey MacKenzie ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Carmen Lefebvre CONTRIBUTORS Cheryl Cornacchia

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Matthew Azrieli PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Wendy Loper CONTROLLER Jenny Marques DIRECTOR OF SALES - NATIONAL Kelly Chicoine ACCOUNTS EXECUTIVE Florence Cazier

Julie Gedeon

JULIE GEDEON A pescatarian since the days when people still thought it was a type of religion, writer Julie Gedeon has long supplemented her diet with berry-and-banana shakes, but she has a new appreciation for the possible health benefits of cold-pressed juices and smoothies as a result of the story about juicing that she wrote for this issue.

SUSAN KELLY Susan Kelly melds the two sides of her persona – writer and astrologer – in separate features that examine the issue of spring cleaning and decluttering. In one, she approaches it as a journalist; the other takes the form of our first-ever horoscope column. “Astrology is such a powerful tool for understanding our inner and outer worlds, which includes our homes,” Susan says.

“I’m thrilled to have this chance to share my insights.”

Susan also interviewed fashion and culture maven Erin Kleinberg about her Toronto home, the design of which was heavily influenced by Erin’s love of Palm Springs, California. Susan provides weekly forecasts via Facebook at Susan Kelly Astrology.

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Wendy Helfenbaum Susan Kelly

FOUNDER Leah Lipkowitz

Brenda O’Farrell Karen Seidman

LEGAL DEPOSIT issn

PHOTOGRAPHY Jean-François Grégoire Mario Melillo Janis Nicolay Aaron Thompson Jeremie Warshafsky Valerie Wilcox STYLISTS Nicole Markota Scott Yetman

1920-1370 Montreal Home

magazine Inc. 2018. All rights reserved. Any copying or reproduction of content without the written permission of Montreal Home magazine is strictly prohibited.

Publication # 41959020

CONTEST

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CONTENTS

34 ON THE COVER BEACH BEAUTY

Montreal interior designer Scott Yetman reimagines a mid-century home in Palm Beach

TO INFINITY AND BEYOND

Vanishing-edge swimming pools are the current must-haves for beautiful landscapes

64 THE HEALING ARTS

Artist Maryse Chartrand expresses her life journey through her exquisite glass artworks

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134 CALIFORNIA DREAMING IN TORONTO

The design of Erin Kleinberg’s home is heavily influenced by her love of Palm Springs

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CONTENTS

LIGHTER AND LARGER

A Rosemount duplex is transformed into a light-filled single-family home

24 10 EDITOR’S LETTER 18 THIS JUST IN A selection of new items for your home

58 OF COLOURS AND CONCERTOS Publisher Sharon Azrieli reports from Maison & Objet Paris

74 LET’S SORT THINGS OUT Spring cleaning should always include reorganizing and decluttering

82 GUIDED BY THE STARS Our astrology column will help you organize your home this spring

86 JUICE USE Juicing provides an excellent tune-up and health boost for the body in spring

94 ACT FAST

MOUNTAIN MODERN

A four-season vacation home in Whistler, B.C. reflects the beauty of its surroundings

120

The quick turnover in Montreal’s real estate market requires buyers to move swiftly

100 BRANCHING OUT This leading North American producer of shower doors expands its product lines to the whole bathroom

102 AN UPDATED EDWARDIAN A 1909 Outremont home is renovated for its owners’ contemporary lifestyle

112 A MOTHERHOOD ISSUE Our guide on how to find the perfect Mother’s Day gift

132 LOVE THE LAMINATE A century-old company produces new laminates for the new millennium

146 INDUSTRIOUSLY REDESIGNING THE BATHROOM Italian manufacturer Scavolini creates bathrooms with an industrial look

158 WIDE-OPEN SPACES Bifold doors offer homeowners an opportunity to unite indoor and outdoor spaces

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RESPECTING THE PAST

A renovated condo in east-end Montreal is a delightful blend of old and new

150

ANN MALKA Matching homes to lifestyles

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ann@teamannmalka.com www.TeamAnnMalka.com

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DESIGN

1. VERSATILE VACUUMING The Bissel AirRam cordless vacuum cleaner allows you to manoeuvre easily. Designed to seamlessly clean across multiple surfaces – broadloom, bare floors and area rugs – its swivel steering gives you total control around furniture, and its suction squeegee design features a rubberized sweeper that changes direction to open and close as you clean. LED lights make it easy to see dirt, and its collapsible handle makes it convenient to store.

Linen Chest www.linenchest.com 2

1 3

2. WELCOME, SPRING! Spring is in the air, and the Anna semi-sheer grommet window panel allows you to welcome in the warm weather. It features a soft watercolour floral design printed on 100 per cent polyester.

Linen Chest www.linenchest.com

3. TREAT YOURSELF TO TRIVENTO Victoria + Albert’s new Trivento tub ushers classic beauty into the 21st century. Known as a bateau bath, this tub has a timeless appeal with its fine rim and deep, double-ended bathing well, and is equally at home in city apartments or family bathrooms. The Trivento was designed to provide support for luxurious bathing.

Victoria + Albert www.vandabaths.com

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If the eyes are the mirror to the soul, then lips are a reflection of sensuality.

Full, juicy lips are a sign of youthful beauty, which is why a myriad of lipsticks, pencils and techniques exist to enhance this area. For the same reason, there are enhancements that can be done at out office, many of them during a short appointment. For younger patients with naturally thin lips, injectable products can augment the red portion of the lip to give them more prominence. The same products can be used to manage fine lines around the lips in older patients. With increasing age, the upper lip may have coarser lines, or may appear to have a longer distance from the base of the nose, and minor surgical procedures can be done to give a more youthful look. Come to our office to see what can be offered in your case – lipstick not included!

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DESIGN

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DESIGN MONTREAL SPRING 2018

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MORE L IGH T, MORE S P A C E

A Rosemont duplex is flooded with sunshine after it is transformed into a single-family home

BY CHERYL CORNACCHIA • PHOTOGRAPHY: MARIO MELILLO

MÉLANIE LABERGE AND HER HUSBAND ROBIN wanted to transform their two-storey duplex in Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie into a single-family home. Moreover, they wanted the home to be filled with natural light.

Montreal architect Eric Tremblay managed to give them that and more, with a redesign that transformed the duplex into a quirky single-family, two-storey home with a rustic but also contemporary, urban ambience. Among the transformative architectural additions: exotic Brazilian hickory flooring; a staircase fashioned out of a 100-year-old maple tree; an oversized skylight; a two-sided fireplace; and a room divider made of elm trees chopped down on the couple’s St. Hippolyte cottage property. •

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DESIGN

“We have sunshine all through the house. I look up from the living room and I see the sky. It feels as though we are almost outside.”

“They wanted to bring their experience of nature into the city,” says Tremblay, the founding owner of Boom Town, a Montreal architectural firm and the architect responsible for the redesign. “They love the outdoors. They wanted things opened up.

They were afraid of not having enough natural light.”

Mélanie likes the urban rustic ambience.

“It’s modern, but very warm because of the materials that have been used,” she says. “We have sunshine all through the house. I look up from the living room (on the main floor) and I see the sky. It feels as though we are almost outside.”

The building already had a skylight, but it was small, and it provided light only to the upper floor. To bring more light inside and down onto the ground floor, Tremblay installed a skylight that measures four-byeight feet, and he had a similar-sized opening cut into the f loor on the second storey. It was a simple idea, he says, but it made a big difference to the house. Natural light now streams down through the second storey, which contains a home office and all three of the bedrooms, to the living room below. •

This home in the Rosemont-La PetitePatrie neighbourhood takes its personality from exotic wood floorboards, a maple wood staircase, Douglas fir support beams and a grove of elm trunks that act as a space divider.

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DESIGN MONTREAL SPRING 2018

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DESIGN

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White cabinets conceal the children’s toys; high-gloss black cabinets in the living room are used to store home-entertainment equipment.

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DESIGN MONTREAL SPRING 2018

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The second big idea that gives the house its special charm is the use of natural wood. As part of the redesign to a more open concept, several load-bearing walls were removed on the main floor. In their place, Douglas fir beams were installed to carry the weight of the second storey and to add the warmth the homeowners desired. Also warming up the space on the ground floor is an unusual room divider made from tree trunks. Three elm trees cut down on the homeowners’ chalet property were cut into sections and then installed ceiling-to-floor to make the faux forest that separates the children’s play area off the living room from the front hall. Mélanie’s brother, Bruno Laberge of Laberge Constructions, also the contractor for the renovation, cut the trees himself. •

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DESIGN

Another standout feature is a rough-hewn staircase made from a century-old maple tree that the couple had been storing at their cottage. Although there wasn’t enough wood for all the stair treads - the top three steps and bottom three are metal - the staircase packs a visual punch.

The former main staircase was enclosed between two walls and went from the front door directly up to the top duplex unit.

During the renovation, the staircase wall was removed and replaced with clear glass.

“It’s something people notice right away,” says Mélanie. Seven years on, she says, she is still getting compliments. “When people come inside, they say ‘Wow.’ They see the trees; they see the stairs. All the natural light.

“I don’t know if you can say this...but it’s more breathable.” •

A neon-green vanity adds visual punch to the bathroom. Aside from the red furnishings in the living room, the colour palette in the home is neutral. To bring light into the home, the architect installed a four-by-eight-foot skylight on the second storey and an opening of an equal size between the first and second floors.

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Bunny Berke R E A L

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B ROK E R

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Well-appointed, bright and spacious 2,305 sq ft condo with 200 sq ft loggia and 2 car interior parking. Designed by Scott Yetman. Private elevator access. 24/7 doorman, valet parking, pool and exercise room. Situated in the Golden Square Mile, close to shops, restaurants and transportation. A must see! MLS 17199406

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DESIGN

A NEW ENERGY IN PALM BEACH

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Montreal designer Scott Yetman renovates this Mediteranneanstyle home in Florida

BY BRENDA O’FARRELL PHOTOGRAPHY: AARON THOMPSON STYLING: SCOTT YETMAN

DESIGN MONTREAL SPRING 2018

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DESIGN

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DESIGN MONTREAL SPRING 2018

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HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT of living in Palm Beach?

Just imagine.

The town is a 29-kilometre stretch along a barrier island off the eastern coast of Florida.

It is no wider than 1.2 kilometres and narrows to about 150 metres at points, covering an area of 27 square kilometres, of which only 10 is land. The rest is water. Oh, and there is sunshine everywhere.

Frequently featured in the news during the past year, the island is the site of the Mar-a-Lago estate owned by U.S. President Donald Trump, which he often refers to as his “Winter White House.”

According to the latest census, Palm Beach has slightly more than 10,000 residents, of which more than half are over the age of 65.

But Scott Yetman sees that shifting. He’s a Montreal-based interior designer and owner of Scott Yetman Design. He does about 30 per cent of his business in Florida, and says Palm Beach is experiencing a youthful resurgence. •

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DESIGN

It is with that trend in focus that he set out to remodel a prime luxury home that is going to hit the market with an asking price of $8.8 million. It’s a six-bedroom, seven-bathroom, two-storey Mediterranean-style house. To bring the project to fruition, the designer worked with builder Sciame Homes of Palm Beach and with architect Benjamin Schreier of Affiniti Architects in Boca Raton.

“It’s a fresh, young version of a classic Palm Beach home,” Yetman says of the project. •

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The dining room was opened to a covered terrace with the installation of a large bank of windowed doors.

DESIGN MONTREAL SPRING 2018

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DESIGN

(Right) The black oversized range hood dominates the kitchen and creates contrast with the almost all-white space.

When asked if it would be a perfect second home, his response: “Or third, or fourth or fifth.” Welcome to the no-worries, privileged lifestyle of Palm Beach.

