When Gatline Artis, co-founder of design studio Entre Quatre Murs, came across this house, she felt like it would soon be hers, even if it wasn’t exactly her style. Located on Dobie Avenue in Montreal’s hilly Mount Royal neighborhood, the 3,500-square-foot circa-1959 home features a typical mid-century layout: small, secluded rooms and narrow hallways that never saw the light of the sun.
Luckily, Gatline wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty. She and her husband wanted a home that they could remodel to fit their young family’s lifestyle. They quickly got to work, gutting the interiors and reinventing the layout to create an airy, renovated home filled with natural light.
House & Home spoke with Gatline to learn more about her family’s wish list and how their mid-century home went from boring and dark to spacious and bright, with lots of extra storage to boot.
Scroll down to see how she did it.
Can you tell us about your storage solutions?
Gatline Artis: Each room has built-in storage space to hide or proudly display our personal belongings. One of the most complex and practical spaces (with built-in storage) is the space that separates the kitchen from the living room: on the kitchen side, it highlights our everyday crockery and cutlery while hiding a bar area. On the living room side, a television is hidden behind a sliding wall and we display our books and memories in the built-in bookshelf.
Phil Bernard
Tell us about this great cuisine!
Our cuisine is deeply rooted in family life. Countertops are made of quartz because they are easy to clean and stain-resistant. The cabinets are white oak and match the floors, which are also Stone Tile white oak.
Phil Bernard
Phil Bernard
Why did you decide to hide part of the kitchen behind a wall?
The idea was to keep the front part of the kitchen inviting and bright. Directly behind the partial wall, the completely black pantry catches the eye. We decided not to add a door to the pantry to make it a real extension of the kitchen. The space has an integrated fridge and freezer, coffee area and microwave. These household appliances are stored away but always within reach.
Phil Bernard
Glass stair railings are a bold choice. Why did you choose this material?
Many of our customers are afraid of glass stairs, especially if they have small children, but this was important to us and the children are growing up! We chose glass because we wanted the interiors to feel more open. This allows the light to be diffused as much as possible inside the house.
Phil Bernard
Phil Bernard
How did you change the floor plan?
The house had five bedrooms upstairs, but the rooms were dark and cramped. We remodeled the second floor to accommodate three bedrooms and opened up the center to create an office.
Phil Bernard
What is your favorite design detail?
When the light shines through the windows of the rear facade and the windows of the stairwell in the morning, the walls, floors and furniture are beautifully illuminated. This creates a soft, warm and enveloping atmosphere; a feeling of happiness that we take the time to enjoy.
Phil Bernard
What are the highlights of the master bedroom?
The integrated bedside tables are made of wood-look laminate and the headboard is made of padded felt, giving the whole thing comfort and warmth. The lighting above the bed is by Sonneman. We love our closet with its custom built-ins.
Phil Bernard
Phil Bernard
The main bathroom fits very well with the rest of the interior design. Was the choice of materials taken into account during the design?
The bathroom consists of three main materials. A ceramic tile by Ramacieri Soligo, reminiscent of natural stone, covers the floor, three walls and the shower bench. White oak on the vanity, on one wall and in the niches is reminiscent of the flooring in the rest of the house. Ultimately, we chose an easy-care white Fenix worktop because of the matte finish and the brightness it brings to the room.
Phil Bernard
What spaces did you create in the basement?
Three zones coexist harmoniously. Built-in closets provide separation between the gym, play area and family room. We also brought containers for the kids’ toys, with an enclosed storage area above for board games.
This is a beautiful transformation! Your impressions of the visit? Thank you House & Home for discovering this little gem!
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