I met Sophie Bush about four or five years ago. “I’m thinking of starting a blog,” she told me. “What’s stopping you?”I asked, having only recently set up The Mad House. Sophie muttered about preparing and getting ready and more preparing and then I apparently said to her (I have no memory of this bit):…
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Don’t be fooled. Despite its Old World architecture, cobblestone streets, and century-old facades, Montréal is a bustling hub of culture, design, art, food… the list goes on. Only a train ride away from New York City (and a gorgeous one at that), Montréal also happens to be the second largest French-speaking city in the world! Due to the intriguing juxtaposition of old and new world, Montréal has its own romantic charm that distinguishes it from Paris and any other city, at that. Get a glimpse of that certain je ne sais quoi that both residents and visitors alike describe when visiting this glittering metropolis.
Hotel Gault lobby
Hotel Gault: This boutique hotel focuses on creating a design-oriented experience with outstanding customer service. Choose from four different atmospheres to suit your tastes — maybe you prefer an airy loft, a generous suite, a room with a terrace view, or a cozy apartment that’s like home. Of course you can’t miss snapping a picture in their lounge, with the statement sofa designed by Francesco Binfaré.
Hotel St. Paul: Luxurious jewel-toned tufted sofas, opulent facades, and even a decadent Black Suite, this hotel is a perfect example of Old World architecture merged with modern day design. For those who seek an experiential stay in a hotel, then the St. Paul is for you.
Hotel Chez Swann: For those who desire a more out-of-the-box experience, the Hotel Chez Swann is a hotel, art gallery, and a show at the same time. Steering away from the typical, this hotel is a flurry of color, art, texture, and light. None of the 23 rooms in the hotel are the same. Each room has furnishings commissioned from different local artisans, immersing the guest in the full Montréal experience.
Biosphere
The Biosphere: The only museum of its kind in North America. Having survived through an epic ice storm and raging fire, this steel and acrylic dome was designed by architect Buckminster Fuller. Take a stroll inside to see its green roofs, indoor garden, and wind turbines, keeping it a truly green building. It also has different technology and multisensory installations rotating through the museum.
Au Sommet Place Ville Marie: Get a sweeping 360 degree view of the Montreal Skyline from the observation deck at Au Sommet Place Ville Mari. Then, enjoy the rooftop garden on the 44th floor, or head to the photography gallery on the 46th floor. Either way, you’ll get epic views that span the entire city. Place Ville Marie was designed by I.M. Pei (designer of the Louvre Pyramid) along with Henry N. Cobb.
The Village at Pied-du-Courant: The Village of Pied-du-Courant is a space built for the people, by the people. It is meant to be a gathering spot of sorts — where residents and tourists alike can come to enjoy the true spirit of Montréal. It is also a platform for emerging local artists and creatives to share their work. Large geometric pyramids, recycled wood furniture, sandboxes and colorful shipping containers keep the boardwalk interesting for people of all ages and backgrounds.
Never Apart: Familiarize yourself with established and emerging artists at Never Apart, an art and cultural hub. Whether it’s music, art installations, panel discussions or workshops, Never Apart aims to bring about “social change and spiritual awareness” through different mediums in its creative space.
The opening of JON RAFMAN at Arsenal
Arsenal: This edgy industrial space in the Griffintown district of Montréal highlights contemporary local and international artists. With looming ceilings of steel and concrete, the space is large enough to even hold its own sculpture gardens and interactive installations. A must-visit for anyone who is interested in contemporary art.
The Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal: The Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal (MAC) brings together modern art from artists around the world in one space. Founded by the Québec government, its mission is to create unexpected and fresh new experiences to visitors. From avant-garde artistic performances to educational events, the MAC is non-stop contemporary art inspiration.
Palais des congrès de Montréal
Palais des congrès de Montréal: The Palais is an environmentally-friendly venue with a colorfully bold facade that’s recognizable immediately. When the light hits the colored glass walls, it immediately creates a striking kaleidoscope effect in its shadows unlike any other. The interior houses an ultra-modern space with cutting edge technology, making it perfect for digital art installations and any other similar event. It was originally designed by architect Victor Prus, then updated by several architectural firms under the supervision of Mario Saia.
Philippe Dubuc Flagship Store Designed by Saucier Perrotte
Philippe Dubuc: Though mostly focused on menswear, the beloved Québec designer has also dabbled in the performing arts, jewelry, and even food. His eponymous store features a minimal black and white palette with flashes of bold yellow. It looks more like an art gallery than a menswear store.
Frank + Oak: With a massive space of over 5,000 square feet, the Frank + Oak flagship store is full service — with a cafe, barber shop, bar and event space along with their retail space. What differentiates Frank + Oak is that they’re all about personalization and customer service, where stylists are available in person, or online 24-7. They aim to bridge the gap between online and offline, by streamlining the shopping process as much as possible.
Lambert et Fils: We’ve featured Lambert et Fils’ sculptural lighting here before, so it’s no surprise that their showroom is on our city guide. See their architectural lighting in all its glory at their showroom that’s perfectly close to Little Italy and Mile-Ex, the hip neighborhood of Montréal.
