Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Contemporary Condo

Pointe-St-Charles, in the southwest borough of Montreal is where this beautiful and unique 3-storey condo is found. 

When homeowner Claire purchased the condo five years ago from builder Steve Steinwold, it was sold as an empty shell with a simple floorplan. She saw the potential of this space and in this up-and-coming corner of the neighborhood.

The space was planned and designed by it's homeowner alongside architect Jan Davis. The footprint of this condo was only 20 feet wide and to maximize the space they agreed it should be kept open concept. 

Since the staircase was going to be one of the main features in this space, Claire wanted it to be unique. She had always imagined a contemporary and industrial-style loft and having a custom-made floating steel staircase would help her achieve this look.

A color scheme was quickly established to be mainly white with a few touches of color in the accessories and fabrics. 

While Claire enjoys great food, she doesn't find herself cooking at home that often. For this reason, she chose a simple white galley-style kitchen from IKEA and continued the cabinets up to the ceiling. Choosing white appliances has also kept this kitchen monochromatic as well.

Craigslist and kijiji was a great resources to find several pieces of furniture for this condo such as this antique sofa and ottoman that were recovered in simple fabric. The framed art are a nice graphic compliment to the aztec-style weaving.

The dining table is quite a statement piece and its light unfinished wood matches the pale caramel tones in the curtains and sisal rug.

The basement is quite open and bright and with its big comfy couch is a great place to hang out. The framed wall hanging came from a thrift shop years ago and is a real statement piece. The pops of orange and red are a great contrast against the tone-on tone color scheme throughout and the orange pillows add just enough color to tie everything together.

This simple yet elegant bar cart is a nice contrast against the whimsical framed art piece.

An off-white faux cow skull is a nice touch against the painted brick wall. There was much hesitation from the painters as they were instructed by the homeowner to paint the original brick wall white but once it was done it turned out beautifully. 

The cost of the bathroom was kept low by using standard finishes of inexpensive white tiles with a black accent. The IKEA countertop, cabinet and sink were also simple and cost effective choices.

Our home tour concludes with the bedroom on the top floor which was kept open-concept as well to let light in from the windows at both ends of the condo. The curtains and bedding fabrics in this area are a dark bluish grey and are a nice compliment to the warm wood floors. 

After seeing this beautiful home, it's surprising that it's homeowner is not working as an interior designer but instead in pharmaceuticals.