My Houzz: Montreal Update Ready Just in Time for a New Arrival
A remodeled bathroom, new lighting, better storage and a modern color palette refresh a 3-story home for this expecting couple
Catherine Condoroussis and Charles Haggar were reluctant to leave their home in the Notre-Dame-de-Grâce area of Montreal, but with their third child on the way, they knew it was time for a larger space. They ended up buying the first home they visited, a duplex that had been converted into a single-family home with a large backyard, double garage and swimming pool, a rarity in their area. The previous owner was looking to downsize and took the couple’s joke about switching homes seriously, buying their old duplex.
Condoroussis completed the dining area with a small buffet and wall art.
The family spends most of its time in the kitchen and the playroom just to the left of it. Condoroussis used chalkboard paint on one wall of the playroom and uses a second to display drawings made by the kids.
A dark and dramatic paint color transformed the living room. The sofas are hand-me-downs from Condoroussis’ sister and the tables were salvaged from a client’s project. Condoroussis worked closely with contractor Luc Laurendeau during the remodel.
The gallery wall is a mix of secondhand art from Condoroussis’ parents and pieces bought on Kijiji.
The gallery wall is a mix of secondhand art from Condoroussis’ parents and pieces bought on Kijiji.
The couple decided to keep the original tiles in the first-floor bathroom. The one change they made was to the paint color, helping to brighten the space.
“I love the large mudroom,” Condoroussis says. “This was a big selling point for the house.” There’s lots of storage here for the family’s summer and winter gear.
A small pathway around the corner from the entry hides the children’s coats from view.
Condoroussis removed the wall that divided the staircase and replaced it with a banister. Wood from the bathroom floor was used to patch the floors.
Ferris wheel print: Minagraphy, Etsy
Ferris wheel print: Minagraphy, Etsy
The couple turned the open space at the top of the stairs into a family game and reading area.
The homeowners had their contractor modify Ikea shelves by adding crown molding and baseboards to give them the look of a custom built-in. The doorknobs on this floor were a guilty splurge.
The homeowners had their contractor modify Ikea shelves by adding crown molding and baseboards to give them the look of a custom built-in. The doorknobs on this floor were a guilty splurge.
The couple completely remodeled the bathroom, replacing the small pedestal sink with a modern floating vanity and installing new graphic tile. The mirror is inset within the modern white field tiles.
To the left of the reading room is the laundry room and the boys’ bedrooms. Condoroussis painted the walls in Oliver’s room a dark blue.
Simon’s bedroom with its subtle space theme had originally been the upstairs apartment’s kitchen.
Light fixture: Restoration Hardware
Light fixture: Restoration Hardware
Isabelle’s bedroom is next to the master suite, which is at the end of the hallway by the stairs.
Print: Max Wanger, Etsy;
pendant light: Zone
Print: Max Wanger, Etsy;
pendant light: Zone
The soft color palette of the nursery is perfect now yet allows plenty of room for change as Isabelle grows up. One of the homeowner’s favorite finds in the nursery is the Swarovski chandelier. It had sat untouched in a box for five years in her sister’s basement.
Elephant print: The Animal Print Shop
Elephant print: The Animal Print Shop
The contractor suggested stained and varnished shiplap instead of pine for the master bedroom wall. The room features family photos and a vintage cradle.
Saga Bed: EQ3
Saga Bed: EQ3
A door that had divided the master suite into two rooms was removed, making way for a walk-in closet.
Ikea closets were outfitted with inlaid lighting and lots of accessories to help keep things organized. A new bathroom was added to the left of the closets.
To help make the renovations easier, Condoroussis had the new bathroom placed back-to-back with the family bath just off the reading room.
They also installed a rain shower head and heated floors for extra comfort.
Vanity, mirror and shelves: Raffaele De Frenza, woodworker;
District light fixture: Zone
They also installed a rain shower head and heated floors for extra comfort.
Vanity, mirror and shelves: Raffaele De Frenza, woodworker;
District light fixture: Zone
The family loves spending time in the backyard — in the summer by the pool and in the winter near the fire pit.
On the exterior, one door was kept and the other was changed to a fixed window with the house number.
Condoroussis, pictured here, takes a moment to relax in the living room.
See more photos of this home
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
Browse more homes by style:
Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
See more photos of this home
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
Browse more homes by style:
Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
Who lives here: Charles Haggarand Catherine Condoroussis; sons Oliver, 5, and Simon, 4; and 6-month-old daughter Isabelle
Location: Notre-Dame-de-Grâce neighborhood of Montreal
Size: 2,700 square feet (251 square meters); four bedrooms, three bathrooms
The family moved into the basement and spent the next few months redoing most of the house. Condoroussis, a designer, did all of the interior and exterior design and worked with contractor Luc Laurendeau on the renovations. They started by tearing down some of the upstairs walls to open up the space. They sanded the floors, redid all the windows, updated the bathrooms and enlarged the master suite and added a master bathroom. The renovations were completed a day before the couple’s daughter was born.
Kitchen stools: West Elm; dining chairs: Structube; Snow chair: Maison Corbeil