Outremont Residence

A two-story addition to a family’s early 20th-century home in Outremont, Montreal, and a full gut renovation allowed us to completely reconfigure the main living level. Replacing the tiny kitchen with a spacious and contemporary area for the family to fully utilize was the primary objective, and a series of other smart tweaks to the plan have opened up the flow into other rooms.

‍

The kitchen and dining area now occupy the extension, which leads out to a new expansive deck and the garden beyond. Large black-framed windows and a glass door create a strong connection with the outdoors, and the light-filled room is much more open and genial than its cramped predecessor. A banquette is tucked into a corner, the island is accompanied by a row of stools, and the dining table seats eight—together easily accommodating large gatherings.

‍

Although one space, the kitchen and dining areas are defined by both a change in ceiling height and in flooring material. The lower kitchen, with a bedroom above, has gray tiles that continue into the pantry, while the taller sloped ceiling that follows the exterior roofline above the dining area is positioned over pale hardwood floors.

‍

While the majority of the kitchen is white—including the counters, millwork and the tiled backsplash—the island is painted black to offer contrast and add weight to the room’s central focal point. The adjacent pantry, which sits opposite an enlarged powder room, features multiple beaded cabinets with brass hardware that supplement the generous storage space in the kitchen.

‍

As part of the renovation, sightlines were created from the front door through the foyer, pantry, and the kitchen out to the verdant garden. Similarly, along a parallel axis, the living room is now visually connected to the back garden via a media room and the dining area. Pocket doors allow each of the spaces to be closed off from one another when required.

‍

By gaining a few precious feet at the back of this historic home, we were able to completely transform its layout and improve the functionality throughout.

‍

Team:

Andrew Curtis  Partner, MRAIC, AIA, OAQ, LEED BD+C

Anne Charbit  Architectural Designer

‍

Photography © Adrien Williams