The home, which was originally built in the 1950s, has been completely remodeled and updated. Yetman refashioned it for a young family, or an older couple who has grandchildren. “I’m trying to create a younger, more modern Palm Beach look,” he says.

And that starts with creating energy. “I really like the living room. There’s energy between the colours – the black and the white.”

The setting is all white, including the pecky cypress-clad ceiling. As Yetman explains, “It gave it a fresher approach to paint it.” The black is introduced via accents and art. Many of the dramatic works displayed on the walls and atop the limestone fireplace

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mantel are on lease from a local gallery, giving the new owners the option of keeping them for now, changing them up later, or buying them.

Quality art pieces give the home a curated look, Yetman says, which adds to the vibe.

The designer also created his signature coffered ceilings in the kitchen and dining areas. This is a feature that provides both function and form, he says, allowing for a practical way to install ductwork, while creating a “layered effect” that “gives the room texture.”

During the renovation, a new bank of wide patio doors was added to the dining room, giving access to the outdoors almost across the entire side of the home, stretching along the living room, dining room, kitchen and breakfast-nook area. •

DESIGN MONTREAL SPRING 2018

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DESIGN

The open terrace is an inviting space with a selection of furnishings that include a faux-stone table made of a cast material.

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DESIGN MONTREAL SPRING 2018

The doors access an open terrace off the living room and a covered outdoor space off the dining room, as well as the swimming pool, which has been refurbished. Yetman says the outdoor furniture is treated very much like that in the interior rooms, with a mix of styles to create inviting spaces that have charm and sophistication. “It adds another room to the house,” he says.

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The kitchen is another area where the energy is amplified with the use of black and white. The oversized black range hood, with its molded frame, commands attention. The contrast with the almost all-white surroundings, and the strategic use of black accents and details creates the contrast that gives the space a fresh, modern feeling. The three-dimensional marble-tile backsplash provides interesting texture. •

The covered terrace is appointed with furniture that makes it an outdoor room. It extends the home’s living area and provides a shaded seating area that is ideal for sunny mornings.

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DESIGN

The living room is flooded with light. This space is almost all white, including the pecky cypress ceiling.

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DESIGN MONTREAL SPRING 2018

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(Above) The spacious master bedroom is on the ground floor and opens onto a private courtyard that is lined with tall hedges.

And what would a Florida home be without a master bedroom in which French doors open onto a private courtyard? Surrounded by walls of hedges, this outdoor space is an oasis.

The house was designed and is intended to be sold with all the furniture. Or, as Yetman says: “There is nothing to do. It’s ready to roll.”

His take on the newer, younger look to Palm Beach living could gain traction. “I’m not completely trying to change things; I’m trying to update them,” he says. “For most people, they could imagine themselves living there.”

Perhaps it’s time to start thinking about living in Palm Beach? Go ahead, imagine. •

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ST-LUC! IN THE PRESTIGIOUS DOMAINE DES POÈTES! Somptuous property including 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, kitchen of your dream with wood cabinets, living room with fire place and 11 feet ceiling, central heating gaz system, basement entirely finished with integrated bar, wine cellar, home movie theatre, heating floor...

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VIEW ON THE GOLF! Magnificient property, with 5 bedrooms, kitchen with maple wood cabinets, granit counters, island 4 x 9 with gas kitchen hob with 6 burners,all appliances included, large living room with 12 x 14 window, Master bedroom with on suite bathroom, ceramic shower, separate guest bathroom, in ground swimming pool with salt water system.

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ART

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ART MONTREAL SPRING 2018

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FINDING NEW LIFE AND SOLACE IN ART

Artist Maryse Chartrand’s life journey is expressed in glass

BY KAREN SEIDMAN

IN WHAT APPEARS TO BE a barn nestled into the woods in Quebec’s Eastern Townships, glass artist Maryse Chartrand hunkers down to begin the painstaking task of polishing and repolishing her latest piece, a gorgeous glass sculpture featuring the rich colours and serpentine lines that characterize her Newly Freed collection.

Looking at the bare trees and the snow sparkling outside the window of her Sutton

workshop, Chartrand feels the serenity she is trying to convey through her latest work. At first glance, it seems like an easy sentiment for an artist working in the country, in a rustic studio alongside her long-time boyfriend.

Easy, however, is not the name of the road that brought Chartrand to her life as a successful artist. At age 55, she is actually on her third career, her second partner and love, and her first time living outside an urban area. •

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ART

“At first, I thought that being a glass artist was about aesthetics,” Chartrand says. “But then I realized that my work really expresses my innermost quest, that it’s about being serene and at peace.”

For more than 20 years, Chartrand worked in advertising and communications, slogging it out as a French copywriter while she and her husband, Samuel Beaudry, raised their three children.

Feeling burned out, they decided in 2003 to take a year-long trip around the world with their children, aged nine, 11, and 13.

Chartrand describes the trip – which included stops in Guatemala, New Zealand, Vietnam, India, France, and Italy – as nothing less than spectacular. However, efforts to sell a documentary about it failed, and the couple returned to their demanding jobs. •

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ART MONTREAL SPRING 2018

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“Glass helps me express the mysterious beauty of life.”

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ART

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ART MONTREAL SPRING 2018

Everything seemed back to normal until there was a knock at the door in the middle of the night in 2005. A police officer told Chartrand that her husband had killed himself.

No, she insisted; he loved life and his children too much to ever harm them this way. But it was true. The news was both devastating and shocking.

“It was incomprehensible,” says Chartrand. “I had to understand what happened to him.”

So began her second career as a documentary filmmaker. She began to explore depression, which led to the successful documentary

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With and Without You, a second journey for the family that combined footage from their trip with Beaudry with the aftermath of his suicide. This greatly helped Chartrand’s emotional healing.

The next surprise in her life was far more pleasant: she fell in love. Her new love, François Charbonneau, was a structural engineer and craftsman. Talking with him of dreams unfulfilled, Chartrand mentioned a weekend workshop of glassblowing she had done a few years back. •

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ART

“Molten glass really captivated me,” she says.

“I thought that if I was crazy, I’d do the threeyear full-time program to learn this craft.”

With Charbonneau’s encouragement, she signed up for the program at Espace Verre in Montreal, the only school in Quebec dedicated to the fired arts. She had no objective of selling her work or being an artist; she just wanted to learn the craft.

The more she immersed herself in glass, the more she became fascinated with it. “Glass is full of complexity and contradictions,” she says. “It is both transparent and opaque, solid but fragile, dense but fluid.”

She considers glass her creative partner.

“My artistic statement is really linked to the material I use,” Chartrand explains. “Glass helps me express the mysterious beauty of life.”

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ART MONTREAL SPRING 2018

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“Life will bring you things you never expected.”

Her pieces embrace this wondrous feeling with their fluidity and stunning colours, in the way she achieves the appearance of flowers flowing through her thick glass vases or the way colours are suspended in a heavy clear glass cocoon. Her work doesn’t have straight lines, a reflection of the twists and turns of real life.

She was “discovered” when gallery owner Elena Lee – the first to represent the Studio Glass Movement in Canada – chose her work for an exhibit of emerging glass artists. Chartrand’s work is now sold across the country, some pieces for as much as $1,500. One of her early works, Quiet Strength, resides in the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec.

For Chartrand, the road she has journeyed, the new life she has created for herself, have been both painful and joyous. She believes her late husband would be thrilled about the direction of her life, as he had a real reverence for art and artists.

“I didn’t expect this,” she says. “Life will bring you things you never expected. Falling in love again, being an artist, moving to the country – this is the beauty of life I’m trying to express through my art.” •

Maryse Chartrand www.marysec.com

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DESIGN

THE MOZART OF MISSONI, THE COLOUR OF CONGREVE IT WAS MY SECOND VISIT to Paris’s vast Maison & Objet design show at the Paris Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre.

This time, it was the winter 2018 show.

And it was no less intimidating than my first visit in September 2017. You may recall from my report of that visit that the event is staged in the centre’s eight halls, which cover a mind-boggling 246,000 square metres. Seeing all of the exhibits is impossible.

Following Maison & Objet’s winter show, I bring you the latest design trends that I saw there.

I was, alas, disappointed to observe that the same colours that dominated design in 2017 were on show again. And I infer that they won’t be going away any time soon. I am referring to grey – in both colour and thought – as a general trend.

Yes, there are valiant bursts of colourful endeavours by the tchotchke companies of the world but pitifully few efforts at true individualism and novel design.

Granted, I am new to the design world in this decade. Although I have the right pedigree – a BA in art history from Vassar College and a degree in interior design from Parsons School of Design – I left this business for 20 years to pursue my passion: a career in classical music.

I won’t bore you, dear readers, with too many details because I intend to keep you amused in future columns with narratives about my life as an opera singer. But one thing I can tell you is this: In the theatre, we keep our drama on the stage. It is difficult enough to learn our music, show up on time, and earn our paltry living without having to backstab other artists. That sort of nonsense doesn’t happen; it’s written for daytime television.

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DESIGN MONTREAL SPRING 2018

Obviously, a soprano cannot sing the same notes as a baritone. So we really are not in competition with each other once we have the job. We are actually very collegial. I cannot say the same of designers. The ones I have met so far are pretty … well, not very nice to each other.

Why is that?

What is that about?

Isn’t there enough creative juice to go around?

Don’t they believe that the best designers will rise to the top?

And the consumer will judge?

Am I just a foolish utopian living in a dream world?

Write to us!

Scream at me, oh designers!

Tell me how it really is out there.

Seletti Design

Seletti Design

Seletti Design

Seletti Design

Should designers not support each other as singers do in performance? Should that reasoning not reign in the world of design?

For instance, there I was once again in the vast, lonely, impossible-to-properly-navigate Maison & Objet Paris ...

And yes, as your publisher, I will probably attend the show twice a year to give you articles about world design trends. Aren’t you excited?

And lo and behold: Everyone is still producing design that is mainly in GREY. And yet …

And yet …

And yet …

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DESIGN

All images: Missoni

The beauty of the human spirit rises.

I hear it like a Mozart overture. I hear the oboes as the purple chairs that were pushing forth. I see the green settees, and the Portuguese designers with their metal Louis XIV table legs as flutes popping out. And lo! We have a rococo concerto. There is hope like spring in the midst of the winter rain in Paris.

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DESIGN MONTREAL SPRING 2018

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All images: Missoni

Some red sofas, like red roses, sounded like the trumpets of a fanfare to announce: “Don’t despair, Sharon! The triumph of the human spirit is that it cannot survive without warmth, communication, community.”

And so, the winner of the Maison & Objet show, for me, was the huge display by Missoni.

The high-end Italian fashion house, founded in 1953, is known for its colourful knitwear designs. The warm zigzag patterns and lush fabrics are iconic and globally recognizable.

Missoni’s presence was a soft haven in a harsh environment. Just beautiful! Can you hear the harmonies yet? If not, lean back. Relax.

To quote the Restoration playwright and poet William Congreve: “Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast.” This is what the world needs now.

See you at the next M & O in September.

Stay cozy. And listen to Vivaldi if you get depressed in the cold.

Dr. Sharon Azrieli Publisher

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LANDSCAPE

TO INFINIT Y AND BEYOND Vanishing-edge pools provide a luxurious outdoor experience

BY WENDY HELFENBAUM

THE MOST SUCCESSFUL OPTICAL ILLUSIONS trick the eye into seeing something magical. Infinity pools – where water flows over one or more edges, making the pool appear to blend with a larger body of water beyond – became popular in Europe in the 1990s, especially at hotels.

Over the past 10 years, this type of pool has become a must-have outdoor element among North American homeowners with large swaths of land, Instagram-worthy views, and large landscaping budgets.

