Some projects begin with a brief. This one began with a conversation. When Michael Godmer Studio was first contacted, the clients had already lived in the house for several years. The call was exploratory — an open exchange of ideas rather than a defined request. The couple — an art therapist who works intuitively with the body, gesture, and emotion, and a social programmes manager focused on building sustainable human structures — had lived internationally, gathering cultural and spatial experiences that would contribute to the narrative of their home in Montreal.
Their return to Canada was a way to reconnect with family, to offer stability for their two children, while preserving the openness shaped through travel. What began as a conversation soon evolved into a full renovation, developed patiently over time, with Michael Godmer Studio guiding the process and assembling a network of local artisans and collaborators around a shared vision.
Even before construction began, the house became a kind of laboratory. Drawings appeared on walls and family-made artworks acted as spontaneous gestures that inscribed the family’s identity into the space. From the beginning, the intention was clear: to create a home that felt singular and expressive, far removed from standardised imagery, and deeply attuned to colour, theatricality, and a vibrant family life.
The house already carried a rich history. A character-filled residence in Outremont, it was defined by warm woodwork and material depth, generous proportions, and a central staircase that anchored the plan. Rather than erase these elements, the design sought dialogue. The staircase was preserved exactly as it was, acting as a point of balance between past and present. Elsewhere, interventions extend the architecture rather than replace it — rounded door frames, reconfigured openings, and redesigned windows soften transitions and introduce a sense of flow.
Function and family life shaped every architectural decision. This includes working from home, with a dedicated art therapy space integrated seamlessly into the domestic flow, and an upstairs office offering focus and retreat. Cabinetry takes the place of traditional partitions, defining zones and creating versatile spaces. Custom doors, in particular became a central design element: glazed wood-framed, solid bespoke designs and louvered wardrobes were developed in close collaboration with local artisans. Each one is functional, tactile, and quietly expressive — part of a broader commitment to craftsmanship and personalisation.
Throughout the house, the atmosphere shifts gently from one zone to the next: a theatrical powder room in soft pinks nodding to the world of Wes Anderson, vibrant and playful spaces for the children, and, in contrast, the parents’ wing — calmer and more sensual, where bedroom and bathroom engage in a quiet, intimate dialogue. Each variation feels deliberate, responding to mood, function, and the rhythms of daily life.
Materiality is layered with restraint. A warm, mayonnaise-toned base colour envelops the home, allowing preserved woodwork to sit comfortably alongside brushed lacquered woods, uniform lacquer finishes, Botticino Fiorito marble, and travertine flooring. Limewash paint introduces sandy textures that interact with sculptural and decorative elements, referencing the clients’ travels and eclectic sensibilities.
Curves are a recurring element throughout the house, softening the lines of the kitchen island, door frames and bathrooms and creating a fluid language that resists being fixed in time. The kitchen itself is restrained and abstract, avoiding overt references — particularly to the French bistro — through a subtle repetition of tile lines between floor and island. One of the project’s signature details — which immediately caught my eye — is the narrow-plank white oak floor, recalling the home’s origins, framed by a tiled border that echoes the kitchen. A single small tile marks the transition between wood and ceramic, a detail repeated throughout the house, forming a discreet narrative thread.
Lighting is intentionally understated, designed to reveal textures and materials rather than competing with them. Sourced largely through local collaborations, it contributes to the home’s sensitive, coherent and deeply personal composition.
More than anything, this is a project shaped by relationships — between a family and their home, between past and present, between architecture and craftsmanship. It has been designed to evolve, welcome, and grow richer over time, without ever losing its soul.
