My Houzz: A Montreal Loft Gets a Moody Transformation
Light, functionality and a touch of playfulness come together in this 900-square-foot apartment
Designer Sébastien Millette of Big Panda Design is always looking for his next home design adventure. In 2014, it came in the form of a loft in the Old Port area of Montreal with great potential. When Millette bought the loft, the layout was poor, the walls were bright yellow, the bathroom was tiny and the space had not been renovated in over 30 years. He transformed it into an open, modern apartment by having most of the interior walls removed, the size of the bathroom doubled and the small closed kitchen opened up to allow ample natural light to flow through.
AFTER: By removing the built-in cabinetry, Millette embraced an open floor plan. The apartment is now open fully to a brick wall. “It keeps the charm and character of the loft,” Millette says.
A custom-built clothing rod was placed between the bedroom and entrance to separate the two spaces.
To the left of the entrance is a walk-in closet that doubles as a laundry room with a washer and dryer. The ventilation and plumbing are all connected through a wall in the back that connects to the bathroom just beyond the closet on that same wall.
Millette also replaced the flooring in the entryway and walk-in closet with matte black ceramic tile.
A custom-built clothing rod was placed between the bedroom and entrance to separate the two spaces.
To the left of the entrance is a walk-in closet that doubles as a laundry room with a washer and dryer. The ventilation and plumbing are all connected through a wall in the back that connects to the bathroom just beyond the closet on that same wall.
Millette also replaced the flooring in the entryway and walk-in closet with matte black ceramic tile.
Most of the furniture is from Millette’s previous apartment. The pieces, including the bed, fit in well with the industrial loft style.
The light fixture seen here was custom-made. Millette had the original 6½ feet of nautical rope doubled so the light could easily be rearranged. Decorative glass terrariums hang from exposed plumbing pipes above the bed.
The light fixture seen here was custom-made. Millette had the original 6½ feet of nautical rope doubled so the light could easily be rearranged. Decorative glass terrariums hang from exposed plumbing pipes above the bed.
The open corridor leads directly into a large open living area and kitchen.
All the walls are covered in chalkboard paint, which contrasts nicely with the warm wood textures and sunniness of the loft. Visiting friends leave messages on the interior walls.
All the walls are covered in chalkboard paint, which contrasts nicely with the warm wood textures and sunniness of the loft. Visiting friends leave messages on the interior walls.
As mentioned, Millette shortened the wall behind the fireplace when he opened up the corridor. The new half-length wall anchors the fireplace, which is used to heat the loft during cold winters and also serves as a focal wall for a cozy sitting area.
AFTER: Millette removed the walls to create a kitchen that is open to the rest of the space. He also designed a kitchen island with a bar and built-in oven. “It’s really easy to entertain my guests in the main living area when I’m cooking,” he says. In addition, he removed the ceramic tile on the floor and replaced it with wood to match the flooring throughout most of the rest of the loft.
The windows in the main living area had wooden shutters, which Millette removed and replaced with white curtains. These soften the roughness of the wood, which previously overwhelmed the space, and bring in more light. The bedroom had shutters as well, which he left for maximum darkness at night.
A set of gymnastic rings hangs in the middle of the room so that Millette can skip the gym and do his workout routine at home.
The windows in the main living area had wooden shutters, which Millette removed and replaced with white curtains. These soften the roughness of the wood, which previously overwhelmed the space, and bring in more light. The bedroom had shutters as well, which he left for maximum darkness at night.
A set of gymnastic rings hangs in the middle of the room so that Millette can skip the gym and do his workout routine at home.
The closed-off kitchen with white Ikea cabinets was replaced with an elegant galley-style kitchen featuring black matte lacquer cabinets that tie in with Millette’s modern-rustic style. The total kitchen renovation cost $20,000 Canadian, with the cabinets costing $10,000 Canadian.
In custom-made planters hanging outside his window, Millette grows a variety of herbs and plants, including kale, basil, strawberries and thyme. “It’s beginning to feel like a tropical forest,” he says.
In custom-made planters hanging outside his window, Millette grows a variety of herbs and plants, including kale, basil, strawberries and thyme. “It’s beginning to feel like a tropical forest,” he says.
The countertops are made of 2-inch-thick maple wood. Millette made them 6 inches deeper than standard counters to accommodate extra storage. “I can store things on my countertop without losing extra storage space,” he says. One custom functional detail he included is a slot cut into the countertop to store cooking knives.
“I didn’t want anything blocking the view between the kitchen and the rest of the space,” Millette says. He attached a magnetic strip to the range hood to keep his spices organized.
A small home office is set up against the fireplace wall in the bedroom. The desk is made of black glass and maple wood to blend in with the rest of the loft’s elements. To the left is a large bathroom that can be closed off with dark opaque curtains.
Millette has found that the new floor layout has made the spaces in the loft more useful and easier to access.
Millette has found that the new floor layout has made the spaces in the loft more useful and easier to access.
The bathroom was completely redone and doubled in size. The focal point is a custom sink, made from a 500-pound piece of rock from the same quarry as the stones found on the outside of the building; the rock was custom-cut and then polished. The bathroom renovation cost $19,000 Canadian, and the stone sink was $3,000 Canadian.
Behind the wall holding the sink are two back-to-back alcoves, one hiding the toilet and the second holding an open shower with a hidden linear drain. The bathroom is clad in matte black tiles.
A fake beam was added to the back wall to hide the plumbing in the bathroom. Millette inserted accent lighting behind it to create mood lighting for the shower. “It creates a nice ambience,” he says.
Behind the wall holding the sink are two back-to-back alcoves, one hiding the toilet and the second holding an open shower with a hidden linear drain. The bathroom is clad in matte black tiles.
A fake beam was added to the back wall to hide the plumbing in the bathroom. Millette inserted accent lighting behind it to create mood lighting for the shower. “It creates a nice ambience,” he says.
Millette, seated in his home office, says his favorite time of day is the afternoon, when the sun fills his apartment.
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.
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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: Sébastien Millette, Big Panda Design
Location: Old Port in Montreal
Size: 900 square feet (83.6 square meters); one bedroom, one bathroom
A built-in closet and a wall behind the fireplace created a long dark corridor and blocked the light. Millette removed the closet and shortened the wall to create an open corridor so light can reach all areas.