My Houzz: Exotic Flair for a Luxe-Looking Montreal Loft
Chocolate-brown walls and global finds spice up this live-work loft for an interior designer in Quebec
When first-time homeowner Elena Atsaidis was searching for the perfect place to call her own, this airy, open-plan condo was not what she had in mind. “I was initially looking for a place in the suburbs,” Atsaidis says, “but when I saw the inside of this building, I was sold.”
It's now 13 years later, and Atsaidis, an interior designer and project manager in Montreal, has transformed the industrial loft space into a reflection of her warm and creative personality, incorporating DIY projects with artifacts from her travels and mementos from childhood.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Elena Atsaidis and poodle mix Finnigan
Location: Outremont neighborhood of Montreal
Size: 1,200 square feet, 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom
That's interesting: The loft complex dates to the 1940s, when it was a warehouse for the electronics company Marconi.
It's now 13 years later, and Atsaidis, an interior designer and project manager in Montreal, has transformed the industrial loft space into a reflection of her warm and creative personality, incorporating DIY projects with artifacts from her travels and mementos from childhood.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Elena Atsaidis and poodle mix Finnigan
Location: Outremont neighborhood of Montreal
Size: 1,200 square feet, 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom
That's interesting: The loft complex dates to the 1940s, when it was a warehouse for the electronics company Marconi.
With its 11-foot ceilings, large paneled windows and industrial concrete beams, this space was Atsaidis' dream. The entire living-dining area is flooded with light during the day, making the glass table in this area an ideal place for working from home. The yellow triptych is on loan from a friend, Québécois artist Pascale Poulin.
Glass vessel, table, floor lamp: HomeSense
Glass vessel, table, floor lamp: HomeSense
"I change the photos every few months or so, to update the room," she says. These, in matching silver frames, are from a recent trip to Maine.
Floor lamp, vases: HomeSense
Floor lamp, vases: HomeSense
Contrasting materials, such as this velvet armchair next to a concrete support, play up the home's architectural features. An oversize mirror reflects light and interior views, making the room look bigger.
Mirror, armchair: HomeSense
Mirror, armchair: HomeSense
Atsaidis placed her oversize sectional on an angle away from the wall to give the illusion of a bigger space. After she fell for the sofa (from the Sears outlet), discovered it had been discontinued, and finally tracked it down, it almost didn't fit in her living room.
Bowl: HomeSense
Bowl: HomeSense
When confronted with the design challenge of working with 11-foot ceilings, Atsaidis knew a light paint color wasn't the answer. "I wanted a rich, luxurious shade to make the bedroom feel cozier, more intimate," she says. "White would have made the room feel too big, too empty. I completely fell in love with this color."
She incorporated colorful accessories and rich textiles to complement the deep chocolate-brown walls. Her entire bed was an ambitious DIY project: she created the headboard out of two pieces of plywood ("I couldn't find one piece that was big enough," she recalls) and covered it with fabric panels she sewed together. She also made her bedspread and bed skirt by hand, "a project that was a lot more difficult than I had imagined," she says, laughing.
Paint: Brown Eyes, Behr; pillows, nightstands, vase: HomeSense
She incorporated colorful accessories and rich textiles to complement the deep chocolate-brown walls. Her entire bed was an ambitious DIY project: she created the headboard out of two pieces of plywood ("I couldn't find one piece that was big enough," she recalls) and covered it with fabric panels she sewed together. She also made her bedspread and bed skirt by hand, "a project that was a lot more difficult than I had imagined," she says, laughing.
Paint: Brown Eyes, Behr; pillows, nightstands, vase: HomeSense
The mirrored nightstand houses items from Atsaidis' childhood, such as her first pair of shoes and a jewelry box made by her uncle in Greece. The lamp was also something she grew up with, updated with a new shade.
Wanting a piece of artwork that would tie the space together, Atsaidis got creative and made one herself: She built a frame from plywood and stretched the canvas to get the size she wanted. "It was cheaper than buying a canvas this size, plus I wanted it to be thicker," she says. "It's hard to find that in stores." Using leftover paint, she improvised the abstract artwork.
This chaise longue, found at a thrift store and reupholstered, and functional vintage-style telephone give the bedroom some glam. Atsaidis is often inspired by old Hollywood–style interiors; Barbara Barry and Vincent Wolf are among her design muses.
Chaise: Village des Valeurs; pedestal: HomeSense; telephone: Crate & Barrel
Chaise: Village des Valeurs; pedestal: HomeSense; telephone: Crate & Barrel
The kitchen was renovated prior to her moving in and is the only space that she has not made over. “The kitchen is pretty basic, but it works," she says. "I add personality to it with pictures and accessories.”
"Cookie cutter interiors can drive me crazy," she says. "I much prefer it when items tie together without being identical." These dining chairs were bought as a set, then reupholstered with mismatched fabric.
Calling it her Zen den, Atsaidis fashioned a sanctuary off the dining area, where she comes to meditate and relax.
The Zen den displays mementos collected from her life and travels. A frame from her childhood holds a textile from India. The collection of plates belonged to her parents, who won them as trophies in a waltz competition in the 1940s.
Atsaidis made the bathroom mirror from tin ceiling tiles salvaged from an old house in Quebec and painted. The mirror is screwed directly into the wall to support its weight.
The back balcony is a lovely spot for a summer read or meal.
Finnigan the dog has a devoted corner. “He’s a part of the family, so he deserves his own personal space,” Atsaidis says.
She says her style is transitional and that she makes a point of rearranging her rooms and rotating her artwork every few months to keep things interesting.