Infinity pools are believed to have originated in France at the Palace of Versailles in the 17th century, says Reinier van de Poll, owner of Van de Poll Garden Design in Vancouver. “Many would point to the Stag Fountain as one of the first examples of a vanishing pool edge – the use of the horizon and the infinity,” he says.

Today’s vanishing-edge pools are usually installed on properties that look out over a body of water, says Lee Gregory, project coordinator with Groupe Paramount in Montreal.

“When someone has a special lakefront or cliffside property, they’ll often go the extra mile to draw attention to that,” says Gregory.

“For instance, for a house on Lac Saint-Louis we did recently, we matched the colour of the pool as closely as possible to the lake, so that when it was filled with water, it would give the impression that the pool is endless.

And the sounds of the waterfalls add to the experience.” •

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LANDSCAPE MONTREAL SPRING 2018

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Photo courtesy of Groupe Paramount

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LANDSCAPE MONTREAL SPRING 2018

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Flat landscape is the easiest canvas upon which to install an infinity pool, but homeowners with sloped properties can have equally spectacular results, says Kennedy McRae, co-owner and landscape designer at Earth Inc. in Toronto. Opting for a vanishing-edge pool on a slope solves two problems: transforming formerly unusable space while creating an especially dramatic vista.

“To create a negative edge, you have to have a little bit of a grade change, so if the body of water that we’re creating is higher than the actual lake, you can build right into the middle of the slope, and when you’re in the pool, it really becomes an infinity pool,” says McRae, whose team designed a show-stopping outdoor space for a two-acre property north of Barrie, Ontario.

Even with no natural water in sight, infinity pools can add interest, he adds. “Some people want an infinity pool when they have a forest setting. A vanishing edge on one side is a cool design element that’s fun to play with.” •

Kennedy McRae: “Here, we hid the pool equipment under the cabana at the top. A lot of people forget you need a mechanical room to house all the pool equipment in.”

Photos courtesy of Earth Inc.

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LANDSCAPE

This was the case when van de Poll designed a sprawling backyard for homeowner Brian Craig, a father of eight in Pitt Meadows, B.C., who wanted to create a multigenerational retreat. Craig, a developer, had built in 1991 but waited until 2012 to finish the landscaping around his home, which is atop a 70-foot cliff.

“Brian doesn’t have a body of water in the distance; his pool blends in with the horizon,” says van de Poll. “I had to pay a lot of attention to the natural terrain of the site – which was very sloped with a lot of rock outcroppings – to figure out where the pool was going to fit.

I orientated the vanishing pool edge slightly

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over to the east so you were looking towards mountains, trees, and an open view.”

The effect is spectacular, but the pool has value beyond that for Craig and his family.

“I’d grown up with a regular rectangular pool, and I wanted something completely different. As my kids got older and began working with me, they actually helped build the pool,” says Craig, whose son Jonathan runs True Light Building and Development Ltd. “Everybody’s got their memory of how they put the rocks a certain way. It’s beautiful and natural, and feels like you’re in a lake or

a pond. My 14th grandchild is on the way and everyone enjoys the pools. It’s a hub for the family, a real treasure.”

What if you have a less than spectacular view? Infinity pools can help disguise that, says van de Poll.

“If you see your neighbor, a trampoline, and a swing set, a vanishing pool edge could be facing your house and patio,” he suggests.

“The concept and mechanics are the same, but instead of it disappearing off the horizon, you actually have the effect of a waterfall from the pools pouring down, and you could be sitting near it on the patio.” •

LANDSCAPE MONTREAL SPRING 2018

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Photos courtesy of Van de Poll Garden Design

To decrease the towering appearance of Craig’s home, van de Poll designed a cedar post-and-beam arbour so people sitting on the lower patio overlook the main pool, hot tub, and shallow children’s pool.

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Photo courtesy of Van de Poll Garden Design

LANDSCAPE MONTREAL SPRING 2018

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Photo courtesy of Groupe Paramount

Whatever vista a property overlooks, adding an infinity pool requires plenty of additional work, such as building another basin to capture and recirculate the water flowing over the edge. Expect to tack on $40,000 or more above the cost of a standard rectangular pool, says McRae. “When you do an infinity pool, the other side doesn’t have the ground to push back on the body of water, so you have to make the walls of the pool thicker to create the strength to hold the water inside of the pool,” he says.

Gregory suggests defining various areas in an outdoor space to decide how they will be used. Then, the project should be viewed in a holistic way by factoring in all the elements surrounding an infinity pool. “One big mistake people make is going to a pool company first, one that’s not worried about the landscaping around the pool,” he says.

Once the pool is installed, there may not be enough space for lounging or dining.

“You can’t just plop a negative-edge pool in and walk away,” adds van de Poll. “People

show us a Pinterest page and don’t realize it also includes $150,000 to $250,000 worth of landscaping: patios, walkways, staircases, lighting, planting, and pool equipment.”

Thoughtful planning and attention to detail can ensure a successful infinity pool project, one that’s good for body and soul.

“My goal is always to create a backyard retreat,” says van de Poll. “At the end of a crazy week, I want people to open their back doors and say, ‘Oh my goodness, there’s my holiday spot.’ ” •

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DESIGN VANCOUVER KITCHENS 2017

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LIFESTYLE

SPRING INTO A TIDY HOME Decluttering and organizing rooms is a joyful rite of the spring season

BY SUSAN KELLY

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Photo courtesy of The Tidy Moose

LIFESTYLE MONTREAL SPRING 2018

SPRINGTIME: the return of an instinctual, almost visceral, need to clear out and clean up. Beyond a quick refresh, a seasonal decluttering can have far-reaching benefits, say professional organizers.

Business booms in the spring months for Anne Deliyannides and Debbie Bailey, coowners of Free From Clutter in Vancouver, hinting that the urge to get organized may be a universal one. “By April, sunny weather has returned, and people begin to think about new life. There’s a sense of rebirth and renewal,” says Deliyannides. This prompts us to want out with the old, as in detritus from living indoors during the winter months, and in with the new. •

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Photos courtesy of The Tidy Moose

LIFESTYLE

Clients report feeling lighter and freer after a good clearout, she says. This is especially true if they have been living with chaos. And there can be financial benefits to reorganizing a garage or closet. One client found a Coach purse that had been lost for a year. Almost all clients turn up unused gift cards or duplicate items that later might be sold.

The easy part is putting away winter clothing, tires, and sports gear. When it comes to resistant clutter, the problem is usually all in the family, the pair finds. “An aging population means more people who are downsizing,” Deliyannides says. “They’re giving away their stuff to their kids – who don’t want it.”

It’s not that they want to disrespect the older generation; it’s just that they live a different lifestyle. Hardest to place are such heirlooms as an ornately carved silver epergne

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or a collection of Hummel figurines. With Vancouverites today tending to embrace a more contemporary aesthetic, such antiques look jarringly out of place.

For many people, it’s a case of having no room in the condo or small home to accommodate such items. Bailey, whose background includes a degree in psychology, often finds herself helping people overcome guilt. She suggests they keep memory boxes, small containers with a few select mementos of the family member, rather than, say, the full set of antique china they’ll never use.

“Grandma really wants you to be happy,” she says. “So sell it and use the money to take the kids to Disney World or top up their education funds.”

Learning to value our stuff can pay off in more meaningful ways, according to Ivanka

Siolkowsky, owner of The Tidy Moose in Toronto. “Clutter holds us back from being our best selves,” she says. “Getting organized requires a shift of focus: placing less value on things and more on a higher quality of life.”

This is the philosophy behind the growing trend toward minimalistic, less consumption-driven living. Siolkowsky learned at the feet of a master, Marie Kondo, author of the bestselling The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. The book teaches that the key to a sustainable clutter-free existence is to focus less on what to get rid of and more on surrounding yourself only with things that bring joy. Easy in theory, but more difficult in practice, which is where the select few consultants who, like Siolkowsky, are certified in the method, come in.

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Photos courtesy of The Tidy Moose

LIFESTYLE MONTREAL SPRING 2018

Siolkowsky – organizer and former emotional shopper – sympathizes with clients who have things that hang in the closet for years.

Well aware that difficult feelings can emerge during decluttering, she helps them focus positively on that which they really use and love.

Traditional organizing methods tackle clutter by problem area, such as a closet.

The Kondo method teaches to approach by categories instead. “Clothes are the big one,”

Siolkowsky says, “and we begin by gathering every item from every room.” The second biggest problem category she identifies is books and papers.

But can clearing some clutter really be life-changing? Siolkowsky has seen some dramatic transformations. One client had a house that was “full of stuff and a very tense place to be.” After some instruction in the method, the client reported that things were

better in her marriage and her children were taking accountability for their belongings.

Gone was the need to shout or nag, and the constant tripping over or misplacing of things. “We have a system now and it’s made a drastic difference in the mood of the home,” the client reported. •

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LIFESTYLE

Not everyone is ready or willing to pare their belongings down to the minimum. No matter how little or much stuff you choose to have, you need some place to put it, says Daniel Wilkinson, co-owner of Simply Closets of Toronto, which provides custom storage solutions. “There’s an emotional benefit to having a closet that is as beautiful as the rest of your home,” he says. “And well-designed storage also allows you to use space more efficiently.”

Greater attention is being paid to what goes on behind closed doors, he finds. There is a big move toward custom closet interiors that have a style on par with that in the rest of the home. If the star of the master bath is a contemporary high-gloss charcoal vanity, say, then the same look is carried over into the adjacent walk-in closet.

It also helps to think outside the closet to maximize space, Wilkinson says. Reserve the space inside it for things that need vertical

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room, such as dresses and coats. For anything that fits in a drawer, consider built-in cabinets on each side of the bed that can double as stylish night tables. Space under windows or odd nooks can also be used.

Within the closet, use gadgets judiciously to help reduce clutter that is both visual and actual. That tangle of belts and ties in one corner? Incorporate special racks for each category that slide out and then tuck discreetly away. If laundry winds up underfoot, built-in bins that tip out and then fold away solve the problem. And then there is the personal valet, an apparatus that swings out to accommodate scarves, keys, umbrella, dry cleaning, or anything else you aren’t quite ready to put away.

“It’s not so much out of sight, out of mind as out of sight bringing peace of mind,” Wilkinson says. •

LIFESTYLE MONTREAL SPRING 2018

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DECLUTTERING TIP SHEET Throw away the rule book if you want to get organized, says professional organizer Gayle Fransham, owner of Orderesque in Montreal. Over two decades of plying her trade, she has learned that what works for one person won’t for the other. “Take the one about ‘if you haven’t used it for a year, get rid of it,’ ” she says. “Just because I didn’t use my camping gear last year, doesn’t mean I won’t ever again.”

It’s important to understand your lifestyle and needs.

But one thing is for certain: You must have a plan. Here are Fransham’s best tips, adapted from her client handout, for a successful clutter-clearing operation.

Photos courtesy of Simply Closets

Prepare to act: Write down the scope of the project along with the tasks and steps required to get it done. Some people like to tackle the tough jobs first, others the small ones. Stock the refrigerator or have take-out menus on hand. Once you’re on a roll you won’t want to stop to prepare a meal.

Set up a sorting area: This is where you’ll put clearly marked boxes for the things you’ve separated. Divide the items into categories: donate, give to family and friends, sell online or at a garage sale, return, throw out, or recycle.

Target storage solutions: Clean the area and assess available shelf, hanging, and bin space. Determine whether you need such new solutions as built-in cabinetry. Hold off buying storage containers and gadgets until you’re sure how much stuff is going back and how you want it stored.

