Montreal

Subterms

    More stories

    • 138 Shares119 Views

      in Rooms

      Ivy Studio populates MAD Creative Hub with pink and purple elements

      by

      Montreal-based Ivy Studio has turned a former print shop into offices and creative spaces, with a “work in progress” aesthetic punctuated by colourful moments.

      MAD Collectif organises global fashion, art and design events, and after rebranding from Groupe Sensation Mode in 2022, the company decided to look for a new base location for its team.
      The all-white interior of MAD Creative Hub is contrasted by a marble bar counter and lilac stoolsEventually, it found a 3,600-square-foot (334-square-metre) space on the ground floor of a two-storey building in The Village area of Montreal, which became the MAD Creative Hub.
      “The objective for the new location was to focus on creativity and collaboration and for it to be used not only by their team internally but also by their multiple partners and collaborators – a flexible space made for sharing ideas and working together,” said Ivy Studio.
      The space is designed to look unfinished, through the use of exposed wall studsBuilt in 1939 as a print shop, the long space only has windows on its street-facing facade.

      This dictated a layout where public areas are located in the front, while private rooms are situated towards the back.
      The front area is intended to host events, exhibitions, pop-up shops and moreA two-foot difference in the floor level helps to define these two zones.
      In both areas, colourful accents including vintage sofas and chairs stand out from the existing walls, plumbing and ventilation equipment which were all painted white.
      White ceramic tiles cover the floor and low partition walls that define the public areaSpaces are intentionally meant to look unfinished, with exposed metal studs, track lighting and unpainted metal door frames all adding to this appearance.
      “The ‘work in progress’ aesthetic makes it feel as if the place is undergoing a constant evolution and mirrors the brand’s new forward-thinking approach,” said architect Philip Staszewski, one of the four Ivy Studio co-founders.
      Purple sofas pop against the white tilesVisitors enter a cafe featuring a richly coloured marble bar counter, which starkly contrasts the white ceramic tiles that cover the surrounding four-foot-high (1.2-metre) partitions and the entire floor.
      A banquette follows the wall and runs underneath the window, its cushions covered in textured purple velvet.
      A ramp below a path of lights leads to the raised workspace at the backPink and orange poufs accompany galvanised steel tables, and lilac bar stools serve the counter, together providing a flexible and informal space for employees and events.
      On the other side of an enclosed stairwell that divides the plan is another naturally lit area used for photoshoots, exhibits or pop-up shops. Comfy purple chairs offer additional seating here.

      Ivy Studio adds pops of colour to Spacial co-working office in Montreal

      A 16-foot (4.9-metre) ramp leads up to the raised level, where rows of open desks are positioned next to the periphery walls.
      “The ramp leading towards the back is meant to be an experience of its own,” said Ivy Studio. “The narrow ceramic-clad passage is placed beneath a series of linear lights, giving the impression of walking down some version of a runway.”
      Clear polycarbonate panels expose the pink fibreglass insulation around meeting roomsPrivate offices and meeting rooms are formed by partition walls that present pink fibreglass insulation behind clear polycarbonate panels.
      The insulation helps to soundproof the small rooms for employees taking calls, particularly during events or parties taking place in the front.
      Open desks for employees are laid out along periphery wallsIvy Studio has completed several projects in its home city, each playing with colour in a different way.
      They include a restaurant with a green marble pizza oven, a co-working office featuring mint green and burgundy hues, and a spinning studio dominated by black.
      The photography is by Alex Lesage.
      Project credits:
      Design and architecture: Ivy StudioTeam: Gabrielle Rousseau, David Kirouac, Guillaume B Riel, Philip StaszewskiConstruction: Gestion Gauthier Construction

      Read more: More

    • 100 Shares199 Views

      in Rooms

      Ivy Studio renovates fire-damaged Piatti restaurant in Montreal

      by

      Dark green marble, glossy black tiles and sculptural lighting contrast the rough stone walls of this Montreal restaurant that has been resurrected by local Ivy Studio.

      Located in Rosemère, on Montreal’s north bank, Piatti opened 15 years ago in an old stone building that was previously extended to accommodate a larger commercial space.
      A pizza oven wrapped in green marble forms a focal point at PiattiAfter a fire ripped through the Italian restaurant over a year ago, damaging the roof and the interior, the owners chose to renovate and update the space.
      “From this tragedy rose the opportunity to give the space a much-needed facelift,” said the Ivy Studio team, who took on the project.
      Entrance to the kitchen is through an arch set into a pistachio-coloured wall”While the overall aesthetic is very contemporary, the decor was inspired by traditional Italian design and includes textures, materials and colours that project clients directly to the Mediterranean,” the studio added.

