Simple wreaths, fresh greenery, twinkling white lights—come the holidays, this traditional Montreal home bears the hallmarks of the season with warm, gracious style. Indeed, the setting is particularly comfortable all year-round, with a bevy of charismatic permanent features that immediately caught the eyes of Nathalie Marsan and Pierre Lafon two years ago.
“It was exactly what we like,“ recalls Nathalie. “Dutch-Colonial style built around 1930, in a neighbourhood full of old trees and parks.” Nathalie, who at the time was pregnant with the couple's first child, was particularly tuned in to the area's family vibe, while both she and her husband appreciated its central location, a mere five minutes from the mountain and a stone's throw from downtown.
But perhaps most importantly for Nathalie, a skilled amateur decorator, the three-bedroom, three-storey house was brimming with the kind of well-preserved original details and charming features that give a home true character. “It still had all of its original doors and English-style windows, and the original floors, which are absolutely beautiful,” she recalls. “We just fell really hard for this house.”
With the bones in such good shape, all that remained for Nathalie and Pierre was to make a few fitting structural changes and a whole load of cosmetic ones before they could call the house their home. They added handsome built-in units to the living room to house their collection of books, as well as some of the cherished objects they've accumulated on their travels. Next, they transformed a seasonal sunroom just off the living room into a cozy, year-round playroom and library or children, and finally the pair constructed a screened-in porch, a favourite place to sit on warm summer evenings.
A muted paint palette, using soft neutral shades on the walls and deeper colour for trim and mouldings, freshened up all the rooms. “I wanted a calm, light, bright house,“ explains Nathalie.
While Nathalie knew exactly how she wanted the house to look, she confesses that she wasn't sure where to find the kinds of furnishings and finishing touches she required to complete her vision—details she turned to Montreal decorator Arlene McGibbon for. Together, the two pieced together the home's casually polished look, using classic elements the couple already owned and acquiring new ones as needed. They recast the dining room table—an old family piece—by cutting it down in size, then slipcovered its corresponding chairs. They hung new chandeliers, and acquired new floor lamps to give the rooms a lovely glow.
If the home's classic personality and unassuming decor create the quintessential backdrop for holiday touches it's merely a bonus for Nathalie and Pierre, who are about to welcome their second baby. Even without the twinkle lights, potted paperwhites and tree decorations, or the holiday guests they love to entertain, this family can enjoy their treasured, relaxed atmosphere all the year through.
Neutral territory
• Homeowner Nathalie Marsan and designer Arlene McGibbon favoured soft
natural colours as a backdrop in this house. “They give a fresh start to the day, every day,” notes Nathalie.
• French Vanilla (CC-248) is on the walls in the principal rooms
• Essence de Pistache (HC-24) is used for the mouldings
• Weston Flax (HC-5) covers the master bedroom
• Deer Granite (CC-452) is on the woodwork on the stairs
* All paints, Benjamin Moore
Read more in Decorating and Feature Homes
0 Comment