Take time with this final step and enjoy it because, once rid of items that are cluttering your life, you’ll probably find the actual organizing to be easy and fun.

“You can learn so much about yourself during the purging process,” says Fransham. “When you finally let go, there is a lightness, a sense of emotional freedom.”

Choose your charities: To make the process more meaningful, go with one that is close to your heart, and set a time for it to pick up your donation. That way, you’ll be strongly motivated to meet your personal deadline. If none of your choices provides pickup service, commit to dropping the items off on the planned date and ask someone for help if need be (there are options, such as hiring a student, to help with tasks such as this).

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STAR

STRUCK Let the planets be your guide as you declutter, reorganize, and spruce up your home for spring

BY SUSAN KELLY

AH SPRING! As the sun barges into the supercharged sign of Aries, it delivers an annual energetic kick-start. It’s the vernal equinox and the astrological new year, celebrated for millennia by many cultures around the world.

Early spring 2018 brings turbulent patterns and extreme impulses. We will have plenty of drive to (finally!) tackle the clutter.

But before you book the dumpster, consider that with the planet Mercury in retrograde motion, our mental responses are less than clear. Best astrological advice: Rather than making new plans now, it’s best to review, refine, and build on what was started before. Include extra contingency time in any cleanup plan to allow for minor delays and mix-ups.

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By late April, sensible Taurus takes over. This Venus-motivated sign evokes our need to be surrounded by beauty along with a dose of common sense. Patience and perseverance are easier to come by then, too. So, mark May onwards as the best time for a big decluttering project, especially if it must be executed in stages over time.

The seasonal cleanup/clear-out urge is universal. But each zodiac sign will respond differently when it comes to goals and methods. Here is a guide to making a plan that works for you.

LIFESTYLE MONTREAL SPRING 2018

ARIES MARCH 21 – APRIL 19 ENDPOINT: A streamlined space that supports your active, goal-oriented life.

THE STRATEGY: Clutter be gone! You insist on being first out of the starting gate. But since you’re better in the sprint than the marathon, you too often falter in the stretch. To stay in the race, make the clearout a competition against the clock or someone else. And tackle only projects that can be completed in a day or less.

TAURUS APRIL 20 – MAY 20 ENDPOINT: A beautiful home that delights all the senses.

THE STRATEGY: House proud, you run a tight, spotless ship. But you abhor change and waste, and so tend to cling to stuff forever.

This is your year for a major life upgrade. Eye your possessions and pinpoint those with true intrinsic value: emotional or monetary. Toss overboard any that fall short.

GEMINI MAY 21 – JUNE 20 ENDPOINT: Surroundings that tell your story.

THE STRATEGY: You’re all about communication and feeding your insatiable curiosity. And so, books and papers, even in a digital age, tend to pile up alarmingly. Remind yourself that taming all clutter will free your mind. Edit ruthlessly, a little each day. Keep only that which increases efficiency or speaks volumes about you.

CANCER JUNE 21 – JULY 22 ENDPOINT: A cozy retreat that makes your heart sing.

THE STRATEGY: It’s family first for sentimental you. Small wonder letting go of heirlooms and keepsakes is so difficult. Memory boxes provide a creative way to preserve the most precious items. For the hard decisions, enlist someone objective to assist. And think of giving stuff a good home, chez a friend or the thrift shop.

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LEO JULY 23 – AUGUST 22 ENDPOINT: A jewel-like setting in which to shine.

THE STRATEGY: Yes, clutter really is beneath your royal notice, which may be why it tends to pile up! Once it’s caught your attention, you excel at project management and putting together an ace team. Prioritize creating more space to entertain. You’ll love showing off the new and improved space and basking in the applause.

VIRGO AUGUST 23 – SEPTEMBER 22 ENDPOINT: A home in which to heal mind and spirit.

THE STRATEGY: You have an organization system others envy. But it’s a struggle, as a mania for detail prompts you to hang onto life’s minutiae.

Result: more clutter and stress on your multitasking mind. To create serene surroundings, stash all your “busyness” behind closed cupboard doors or in bins.

LIBRA SEPTEMBER 23 – OCTOBER 22 ENDPOINT: A camera-ready home at all times.

THE STRATEGY: Decisions, decisions — if only you could make them! Hint: All that procrastination is really a form of perfectionism. Try damning the torpedoes and let go of stuff. For motivation, deploy your keen eye for aesthetics and make room for a new work of art, a designer sofa, or other decor refresh.

SCORPIO OCTOBER 23 – NOVEMBER 21 ENDPOINT: To create a space of magic and meaning.

THE STRATEGY: You have a flair for drama and a gift for transforming the space around you. To avoid: a binge-purge approach to clutter, letting it pile up before going on an all-day cleanup rampage. Aim for a more sustainable system. And much as you hate to let go, do eliminate anything that has negative memories.

SAGITTARIUS NOVEMBER 22 – DECEMBER 21 ENDPOINT: Surroundings that set your spirit free.

THE STRATEGY: Your easygoing approach applies to possessions, too, which can mean they accumulate and take over. What to keep: things found on your travels or that have great personal or cultural significance. Next, curate them into collections for display. Then throw a party and let the revellers fill the void once filled with your clutter.

CAPRICORN DECEMBER 22 – JANUARY 19 E NDPOIN T: To be master/mistress of a ll you survey.

THE STRATEGY: Tradition is important to you, as is a clutter-free, organized environment.

Surround yourself only with things that scream quality (hide the labels, though), or that remind you of your many achievements.

You ace the scheduling and arranging. As for execution … well, that’s what minions are for, isn’t it?

AQUARIUS JANUARY 20 – FEBRUARY 18 ENDPOINT: To be totally social and connected.

THE STRATEGY: A genius for invention is your biggest ally in conquering clutter. Deploy it to find unconventional storage, recycling, and repurposing options. For motivation, focus on clearing space for the droves of people you can’t seem to function without. You will, however, work at your own erratic pace.

PISCES FEBRUARY 19 – MARCH 20 ENDPOIN T: A serene retreat in which to re-energize.

THE STRATEGY: You have a higher chaos threshold than most. Fortunately, your “It’s Just Stuff” motto also applies when it comes time to let go. Since too-big goals overwhelm you, focus on small ones. Then work at them as the spirit moves you, giving your creative side free rein as you go. •

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LIFESTYLE

TO YOUR HEALTH! Smoothie and juice bars are changing the way we enjoy plant-based nutrition

BY JULIE GEDEON

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LIFESTYLE MONTREAL SPRING 2018

CLEAN UP, TUNE UP, SPRUCE UP. Spring is the season for sweeping away winter’s cobwebs and grime from the house, the yard, the garage, the car.

That big clean-up extends to our bodies, too, as we move toward the vernal equinox.

For years, juices and smoothies have been the drinks of choice at this time of year for those who want to give themselves a post-winter health boost. And while it can be worth the trouble and money to invest in a juicing machine for the home, Canada seems to have almost as many juice bars these days as coffee shops, suggesting that some of us like to grab our wholesome liquids on the run.

The folks who run juice bars know a thing or two about mixing plant-based liquid foods for their salubrious qualities.

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A case in point is Eddie Chan, who opened Bolt Fresh Bar on Queen Street West four years ago to give Torontonians healthful smoothies. He says, “We encourage people to begin with sweeter blends, like Blueberry Thrill with its coconut milk, blueberries, bananas, lemon, chia seeds, cinnamon, cardamom, and maple syrup, before transitioning to greener choices.

“Yet many like our greenest smoothie, The Power Plant, straight away.” The lemon, ginger, coconut water, and green apple counterbalance the drink’s kale, spinach, cucumber, spirulina, avocado, chia seeds, and hemp hearts.

Bolt Fresh keeps smoothies accessible by allowing customers to add ingredients. “Algae tastes like swamp,” Chan admits, “but it’s negligible in the mix.” •

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Also in Toronto, Greenhouse Juice offers cold-pressed juices for energy boosts or healthy reboots. Gold Rush, containing pineapple, cucumber, lemon, and ginger, is a vitamin-C-loaded hydrating antioxidation powerhouse to get things moving. The Good has cucumber, spinach, romaine lettuce, celery, lemon, and Himalayan salt, providing vitamins A and K, along with iron and electrolytes.

“Our customers report better sleep, shinier hair, and younger-looking skin,” says Hana James. She co-founded Greenhouse Juice four years ago with childhood friends Anthony Green and Emma Knight. “We all felt there is great juicing in Los Angeles, New York, and other cities, and thought, ‘Why doesn’t Toronto have this?’ ”

The company now has 16 locations and has a subscription delivery service. The juices are made using hydraulic pressure to minimize heat and oxidation that can degrade nutrients and enzymes. “You’re left with a more vibrant, nutrient juice than you would have by using a home blender or juicer,” James says.

Greenhouse recently introduced a range of juices with extended shelf life. Using light filtration technology, the company has been able to improve the products’ accessibility while allowing for glass bottling and without diminishing flavour, nutrients, or enzyme activity.

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Photography by Elena Mari and Nathan Legiehn.

Provided courtesy of Greenhouse.

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Why not just eat vegetables? We’d have to chew for days to obtain this level of nutrients, explains Zack Berman, co-founder with Ryan Slater of The Juice Truck in Vancouver. “The lack of fibre additionally permits our bodies to assimilate the vitamins and nutrients quickly, providing an energy boost without the later crash that comes from regular digestion,” he says.

Friends since age 12, Berman and Slater backpacked for a year after university and noticed that people in the Himalayas consumed a vibrant-orange drink containing sea buckthorn. “The super-berry is high in iron, omegas, calcium, and vitamin C and, once we tried it, we sought out how other people obtained nutrients,” Berman says.

The duo explored India’s 5,000-year-old Ayurveda diet but also the country’s juice carts. “Locals gather around these carts the way North Americans frequent coffee shops,” Berman says.

He and Slater launched Vancouver’s first cold-pressed juice company seven years ago, initially operating from their now-famous Gastown food truck. They’ve since added a truck and three brick-and-mortar locations.

They also sell their juices through more than 30 retailers, as well as offering online ordering and delivery.

Berman and Slater consulted with nutritionists and herbalists to develop blends. The Base is a popular start with cucumber, celery, pear, kale, lemon, and ginger, while The Kickstarter is anti-inflammatory and digestively helpful; it contains apple, cucumber, lemon, ginger, and cayenne.

Smoothies are more filling with their retained fibre. “We start with familiar ingredients such as bananas, strawberries, spinach, kale, and avocados, and offer supplements that are leading the food movement,” Berman says.

Ashwagandha, a.k.a. India’s ginseng, is masked within a smoothie. “The word means ‘smell of a horse,’ ” Berman says, “but it helps to fill immunity gaps, counteract stress, regulate hormones and sleep, and provide energy.”

Other boosters include maca (a root vegetable high in antioxidants that also includes vitamin C and iron), moringa (a leaf that’s like a multivitamin), and pine pollen that’s a natural testosterone supplement, which is ideal before workouts. •

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Patrick Andraous, who opened Just Pressed in downtown Montreal less than a year ago, also learned about cold-pressed juices during his travels. “And I thought, ‘Why don’t we have this in Montreal?’ ” he says. Juice companies abounded, but most use high-pressure processing (HPP) or pasteurization for longer shelf life, which isn’t the same as fresh juice bottled in glass for consumption within days.

Montrealers can order online to have juice delivered twice weekly.

Andraous champions the benefits. “I had such bad acne that I couldn’t sit back on a chair without pain,” he says. “Dermatologists tried everything, but it was only after drinking these juices along with eating regular meals for eight months that the acne disappeared.”

Consumers appreciate the price when they learn that nearly two kilograms of produce go into every 500-millilitre bottle. “We’re certified by Ecocert Canada,” Andraous adds.