      The two-storey building is entered on the lower level, where the preparation kitchen, a private event room and the washrooms are situated.
      A sienna-toned banquette is installed beneath a mirrored wallUpstairs are the dining areas, each with a distinct atmosphere. When entering past courses of glossy black tiles, customers are met by a “monumental” pizza oven wrapped in green Saint-Denis marble.
      A black stained-wood and marble structure in front acts as a dining and service area, across from a hand-plastered pistachio wall with an arch that leads to the closed kitchen.
      The bar area is located in the old stone buildingAbove a sienna-toned velvet banquette, a mirrored wall helps to make the dining space feel larger – reflecting its cream walls and sheer curtains.
      Bistro chairs with green seats and caned backs are placed around tables.
      Lighting and stools were custom designed for the barA circular wood-topped table sits on zig-zag black and white tiles below a central bespoke chandelier.
      The bar occupies the old stone aspect of the building. Here, a U-shaped counter is clad with vertical oak boards and topped with a four-inch-thick travertine slab.

      Jack Rose is a grungy “tropical themed” restaurant in Montreal

      Custom stools made from velvet, steel and wood are lined up against the bar, colour-matching the banquette upholstery in the dining room.
      Minimal, custom cream-painted lamps are spaced along the length of the counter, while a steel structure suspended above holds bottles behind fritted glass panels.
      A pendant light hangs above a table in the corner of the bar area”The entire room has recessed lighting going around the ceiling to properly highlight the original stone walls in the evening,” said Ivy Studio.
      Montreal is home to a wealth of Italian restaurants with notable interiors, several of which have opened over the last few years.
      Ivy Studio based the contemporary decor on traditional Italian designThey include pizza spot Vesta and Tiramisu at the city’s Hilton hotel – both designed by Ménard Dworkind.
      Among Ivy Studio’s other hospitality projects in the Quebec capital is Jack Rose, an eatery in a former auto body shop.
      The photography is by Alex Lesage.
      Project credits:
      Team: Gabrielle Rousseau, David Kirouac, Guillaume B Riel, Philip StaszewskiConstruction: Groupe Firco

      Read more: More

    • 125 Shares199 Views

      in Rooms

      Tutu lights populate Montreal's Cafe Constance by Atelier Zébulon Perron

      by

      Pink pendant lights resembling dancers’ skirts hang from the ceiling of this cafe by Atelier Zébulon Perron at a Montreal ballet school.

      Cafe Constance is located in the downtown Wilder Building, home to Les Grands Ballets Canadiens and named in tribute one of the organisation’s former leaders, Constance Pathy.
      Cafe Constance was designed as a theatrical experience within the contemporary building’s lobbyThe 1,400-square-foot (130-square-metre) space occupies the contemporary building’s lobby. It is used both for social gatherings for the artists and employees, and as a reception venue during and after functions or performances.
      “Maintaining apropos ambiances through the space’s transitions from coffee shop by day, to more cocktail-oriented functions in the evening influenced Atelier Zébulon Perron’s design philosophy,” said the design studio in a statement.
      A canopy above the bar and pendant lights help to create a more intimate scale”But the main focus was on creating something truly warm and whimsical in the heart of a contemporary institutional building,” the team added.

      In contrast to the large expanses of glazing and concrete finishes of the building, Atelier Zébulon Perron opted for rich materials like walnut, velvet and brass. Wooden screens wrap the cafe, partially shielding it from view while creating intrigue for patrons and passersby.
      Wooden screens wrap the seating area to create intrigue”We adopted a theatrical approach in order to build a sort of spectacle that is really quite literal,” said studio founder Zébulon Perron.
      “The idea was to create something that seems completely out of place, and that captivates the imagination in a strange and wonderful way,” he said.
      Materials like walnut and brass were chosen to contrast the concrete interiorA canopy above the bar area helps to bring the tall ceilings down to a more human scale.
      Similarly, a series of pleated pendants are gracefully suspended from thin wires above the seating area, at a height that helps create a more intimate setting.