“Every drop is 100 per cent organic.”

The Liquid Gold with apple, ginger, and lemon is recommended for new juicers, but many immediately like The Mean Greens with its kale, spinach, cucumber, celery, parsley, apple, lemon, and lime.

“Our green juices are 80 per cent greens, so it’s like drinking a salad, but our flavours are so well balanced that even my five-yearold nephew, the world’s pickiest eater, loves them,” says Andraous.

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LIFESTYLE MONTREAL SPRING 2018

Getting children to enjoy vegetables was among the reasons George Kyres started InBalance in Montreal last summer. His company offers Smoothie Cubes, produce that has been imported flash-frozen to retain nutrients and is packaged conveniently in small cubes. Add 10 cubes to a favourite liquid and voilà: a nutritious juice or smoothie.

“It tastes amazing and is really healthy with the sugar and calories slashed in half by using fruit as natural sweeteners, and by adding superfoods like rosehip,” Kyres says.

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The combinations are delicious, with the orange base, for example, including carrot, apple, peach, pineapple, butternut squash, and rosehip. The cubes are available at stores in Ontario and Quebec and allow for less nagging by parents, which prompts the question: Will “eat your vegetables” eventually be replaced by “drink your veggies”? •

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T hingS wOrk bE T T Er whEn T hE y F iT. which is why we adapt hospital care to a child’s needs.

Funds raised by OpĂŠration Enfant Soleil are used to acquire the latest medical equipment and to create a better healing environment for sick children. operation enfant soleil.ca

TURNING VISIONS INTO REALITIES

4300 Cote de Liesse Mont Royal, Quebec H4N 2P7 514-345-0909 • www.loffice.com

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REAL ESTATE

MAKE THE MOST OF THIS FEVERED MARKET

Montreal’s real estate market is extremely active and it’s showing no signs of slowing down

BY BRENDA O’FARRELL

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FOR MORE THAN A YEAR, headlines have been drawing attention to the heated real estate markets in Vancouver and Toronto. With prices climbing at a fast clip and foreign investors driving them even higher, provincial lawmakers in both British Columbia and Ontario have introduced new rules to curb spiking prices in an attempt to keep the cost of home-ownership within reach of more than just the ultra-rich.

Despite the attention focused on Toronto and Vancouver, Montreal’s real estate market has quietly been revving, going from holding its own to being red-hot. And there are no signs of it cooling.

“There is an energy in the market,” says Sylvie Ménard, a broker with Royal LePage Humania. It is so busy, she says, that she is working seven days a week.

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“Today, we are in a year that we have never seen before.

There is less choice than ever.

The market is very hot.”

The Montreal housing market is shifting away from its long-established reputation as being a buyer’s market, and the intensity is picking up by the week.

“We are shifting into a seller’s market,” says Ménard, who was involved in 30 transactions last year. “For the past three years, it has been a buyer’s market.” Those days are gone, she adds. Now, anyone wanting to get in on the action, has to move quickly, and expect to pay. There are few bargains to be had.

During the first week of February, Ménard listed two properties for sale in Outremont.

Almost instantly, the requests to see them came flooding in. What followed was a whirlwind that included 30 showings, sparking bidding wars. It all culminated in the sale of both properties – all within 48 hours.

“It’s crazy,” Ménard says. “Today, we are in a year that we have never seen before.” With a limited supply of inventory on the market, “there is less choice than ever. The market is very hot.”

The statistics bear this out. According to the Greater Montreal Real Estate Board, there were 2,598 residential sale transactions

in the Census Metropolitan Area of Montreal in January 2018, a 13-per-cent increase compared with the first month of 2017, making it the most active January in eight years.

And prices were up an average of 10 per cent across the board in January, compared with the same month in 2017, according to the real estate board’s figures. The average price jumped to $460,000, up from $416,750. On a month-over-month basis, prices increased by 2.22 per cent, from $450,000 in December. •

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And it’s not just one sector. Properties across the entire island of Montreal are in demand.

Last month, Ménard listed two comparable townhouses: One was near the Atwater Market on the outskirts of the downtown core, the other in suburban West Island, in Dollard des Ormeaux. Each sold for $1.3 million in less than 60 days.

Multi-family units, what Ménard refers to as “plexes” – duplexes, triplexes and small apartment buildings with six or eight units – are hot, too. Young professionals are buying them, believing they represent a better return on their investment than the traditional stock market.

Ménard points to three contributing factors fuelling the surge in market activity: rising interest rates, Montreal’s growing worldwide reputation as an attractive city for students, and investment from Asia.

The first point may seem counter-intuitive, she admits. As interest rates rise, increasing the cost of financing the purchase of a property, wouldn’t fewer people be willing to buy?

In fact, Ménard says she is seeing the opposite effect. As interest rates inch higher, people are scrambling to buy now, before they are priced out of the market.

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REAL ESTATE MONTREAL SPRING 2018

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“Instead of studying in the U.S., or considering the U.S., they looked to Montreal.”

Montreal’s well-established reputation as a university city is gaining international attention as well, Ménard says, explaining that many foreign students who, in the past, would have opted to study in the U.S., are now, due to the Trump administration’s views on immigration and unpredictable approach to access, looking to Canada. And what they find in Montreal impresses them, she says.

“Last year, and in 2016, more people did a shift,” she says. “Instead of studying in the U.S., or considering the U.S., they looked to Montreal. They feel the studies are cheaper, and the quality of the teachers and sciences are higher than expected.”

She also points to investors from Asia pumping money into downtown condo

towers. “They buy it on a plan,” before the project is completed, she says, and then rent out the units. She points to such projects as YUL and the Tour des Canadiens as examples of this trend.

Ménard’s advice to buyers is simple: “You have to be prepared. First things first: You go to the bank and get pre-approved (for a mortgage). Now, it’s mandatory.” Be in a position to move quickly, she advises. The old practice of getting a mortgage after finding a property will mean losing out to another buyer.

And “even if it’s not your first house or condo, take the opportunity to talk with a broker,” she says. “Sometimes we will know what will be on the market next week.” Again, the key, she adds, is being able to react quickly.

Sellers, Ménard adds, “need to make sure the broker who has an opinion of your house is the right one, especially on the price. Sometimes, you can list a little higher.”

And don’t underestimate the value of staging a home to attract buyers, she adds. “It’s a win-win. You are going to sell at a higher price and faster.” •

Sylvie Ménard www.sylviemenard.com

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BOUCHERVILLE – STUDIO OPEN BY APPOINTMENT OCTOBER 15 TO MAY 15

106, CHEMIN DU TREMBLAY • 450.449.9514

ON VIEW

Michel LeRoux www.michelleroux-art.ca

ADELE CAMPBELL GALLERY – WHISTLER, BC EDWARD MONTGOMERY FINE ART – CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA, CA, U.S.A. GALERIE DIMENSION PLUS – MONTRÉAL, QC GALERIE D’ART IRIS – BAIE-SAINT-PAUL, QC GALERIE MICHEL-ANGE – MONTRÉAL, QC GALERIE MICHEL BIGUÉ – SAINT-SAUVEUR, QC HARBOUR GALLERY – MISSISSAUGA, ON

450.449.9514

KAMOURASKA

MEET THE ARTIST JUNE 20 TO SEPTEMBER 3 STUDIO AND GALLERY 152, AVENUE MOREL (ROAD 132) • 450.449.9514

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DESIGN

BRANCHING OUT This leading North American producer of shower doors expands its product lines to the whole bathroom

BY CHERYL CORNACCHIA

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GLASS SHOWER ENCLOSURES have been a bathroom must-have for years, and their popularity shows no sign of abating. Glass doors and walls can be matched with an endless array of plumbing fixtures and accent tiles that can help a bathroom stand out. That potential for creative design is key to why Fleurco, a Montreal-based manufacturer, has grown into a leading North American brand.

Present in showrooms across Canada and the United States, Fleurco products include glass shower doors in a wide range of finishes, styles and sizes, including a new 86-inch-high door. The company uses Microtek, a glass protector that allows water to bead off the

doors and prevents water spots and calcium build-up. Kinetik gravity-free door rollers are another selling point of the brand.

This year, the hardware for the company’s door-rolling system is available in matte black in its Horizon, Skyline, Gemini and Apollo collections; it is a timely choice as black has been named one of the top trend colours in interior design for 2018.

Now, after more than 50 years in business, Fleurco is branching out. The company recently unveiled several new innovative lines, including vanities, lighted mirrors and accessories. It has also expanded its line of bathtubs, which were first introduced in 2011.

DESIGN MONTREAL SPRING 2018

“We’ve excelled at shower doors,” says Fleurco marketing manager Erin Brick. “Now we’re able to move on. The goal is to go from being a shower-door company to being a bathroom-product company.”

Fleurco’s all-white collection of bathtubs now counts 35 models. Made of Lucite, a durable acrylic, the tubs are popular because they maintain their bright, white colour, and can be molded into a variety of shapes. “Lucite edges can be made very sharp and clean,” says Brick. The Aria Crescent tub is shaped

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like a half-moon. The Bravura is fluted from its base and ends with angular edges. New this year is the Alto, a spa-like tub with gentle curved edges.

Shower doors remain the company’s main business, but Brick says early indications are good for market expansion. Two of its newest lines, Luna lighted mirrors and Luna vanities, have been especially well received.

Some Luna vanity models are available in both the standard 26-inch width as well as an 18-inch width.

“When we entered the vanity market, we thought we would try to offer small, designed, functional pieces,” says Brick, “what you might call New York or European style. They have been a huge success as have the mirrors.

They are really quite sharp.” •

Fleurco 1-800-993-0033 www.fleurco.com

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REAL ESTATE

A MARRIAGE OF OLD AND NEW This stately Outremont home is updated to reflect modern tastes and lifestyles

BY KAREN SEIDMAN PHOTOGRAPHY: JEAN-FRANÇOIS GRÉGOIRE

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THIS GRAND RED BRICK HOME - on a road lined with equally imposing homes in Outremont – is a house with pedigree and prestige.

When the current homeowners bought and renovated it eight years ago, it had been previously owned and modified by the famous Québécois architect Roger D’Astous, the only Quebec architect to have studied under acclaimed American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. D’Astous is perhaps best known for having designed the Château Champlain hotel in Montreal and the Olympic Village in the city’s east end, where the athletes lived during the 1976 Games. •

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D’Astous brought some interesting and innovative design elements to the house. He added a fourth level to create an observatory at the top of the house, where a ladder pulls down and leads into a glass globe – but he had also made some unusual decisions, such as putting bedrooms on the main floor and the living spaces upstairs.

So the homeowners brought in Quebec architect Sylvie Girard to oversee their renovation. She brought her own esteemed expertise to the project, having been involved in the design and pre-concept design of the Jewish General and CHUM hospitals in Montreal.

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The open-concept main level had been converted into bedrooms when the current homeowners bought the house eight years ago. They wanted free-flowing spaces where the family would have ample room to hang out and which would also be conducive to entertaining.

The homeowners spent more than $1 million on the extensive renovation and the result, according to their listing broker, Félix Jasmin of real estate brokerage Engel and Völkers, is “a perfect blend of classical architecture and modern design” in a 5,000-square-foot home that he describes as both majestic and very homey.

The owner says it’s a fabulous home for a family, with an open-concept main floor distinguished by soaring ceilings and beautiful oiled walnut floors. There are two main seating areas, a modern tiled kitchen featuring two islands covered in quartz, a wood partition wall housing cabinets, and a dining area that opens onto a swimming pool and lush backyard garden. •

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“In summer, the garden is an oasis,” says the homeowner. Jasmin agrees, adding that a fountain and several seating areas create a beautiful outdoor living space, all steps away from Mount Royal.

Built in 1909, the house was renovated, says the homeowner, to “maintain its roots” while a contemporary interior was added. Oak moldings and leaded-glass windows - painstakingly recreated in the children’s bedrooms - as well as original fireplaces, are all links to the past, while the overall look of the house is fresh and modern. “I wanted it to be contemporary but timeless,” the owner says.

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Natural finishes are evident throughout, such as slate on the floors and walls of the master bathroom and a walnut frame on the tub. The sleek staircase wasn’t in the original plans, but the homeowner suddenly realized the clean, contemporary spaces were connected by a rambling, Edwardian staircase.

Rebuilding it really gave the home the contemporary look the homeowners desired. •

The staircase is like a modern work of art connecting the levels of the spacious Outremont home. The original redesign didn’t call for rebuilding the existing staircase, but the homeowners suddenly realized their cultivated contemporary interior was hampered by the old, Edwardian stairwell, and they opted to tear it down and rebuild.

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(Above) “This is a funky spot and partly why I fell in love with this house,” says the homeowner of the observatory that was added to the top of the house. The clouds painted on the walls capture the whimsy of this special room, where a ladder pulls down to allow the owners to climb into a glass globe and which real estate broker Félix Jasmin describes as “completely cool.”

The family room, with various shades of grey on the walls, sofa and coffee table, and an ornate mantelpiece to soften the straight lines of the room, is a warm spot for the family to hang out, says the homeowner. “The kids have their own floor with three bedrooms and a very cool bathroom, which has a separate shower and sink so they can share the space,” she says.

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There are unique features throughout the house that make it special: a balcony off the master bedroom with a spiral staircase leading down to the garden; a library enclosed by walls of windows; a modern glass solarium which harkens back to the influence of Wright. “This is a house that is meant for entertaining and to be lived in,” says Jasmin.

The six-plus-one-bedroom house is currently for sale. Jasmin describes it as “one of the finest homes on the market.” •

Félix Jasmin, Real Estate Broker Engel and Völkers www.felixjasmin.evcanada.com/en 514-866-6620

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I’M NOT THE ONE IN THE FAMILY WITH A PASSION FOR BOOKS, SO TELL ME, WHY IS THIS MY FAVORITE ROOM?

NEW SHOWROOM TO VISIT! FREE PARKING

LOEWEN CENTER OF MONTREAL 7290 ST. JACQUES SUITE 100 MONTREAL, QC H4B 1W1 514-484-6203 www.porto.ca

WINDOWS AND DOORS

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LIFESTYLE

Thank You, Mom It’s easy to find the right gift for Mother’s Day

BY TRACEY MACKENZIE

We don’t need a special occasion to tell our mothers how much we love them; we can do that every day. However, Mother’s Day gives us an opportunity to shower them with carefully chosen gifts. Here is a guide to help you find the perfect present for your mom.

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The 2018 Mother ’s Day Gift Guide The Blue Yonder

Transport yourself to the ocean using the Aquatic Wood home fragrance, combined with this pastel-blue Berlingot diffuser, designed by Maxidmum. Sold as a boxed set, it includes the Aquatic Wood fragrance, wick-burner, straight mounting, snuffer, and funnel. Available at Linen Chest. www.linenchest.com

The Beat Goes On

These Beats by Dr. Dre Solo3 On-Ear sound-isolating Bluetooth headphones in gold have an adjustable fit with cushioned ear cups. They have up to 40 hours of battery life, allowing you to take calls, control your music, and activate Siri with on-ear controls. Available at Best Buy. www.bestbuy.ca

Eternally Yours

Show your love to the mother of your children with the Cartier Love Bracelet in pink gold. Perfect for day or evening wear, this bracelet will make her shine. Available at Cartier. $7,950. www.ca.cartier.com

Top Mop

The iRobot Braava 380T floor-mopping robot has smart sensors and a rechargeable battery that cleans for up to three hours of dry sweeping or two hours of wet mopping on a single charge. Ideal for picking up pet hair, the Braava is both quiet and efficient. Available at Amazon.ca. $349.93. www.amazon.ca

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LIFESTYLE

The 2018 Mother ’s Day Gift Guide

Dog Days

Toss a treat to your dog while using the full HD Wifi Furbo Dog Camera with two-way audio. Livestream video to monitor your pet with a 160-degree wide-angle view. Perfect for pet lovers, the Furbo works with Amazon Alexa. $179USD. Ships to Canada. www.amazon.com

Made In The Shade

A versatile, retro silhouette combines with a street-chic gradient to make these Johanna sunglasses from Kate Spade the perfect accessory for outdoor fun. Available at Nordstrom. $210. www.nordstrom.com

Cold Brew

The KitchenAid Cold Brew coffee maker enables you to make up to 14 cups of cold brew. Simply fill with coffee and cold water, steep and enjoy. A built-in stainless steel tap dispenses your cold brew directly from your refrigerator, and a reusable stainless steel steeper allows you to brew the beverage of your choice. Available at Amazon.ca. $120. www.amazon.ca

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The 2018 Mother ’s Day Gift Guide Saved For Tomorrow

Keep your leftover wine safe and fresh in the Savino wine-saving carafe. Made in the U.S. of high-quality glass, food-grade and BPA-free plastic and silicone, it will keep wine fresh for up to a week. Dishwasher safe. Available at Amazon.ca. $70. www.amazon.ca

Fragrant Florals

The bestselling Amazing Grace eau de toilette from Philosophy is a feminine fragrance, with notes of bergamot, lily of the valley, and musk, which is sure to leave a lasting impression. Available at Sephora. $60. www.sephora.com

Tasty Teas

The Dolce Vita collection from Tea Forte consists of five naturally sweet organic teas that entice with their scent and will satisfy your cravings for dessert. Perfect for anyone who loves to entertain. Available at Tea Forte. www.teaforte.com

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LIFESTYLE

The 2018 Mother ’s Day Gift Guide Fashionably Fit

Fashion designer Tory Burch has teamed up with Fitbit to create a special edition wristband for the Fitbit ALTA. Available in various styles.

We show one that is 22kt-gold-plated and has a flexible black band. Available at Tory Burch. $149.95USD. www.toryburch.com

Natural Wonder

This creation by Gloria Bass Design will make any mother swoon.

A watermelon tourmaline pendant encased in 18kt yellow gold and studded with green diamonds gently hangs from an Akoya pearl necklace. Available at Gloria Bass Design. www.gloriabassdesign.com

Romance Of The Rose

This beautifully packaged OSKIA massage candle is scented with pure Rose de Mai oil. Made with coconut oil, its low melting point turns it into a warm massage oil that is packed with vitamins and minerals to leave skin feeling soft and smooth. Available at Goop. $51USD. Ships to Canada www.goop.com

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The 2018 Mother ’s Day Gift Guide Slip Into Comfort

The Scuffette II Slipper by UGG is trimmed with shearling and lined with UGGpure, a textile made of wool but shaped to feel like shearling. It offers a comfortable way to shuffle around the house.

Available at Nordstrom. $110. www.nordstrom.com

Clean Calls

Say goodbye to nasty germs with the PhoneSoap smartphone sanitizer by Uncommon Goods. UV lights sanitize your phone as often as you want. Perfect for parents with small children.

Available at Uncommon Goods. $76. www.uncommongoods.com

Whole Lotta Love

All In Good Time

Encased in brushed rosegold-coloured stainless steel, the Rodeo watch from MVMT has high-end styling at an affordable price. The dial features rose gold hands and markers and a rose gold second hand. The strap is 100 per cent leather and interchangeable. Available at MVMT Watches. $115USD. Free worldwide shipping.

These beautiful blue and white Love plates from the Ellen Degeneres collection

by Royal Doulton showcase Ellen’s LOVE of life. Each plate has its own distinctive design and is perfect as an accent plate or used on its own. Available at Linen Chest. www.linenchest.com

www.mvmtwatches.com

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LIFESTYLE

The 2018 Mother ’s Day Gift Guide

Framed

The NIX Advance Hi-Res Digital photo frame with motion sensor will turn on when you walk into the room and off when you leave. It has an easy plug-and-play setup to instantly display all of your digital photos. Comes with an intuitive remote control. Screen available in sizes of eight to 15 inches. Prices start at $79.99USD. Ships to Canada. www.amazon.com

Meals On Wheels

Mealtime needn’t be a chore. Goodfood makes it easy with prepackaged meals made of fresh ingredients. Choose from a variety of meals, including vegetarian options, that are delivered to your door. Available at Good Food. www.makegoodfood.ca

Cool Copper

This hand-hammered copper water bottle from Halfmoon is the perfect gift for the yoga enthusiast in your life. According to Ayurvedic practice, drinking from a copper vessel helps support the immune system and kills bacteria in water. Not suitable for hot drinks. Available at Halfmoon. $48. www.shophalfmoon.com

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The 2018 Mother ’s Day Gift Guide Decorative Diffuser

The Vic Tsing wood grain essential oil diffuser and cool mist humidifier makes an aromatic impact on a room.

This quiet humidifier can hold up to 300 millilitres of water and can run for as long as 10 hours. An adjustable LED light and time-setting function are additional perks. Available at Amazon.ca. $39.99. www.amazon.ca

In A Snap

The Polaroid Snap combines a minimalist design with a retro vibe. Reminiscent of the original Polaroid instant camera, it is so compact, it can be easily slipped into a pocket, and the integrated printer produces full-colour two-by-three-inch prints in less than a minute. Perfect for the photophile. Available at Amazon.ca. $160. www.amazon.ca

La Vie En Rose

The Miranda Kerr collection

by Royal Albert is perfect for a summer tea party. Delicate and colourful, it features a design of peonies and butterflies to evoke a sense of romance and whimsy that will add joy to your table setting. Available at Linen Chest. www.linenchest.com

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DESIGN

NO CLICHÉS, JUST COMFORT Whistler getaway home is built with family in mind

PHOTOGRAPHY: JANIS NICOLAY STYLING: NICOLE MARKOTA

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DESIGN

WOOD AND STONE ARE major elements of the Coast Range, and thus fitting materials for this all-season vacation home in Whistler, B.C. The homeowners had asked interior designer Jennifer Heffel, owner and founder of HB Design in Vancouver, for something that would make them feel that they were in the mountains, but “they weren’t into that clichéd ski-resort stuff,” Heffel says. “They liked alpine contemporary, and the general B.C. West Coast style that incorporates wood, glass, and open spaces. They wanted clean lines, an uncluttered look, and a bright and airy feeling.”

Accordingly, stone and concrete elements are mostly light-coloured, and wood is pale.

The most prominent examples of this are the regularly spaced oak slats used in several places as vertical accents. Around the stairway, they rise from the ground floor and up through the stairwell and then continue across the ceiling of the second-storey hallway.

(Above and opposite) A metal channel runs up the side of the fireplace and along the length of the ceiling into the kitchen, making a strong architectural feature. Inset track lights allow for lighting variations and keep the expanse of ceiling clear.

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This effect is echoed at one side of the great room fireplace, where the slats rise from the extended hearth and then angle for a short distance along the ceiling, running along the same axis as the stairway slats. Tongue-andgroove wood is also used on the ceiling of the entry foyer to delineate the space from the great room but maintain a connection with the exterior entry ceiling.

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“The wood-slat wall was a bit challenging for our contractor, Dave Johnston at Blue Ice Construction,” says Heffel. “We had envisioned tall beautiful oak detailing literally spanning two floors. We didn’t want to see any join lines or wobbles. Dave did some creative wood sourcing and found beautiful long lengths of oak. He was able to fabricate our vision quite successfully.” •

In the great room, straight edges meet curves and smooth surfaces meet texture.