      Atelier Zébulon Perron designs “sensual” bar and restaurant at Montreal’s Four Seasons hotel

      These custom-designed lamps, each a slightly different shape, are made from the same blush-toned crinoline fabric as a dancer’s tutu.
      Floral-patterned wallpaper, upholstery and carpets, as well as golden lamps topped with tasseled shades, create the impression of a staged scene from another era.
      Details like wallpaper, upholstery and lighting add drama to the space”The tongue-in-cheek approach to Cafe Constance aimed at creating a fun and fantastical space within the more austere backdrop of the building’s contemporary architecture,” Perron said.
      “That play on contrasts extends to the design within the space as well, with hints of Victorian elements and boudoir intimacy animated by intricate colours, patterns and light fixtures.”
      Lamps were custom designed from crinoline fabric used to make tutusThe designer founded the eponymous interiors studio in 2008, and has also completed a restaurant at Montreal’s Four Seasons hotel.
      Other recently completed hospitality interiors in the city include the plant- and mirror-filled Tiramisu by Menard Dworkind, and La Firme’s bright and airy Melk Cafe.
      The photography is by Alex Lesage.

      Read more: More

    • 113 Shares169 Views

      in Rooms

      La Firme reorganises centuries-old Montreal loft with contemporary finishes

      by

      Montreal architecture studio La Firme has reorganised an apartment in a 1800s textile mill, using cabinetry to shape the new interior configuration.

      The Elmire Condo was completed for a young couple in Montreal’s Plateau Mont-Royal area.
      “This project took a space in a mid-19th century building that’s been a textile mill, a Campbell’s soup factory, and finally a condo complex,” said La Firme, a local studio whose name means simply The Firm.
      The apartment is located Montreal’s Plateau Mont-Royal areaLa Firme left much of the original structure exposed, including tall, rough-hewn timber beams and brick walls with structural arches as passages between rooms.
      According to the studio, these original elements serve as a “counterpoint” to their intervention, which consists of a series of white oak cabinets that delineate that redefine the rooms, while offering an abundance of storage for the owners.

      La Firme left structural arches and brickwork exposed”These contrasting elements organise the space into a rectangular area for the kitchen and salon, and an L-shaped loft for the master bedroom and bath, with a combination gallery, conservatory and meditative space,” said La Firme.
      The studio was able to include two bathrooms as part of the renovation: one for guests and the other within the primary bedroom. Plenty of stone is used throughout the apartment, reflecting the owner’s passion for geology.
      The apartment features a raised salonWithin the ensuite bathroom, a wall is finished in Calcatta marble that was bookmatched to create a subtle geometric pattern with the veins of the stone. “Natural light comes in from the gallery space through a band of glass blocks, in a wink to 1980s condo design,” La Firme explained.
      The long kitchen countertop sits partially at bar-height, then transitions to table height due to a step in the apartment floor. “The kitchen embodies [the client’s] love of minerals and culinary passion,” said La Firme.

      Talo Studios introduces Japandi elements to historic Montreal house

      “Quebec’s geological richness is brought inside with the island countertop, a slab of Labradorite granite that extends into a table on a raised platform,” they added.
      Beyond the kitchen is the salon, which is raised a few steps higher, and enjoys clear views of the city’s Mont Royal. Within these steps, the architects included a concealed pull-out bed for guests.
      Contemporary elements contrast with the centuries-old buildingOpposite the kitchen is a counter with drawers offering flexible storage or a place to work from home.
      Through the brick arches is the conservatory, a secondary living area separated from the combined living room and kitchen.
      Two bathrooms are included in the renovation”The gallery/conservatory is the loft area’s raison d’être,” La Firme explained. “Bright and open, it puts on display the clients’ other great loves: an impressive collection of contemporary art and a space for playing music.”
      Besides the white oak cabinets and occasional stone accents, the architects kept to a relatively limited palette for the intervention.
      Other apartment renovations in Montreal include a 1920s unit that Naturehumaine renovated with curved walls and pale green cabinetry, and a residential extension wrapped in galvanised metal.
      The photography is by Ulysse Lemerise Bouchard.

      Read more: More

    • 75 Shares179 Views

      in Rooms

      Vives St-Laurent creates tactile Montreal home

      by

      Interior design studio Vives St-Laurent has remodelled a family house in Montreal, Canada, using a grey colour palette, quartzite stone and white-oak furniture to create an interior that highlights the building’s architectural elements. More