Tikar floor lamp: Mobilia; Sphere coffee table: Restoration Hardware; custommade dining table: Lock & Mortice; Fleur leather side chairs: Mobital; Big Mobile Light above dining table: Andrew Neyer.

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Stone is most prominent in the fireplace at one end of the great room. The bulk of it is pale grey and rough-hewn in contrast to the smooth wood slats. Darker-coloured basalt forms the hearth and firebox surround.

There are other hard-surfaced elements in the home, such as the great room’s wooden hemispherical coffee table. Aesthetic echoes of the mountains, yes – but also eminently practical. The owners asked for a home that

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would be low-maintenance and durable, as they have two very active young children, and many young relatives also visit. Heffel and project designer Nicole Markota responded with some materials that Heffel characterizes tongue-in-cheek as “slightly indestructible.”

For example, she says, “We picked flooring with a roughened texture that wouldn’t show marks and dings.”

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The home’s solid practicality is tempered with soft furnishings, rugs, and upholstered furniture, chosen by Markota in mostly muted tones that fit well into the light and airy decor. Texture in the form of nubbly rugs, woven cushions, chunky knitted throws, and furry bedspreads adds to the sophisticated yet homey ambience.

The owners’ main reason for building was to be able to retreat from their principal home in Los Angeles to a B.C. scene that they know and love, and they wanted to share it with their extended family. Heffel, Markota, and Whistler-based architect Brent Murdoch responded with a home that’s 3,488 square feet and incorporates plenty of details to suit family gatherings. •

The breakfast nook’s custom-made banquette upholstered in Brentano’s Dapple Earthenware fabric angles around a Tulip table from Rove Concepts. Rugged Oak Stockholm flooring from Burritt Bros. has a brushed texture with a matte lacquer finish that will stand up well to little feet.

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On the main f loor, a great room incorporating living, dining, and kitchen areas facilitates flow and provides unobstructed sightlines. A breakfast nook tucked into a corner of the kitchen makes for a cozy rendezvous and is conveniently located next to the family room with its sliding door that can be closed if the children get boisterous. Visitors are accommodated in the guest bedroom, which has an ensuite bathroom. A mud/ski room, small office, and powder room round out the main-floor features.

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Upstairs are a lounge, a laundry room, and three bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms.

Rooms are smallish (who needs a big bedroom when you’re going to spend much of your time outdoors or hanging out with family by the fireplace?) but cleverly furnished to prevent a cluttered feeling. The children’s rooms have bunk beds designed by Heffel and team to provide plenty of built-in storage.

All of this was discussed, designed, furnished, and finished on a very considered budget with clients at a remove – on another continent, in fact. Thanks to the Internet, the process went fairly smoothly. •

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A deep tub in the master bathroom affords a good long soak after an active day outdoors. Aquabrass Fiji B0003 tub: Cantu Bathrooms & Hardware Ltd.; wall planks in Woodland Elm: Stone Tile.

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“There was a bit of back-and-forth at the beginning in terms of keeping the job within the initial budget,” Heffel says. “We had Facetime and Skype meetings where we’d hold up samples, show drawings and 3D designs. We only met with the clients one time face to face; then it was all handled over the Internet.”

It was a high-tech process doing what high tech is supposed to do: make life easier. The result is a contemporary and cozy home that allows its owners and their family and friends to leave high tech behind and revel in the great outdoors. •

(Right) The master bedroom has a quiet corner with a view.

Torino side table: Four Hands; Nordic lounge chair: Mobilia.

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DESIGN

THE NEW LOOK OF LAMINATE A product that was pioneered a century ago gets new designs, compositions and uses

BY BRENDA O’FARRELL

IN THE WORLD OF INTERIOR DESIGN, there are few things – let alone styles – from the 1970s that we revisit these days. Shag carpets, harvest gold appliances, avocado-coloured powder room sinks, burnt-orange anything. The list goes on; just Google it. Retro from that decade can be overrated.

But there is perhaps one thing from this best-to-forget era that has come a long way: the product known as Formica. Yes, that beigy-brown countertop laminate made popular in the 1970s is not so much back, but rather it has re-emerged, with many new looks, and in new places.

Think fireplace surrounds, walls, panelling, desk surfaces, entrances, kitchen cabinetry. If you have a vertical or horizontal surface, you may want to consider Formica.

Just ask Christelle Locat-Rainville. She is the national marketing manager for Formica Group, the company producing the laminate that was created more than a century ago.

Company headquarters in St-Jean-surRichelieu, Quebec manufactures a vast array of laminate products, including the new spring line: 11 new designs in the Living Impressions collection.

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Among the new line are four 180-FX products. These new products don’t belong in your grandmother’s kitchen.

They include Quartzite Bianco, an elegant stone-like surface that features a white background with dark veined detailing that can cover a wall in a bathroom to give the space a rich, stately finish.

“We’re talking about new, impressive designs,” Locat-Rainville explains.

Also in the new 180-FX line this spring is Formica Group’s first man-made quartz composite, which is engineered from a mix of concrete and recycled glass. With its true-toscale pattern, it makes any surface look like stone for a fraction of the cost.

Stormy Night Granite is also in the 2018 product lineup. This dark grey stone-finished look can be used to create a feature wall in a living room or den that is simply stunning.

Using Formica in innovative applications and settings – such as in entrances, on feature walls, and in kitchen cabinetry – is gaining traction with homeowners. “Every time we do research, all the people say they are impressed with laminate,” Locat-Rainville says. After seeing what the new designs look like and

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how they are being used, “everyone leaves the room with a new opinion of laminate,” she adds.

Locat-Rainville says the true magic is found when homeowners take the time to discover the new ways Formica is being used in all rooms of the house, including, for example, both on the exterior and interior of kitchen cabinets. She says installing one of their Writable Surfaces inside a cabinet offers family members the ability to keep and update grocery lists, leave notes to one

another, and post general reminders in a fun, functional, and easily-wiped-clean fashion.

Putting this type of surface within a frame at an entrance is another idea that busy families have come to appreciate. Whatever the location, function and style combine in one convenient product. •

Formica www.formica.com/en/ca 1-800-FORMICA (367-6422)

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POSITIVELY PALM SPRINGS Fashion and culture maven Erin Kleinberg gives her Toronto home a mid-century California vibe

BY SUSAN KELLY • PHOTOGRAPHY: JEREMIE WARSHAFSKY (HOME) AND VALERIE WILCOX (PORTRAIT)

ERIN KLEINBERG, former fashion designer and current advertising agency executive, had a vision. What her mind’s eye saw was her tiny Toronto cottage transformed into an oasis of Palm Springs chic. It’s a look embraced by such international designers as American Jonathan Adler and Australian Greg Natale, refined and minimal with a touch of old-Hollywood glamour. •

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Erin had a walk-though of such a home as co-founder of style-and-culture website Coveteur. Among the more than 500 international style-setters she interviewed in their homes was Canadian stylist Karla Welch. “Her Los Angles house blew me away,” Erin says. “It felt so chic and modern, so open and airy, yet also cottagey and rustic. I wanted to recreate all those things in my own home.”

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Beyond trendiness, the relaxed mid-century style of southern Californian homes also holds good associations and warm memories. As a child, Erin spent every Christmas with grandparents who lived in Coachella Valley, and she and husband Mickey Lungu, a corporate lawyer, were married at The Parker Palm Springs. The couple named their toddler daughter, Parker, after the swank boutique hotel.

After a long search, the couple finally found a promising property with a large lot.

The neighbourhood was a familiar one for Mickey, who had lived nearby as a child. But at 800 square feet, the “cute cottage” was impossibly small. While pondering options, they moved into Erin’s old room at her parents’ home in nearby Richmond Hill, newborn baby in tow, for more than a year.

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The living room exemplifies Erin’s relaxed approach to chic decor. Moroccan ivory rug: Elte; Avalon throw blanket: Hermès; sofa and chairs: West Elm.

They worked with builder Adam Rothschild of Rothcon Fine Homes Inc. and architect Brenda Izen, principal at Izen Architecture, to expand the square footage to 3,200 square feet. Additions to the second storey and rear of the home made it possible to have five bedrooms and plenty of head room. “To create Erin’s light-and-bright Palm Beach vision, we went with as open a floor plan as possible, and 10-foot-tall ceilings on the main floor,” says Izen, head architect on the project.

The look also called for an all-white colour scheme and wide-plank white oak flooring throughout the home. •

Richly textured accessories and gleaming gold accents complement the home’s pale neutral colour palette.

Mirror: Restoration Hardware; table: HomeSense; chandelier: Universal Lighting.

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To update the mid-century aesthetic and maximize the amount of sunlight, the architect employed a creative approach to window placement. On the main f loor, very thin vertical floor-to-ceiling windows accomplish this and help define the living room from the dining area. As well, one of the two tall (close to 10 feet) doors on the ground floor has a corrugated glass panel. A skylight feature over the stairwell floods the second floor with light.

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“I particularly like the kitchen because it typifies our collaboration in designing this house,” Izen says. “It reflects both our styles.”

After much back and forth, the pair agreed on an artful mix of textured surfaces. The smooth expanse of high-gloss white cabinetry contrasts with lower cabinets that are faced with a weathered grey reclaimed barn board.

The range hood and island are covered with painted shiplap. Stage centre, the clean lines of the imposing 11-foot-long island provides a place for this “open-door policy” couple’s many guests to gather around. •

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High clerestory windows flood the kitchen with sunlight throughout the day. Hudson Valley Lighting pendant lights: Elte; counter stools: McKenzie by EQ3; flooring: wide-planked engineered white oak by Fuzion.

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Open shelving provides a clear view of the polished white Statuario marble with its striking veining. Tiles: Ciot.

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Erin’s hands-on approach to the home’s design took a literal turn with the living room fireplace. She used close to 300 stones, collected during trips to the Muskoka region; they were affixed to the surround and painted to harmonize with the rest of the all-white colour scheme. “It’s so unique and reminds me of the stonework on Palm Springs homes while also honouring our cottage’s roots,” Erin says.

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The powder room was a very personal project for her. She intentionally set out to create something “fun and punchy,” in high contrast to the calm and neutral space around it. The walls are covered with a lively botanical wallpaper she first saw in the Beverley Hills Hotel. Considered an unusual choice by some, the custom vanity’s green marble tiles were inspired by a trip to one of the Céline fashion house’s trendy stores.

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The powder room’s gold accessories are echoed in almost every room of the house: light fixtures, cabinet handles, wall sconces, mirror frames. This warm precious metal is having a moment, trend-wise. “I’m not a person to just go with something because it’s a trend,” says Erin. “I go with my gut, and then it becomes a trend for me.” •

Erin tracked down the supplier for the wallpaper she first saw in the Beverley Hills Hotel and designed the powder room decor around it. Martinique “A” Beverly Hills wallpaper: Designer Wallcoverings; green marble: Ciot.

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Although she considers its decor a work in progress, Erin says the master bedroom is her favourite spot in the house and the place where she and her family hang out the most. Seagrass baskets: Serena & Lily; ruched faux fur throw: Elte.

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To escape the demands of running the all-female advertising agency she co-founded, Métier Creative, Erin heads to the secondfloor master suite. It was all about creating a private compound of grand hotel proportions. The master bedroom measures 19 feet square, a fact that has made her the butt of a few jokes. “I remember when I was growing up, my parents had a large bedroom with a fireplace, and it was just the best place in the world to hang out in on a rainy Sunday. I wanted my family to have that, too,” she says.

She loves the “killer” beams clad in reclaimed hemlock from an Ontario supplier.

And the 14-foot vaulted ceilings give the sense of being under an open desert sky.

Unused to such wide-open spaces, she found that the sensation disturbed her rest during the first night in the home. Now, Erin and her husband sleep very well there, though at times it all feels a little unreal. “We will wake up in the morning thinking ‘How is this our bedroom? How is this our house?’ ” she says.

“In the end, it really is a dream come true.” •

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The same soothing shade of white paint was used throughout the home. With a growing toddler, Erin made sure it was washable.

Paint: Benjamin Moore, Chantilly Lace (OC-65).

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INDUSTRIOUSLY REDESIGNING THE BATHROOM

Italian manufacturer Scavolini creates bathrooms with an industrial look

INDUSTRIAL DESIGN HAS BEEN MAKING inroads since people began conver ting for mer manufacturing spaces into residential lofts.

So it was a matter of time before non-loft dwellers would want that creative look in their own homes.

A new industrial look has made its way to the bathroom and you needn’t live in a loft to add its beauty to your own space.

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Sc avol i n i, the It a l ia n k itchen a nd bathroom products designer and manufacturer, makes stylish use of metals and open-concept shelving units. The company that made a name for itself with kitchens is now focused on bringing a modern vibe to the bathroom.

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Designed by Diesel Living, the bathroom that Scavolini has introduced is called the Diesel Open Workshop line, a new collection that introduces a warm yet distinctive industrial look to an intimate space within the home.

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The collection incorporates such metallic structures as tubular towel racks, floor-standing screens and mirrored panels, to set the tone. The industrial design is further developed with the use of modular shelving systems, which provide for the insertion of shelves and open-fronted compartments of varying sizes. •

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The line also includes new built-in washbasins with marble finishes, smoky glass fronts and custom-designed faucets with iron supports.

A nd not to be overlooked a re the open-fronted bath structures that come with metal legs, a cover and a coordinating lacquered shelf.

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But what would a bathroom be without mirrors? This is where the new Diesel line reflects the softer side of the industrial look. The distinguished copper-effect Stopsol mirror panels are perhaps the best example. These panels create a backdrop to the bathroom cabinet or industrial-styled open-shelf vanities.

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The Diesel Open Workshop line is available in three distinct configurations, each with its unique combination of stone, metal and colours.

Modern and distinct, sleek yet soft. These bathrooms are part of Scavolini’s industrial evolution. •

Scavolini www.scavolini.design www.scavolinitoronto.com 416-961-2929

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AN UNUSUAL BLEND This condominium in east-end Montreal boasts extraordinary design and decor

BY ELISABETH KALBFUSS PHOTOGRAPHY: MARIE-JOSÉE ROULEAU

FOR MOST PEOPLE, having an in-house artist means tacking a few children’s drawings onto the fridge. But this east-end condominium has become a showcase for work by the owner’s spouse, an artist from Miami who has brought those South Beach-inspired hues north to Montreal. •

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Located on two storeys of a 1931 building, the two-bedroom condo is a blend of restored historic touches set off by modern decor, all of it bathed in colours that reflect those on its many canvases.

“The property has a very homey feel to it,” says Marie-Josée Rouleau, a real-estate broker with Sotheby’s International Realty, who recently listed the property for sale.

“It’s like walking into a story. And, now that you’ve arrived, you can make the story begin. Everywhere you look you have history, but it doesn’t feel like it’s stuck in the past,” she says.

The building’s history has been reflected in its renovation and its decor. The original wooden baseboards and doors have been restored, as have the floors, which are both hardwood and concrete. Furniture and accents range from contemporary to mid-century and older, and they blend together easily.

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The large range of colour used in the decor – from the paintings to the accent pieces – is immediately noticeable. Many of those same colours are featured in glass shades on the extra-large light fixture over the stairs. Each shade is different in size, shape and colour. The owner found this unusual piece in Turkey and imported it specially for this space.

The main floor includes a living room with fireplace, powder room, dining area and kitchen, with an island and extra-large pantry. The deep blue of the kitchen’s cabinets and coral backsplash are mirrored in the colours of the room’s art showpiece: a painting of a Volkswagen bus. That same painting’s yellow tone is reflected in the chairs of the dining set. Next to that dining area, a large black light fixture with multi-coloured glass shades dominates the open staircase of wide wood risers. •

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All of the condo’s wood was restored and reused throughout the home. In addition to being used for ceiling beams, it’s featured in sliding barn doors to separate the main bedroom and downstairs bathroom.

It was also put to use in the bathrooms. In the powder room, it was used for shelving; in the downstairs full bathroom, the bench seating is recreated from a piece original to the building.

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The whole area is surrounded by a metal railing that leads down to the half-basement level. On that lower level, wood-beamed ceilings and old wood sliding barn doors bestow a historic look on the main bedroom and another area that can be used as a second bedroom or living space. •

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The main bath, though, looks anything but vintage. Its sleek black-tiled walls, freestanding tub and glass shower are contemporary in style. But there is a yesteryear touch here, too, one that’s not immediately apparent.

The black-and-white upholstered benches in the centre of the room might look very modern, yet they have been restored from the original home.

Being on the ground floor, the condo has access to its own outdoor space as well, with another feature that makes it atypical. Sliding glass doors lead to a garden, with a seating area that comes complete with its own small, private pool. “It’s like a Montreal heated oasis,” Rouleau says. It’s one more element borrowed from South Beach that feels perfectly at home in Montreal. •

Marie-Josée Rouleau www.sothebysrealty.ca/en/marie-josee-rouleau

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THROW OPEN THE WINDOWS

Welcoming the outdoors into your home is easy with beautiful accordion doors that stand up to Quebec’s climate

BY SUSAN KELLY

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OPEN WIDE — NO, WIDER. This spring, homeowners will take the urge to let in the fresh air to the extreme, says Eric Da Silva, manager at Porto Windows and Doors in the lower Notre-Dame-de-Grace area. “The big trend now is about opening the home’s interior to the outside,” Da Silva says. “And the new bifold doors make it possible to have a wall of glass year ’round that can be opened fully in warm weather.”

Bifold or accordion doors consist of a series of glass-paned panels suspended on a hidden track. They provide the same privacy and protection as sliding patio doors, but when open, they virtually disappear. And the bifold door system by Loewen – a company for which Porto is the exclusive distributor in Quebec

and the Maritimes – makes it possible to join as many as 16 panels. That gives the potential of up to 52 feet of open space.

But can a trend that originated in California be transplanted? After all, in this province, temperatures dip well below freezing for up to six months a year, “There are products that can handle it. Loewen is based in Manitoba, where they understand extreme winter conditions,” Da Silva says. In addition to superior sealants and noise reduction, the glass used by Loewen comes in Heat-Smart® double or triple glazing for great thermal value, among other energy-saving options.

There is also the issue of aesthetics, says this expert. Originally, fold-and-slide door systems were more commonly seen in homes

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with contemporary architecture. Da Silva’s team has found that Loewen bifold doors can help update the look of a historic home or chalet without clashing with the original architecture. Porto has undertaken many such renovation projects for clients in the greater Montreal area, including Westmount, Hampstead, Town of Mount Royal, Outremont and Montreal West.

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The sashes and frames are constructed of coastal Douglas fir or aluminum-clad mahogany that may be stained a variety of shades.

All wood versions are also available. “The thin profile of Loewen windows and doors also makes them perfect for contemporary homes, which make up half the demand for them,” he says.

Da Silva learned the ropes from his father, Alfredo Da Silva, who has been in the business for more than 40 years. Sales and service operations are handled out of the St. Jacques Street showroom. The many types of doors and windows the company sells, 90 per cent of which are Canadian-made, are on view there.

Porto Windows and Doors deals exclusively with companies that prioritize responsible manufacturing and disposal processes, and carries products designed to stand the test of time and optimize energy efficiency. •

Porto Windows and Doors 7290 St. Jacques Rd., Ste. 100, Montreal 514-484-6203 www.portesetfenetresporto.ca

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IN OUR NEXT ISSUE

Haul the garden chairs out of the garage and f ire up the barbecue. It’s time to move life outdoors for the summer. In our upcoming Summer issue, we lead you down the garden path, so to speak, to show you the latest in furnishings for your outdoor oasis. What’s more, we’ll show you some of the best-designed landscapes in the city. On sale in May.

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ACO Systems Ann Malka Batimat BCBG Bunny Berke Profusion Celadon Centre Design Realite Centre Mont Royal Ciot Clinique Cogir Humaniti Cuisines Denis Couture Equinoxe Fabricville Fleurco Felix Jasmin - Engel & Volker Formica Galerie le Bourget Gloria Bass Imperial Windows JC Perreault L’office Linen Chest Maison Corbeil Michel Leroux Moine Urbain Patio Design Porto Windows and Doors Scavolini Sebastien Parent Sylvie Menard Verre Actuel Vicostone Zytco

BUYERS’ GUIDE

THE MOZART OF MISSONI, THE COLOUR OF CONGREVE Maison & Objet Paris www.maison-objet.com/en/paris

SPRING INTO A TIDY HOME Orderesque g.fransham@sympatico.ca 514-592-5939

POSITIVELY PALM SPRINGS Izen Architecture www.izenarch.ca 647-680-8896

The Tidy Moose www.tidymoose.com 647-982-8439

Rothcon Fine Homes www.rothconfinehomes.com 416-485-2099 BRANCHING OUT Fleurco www.fleurco.com 1-800-993-0033 THE NEW LOOK OF LAMINATE Formica www.formica.com/en/ca 1-800-FORMICA (367-6422) INDUSTRIOUSLY REDESIGNING THE BATHROOM Scavolini www.scavolinitoronto.com 416-961-2929 FINDING NEW LIFE AND SOLACE IN ART Maryse Chartrand, Artist www.marysec.com 514-775-2727

Simply Closets www.simplyclosets.ca 416-385-8855 Free From Clutter www.freefromclutter.ca 604-725-9353 TO INFINITY AND BEYOND Paramount Group www.groupeparamount.ca 514-683-6644 Earth Inc. www.earthinc.com 416-216-0378 Van de Poll Garden Design www.vandepollgardens.com 604-476-1907 TO YOUR HEALTH! Bolt Fresh Bar www.boltfreshbar.com 416- 588-8103

The Juice Truck www.thejuicetruck.ca 604-619-4176 Just Pressed www.jpressed.com 514-815-2244 InBalance www.infoodsinc.com/in-balance THROW OPEN THE WINDOWS Porto Windows and Doors www.portesetfenetresporto.ca 514-484-6203 A MARRIAGE OF OLD AND NEW Félix Jasmin, Real Estate Broker Engel and Völkers www.felixjasmin.evcanada.com 514-866-6620 NO CLICHÉS, JUST COMFORT HB Design www.hbvancouver.com 604-251-9585 Blue Ice Construction www.blueiceconstruction.com 604-905-4236 Murdoch & Company www.murdochandco.ca 604-905-6992

MORE LIGHT, MORE SPACE Boom Town www.boom-town.ca 514-502-2020 Laberge Constructions www.labergeconstructions.ca 514-686-3986 A NEW ENERGY IN PALM BEACH Scott Yetman Design www.scottyetman.com 514-931-3389 Sciame Homes www.sciamehomes.com 561-318-5126 Affiniti Architects www.affinitiarchitects.com 561-750-0445 MAKE THE MOST OF THIS FEVERED MARKET Sylvie Menard, Real Estate Broker www.sylviemenard.com 514-827-6200 AN UNUSUAL BLEND Marie-Josée Rouleau, Real Estate Broker www.sothebysrealty.ca/en/ marie-josee-rouleau 514-660-6682

Greenhouse Juice Co. www.greenhousejuice.com

THE SPRING ISSUE

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www.jcperreault.com