Want Apothecary
Want Apothecary: Parquet flooring, ample natural light, and matte black accents mark Want Apothecary as the place to find a carefully edited collection of style and beauty products. Rather than buying into trends, the brand aims to bring quality, timeless products to their shoppers.
Anywhere we missed? Tell us in the comments below.
Tasked with bringing one of the Alexander mid-century modern homes back to life, Michelle Boudreau Design achieved that while also updating it for modern times. The original owner preserved much of the modernist details but everything still needed to be restored and revitalized, along with a unique and modern design plan that pays homage to the home’s storied past.
Large windows and sliding glass doors were incorporated to bring natural light into every space, while facilitating the indoor/outdoor California lifestyle.
Throughout the interior, Boudreau curated a mix of both vintage and modern pieces for an authentic, yet updated ambiance.
An addition was designed to add another large bedroom and lounge space with access to the pool and spa area outside.
Each room has a bold design scheme full of memorable moments and vignettes, as well as bold color selections.
You might also spy the artwork of our very own Jaime Derringer, founder of Design Milk, throughout the house!
Photos by Jasmin Park.
Stockholm-based Swedish-French design duo Färg & Blanche are known for their experimental upholstery, which in the past has seen them sew through wood and form objects from molded felt. Inspired by a three-month residency in Japan and in particular by the armor worn by Samurai warriors, for their latest furniture collection, they have been putting metal through their hardy sewing machines.
“We were fascinated by the mix of hard and soft material, and how they attach to each other,” says Blanche. “The different pieces create a shell when combined together, a protection in three-dimensional form. We were also intrigued by the fact that this armour conveyed a strong sense of the personality of these warriors.”
For Salone del Mobile, Fredrick Färg and Emma Marga Blanche held a solo exhibition in the former church – now theatre, Teatro Arsenale. They showed a retrospective of their work together with 10 new furniture items and objects, large sculptures and light installations, the curation of which was intended to “question the relationship between hard and soft.”
They also hosted nightly dinners in the space throughout Milan Design Week during which guests sat on their chairs, ate and drank from their tableware and were entertained with experimental Swedish music played on their furniture, offering them to the chance to fully immerse themselves in the collections.
“The craft and the process of making are really important as a fundamental part of our process as designers,” the pair explain. “We like to push the frontiers of innovation and experiment, and to be a part of the future, while at the same time keeping old knowledge alive combining craft and technology.”
A jointed light installation in the entrance to the show (above) will be repurposed after Milan Design Week and installed in three different Swedish schools.
Dinner was served on their Succession collection (above), made by casting ceramic in molds made from felt wrapped in wire. The collection was developed by Petite Friture in partnership with porcelain specialists Revol.
Other pieces included the Couture armchair for B.D Barcelona Design, the Julius collection for Gärsnäs, the Frankie chair for Johanson design and a new carpet collection for Asplund, as well as the fruits of a collaboration with Bolon, which saw various pieces upholstered with the Swedish company’s flooring materials.
Each evening, the pair introduced other Swedish designers to the gathered diners as part of Swedish Design Moves, a four-year program of promoting Swedish architecture, design and fashion around the world.
As far as Emily Post is concerned, eating with your hands is a big no-no. But let’s be real, some of our most delicious and memorable food experiences have often come from this very activity. Eating with your bare hands or sucking your fingers are natural behaviors. We believe it feeds your mind, not just your stomach, by offering a personal connection with your food.
Design studio Michel/Fabian tapped into the sensuality of eating with one’s fingers when developing their genius take on the spoon. The result = Goûte, a teardrop-shaped glass wand designed to eat creamy foods like peanut butter, Nutella, yogurt, or chocolate mousse. Their handcrafted utensil makes the experience of eating creamy foods much more mindful and pleasurable.
Michel/Fabian also collaborated with Oxford University’s Crossmodal Research Laboratory to conduct an experiment testing the effect eating with Goûte can have on flavor perception. Participants reported perceiving the food as tasting significantly better than when eating with a conventional spoon. Some participants even rated the sweetness of the yogurt sample as being sweeter than those eating with a plastic spoon. Lastly, the perceived value of the food went up by 40%.
Goûte can be defined in three ways. Each one below clearly shows how perfect the product name truly is.
goût french |gu|
taste or gustation.
One of the 5 senses that informs about the molecular properties of food.
The sensation of flavor perceived in the mouth on contact with a substance.
goutte french |gut|
drop (of liquid).
A small round or pear-shaped portion of liquid that hangs or falls.
goûte french |gut|
to taste.
“Goûte cela” – “Taste this”.
As for the physical design, the original concept started by 3D printing a scanned finger, and giving it a handle. Then after many failed material trials, they decided to move forward with glass. The versatile material could produce a similar shape to the finger while allowing them to find a balance between tactile qualities, visual aesthetics, and manufacturing capacities. The glass Goûte is made by glass blower Richard Price, in the United Kingdom.
Additionally, they also produced a version in different woods: Pear, Maple and Olive. Their wood is ethically sourced, dry-aged, and hand-turned on a lathe by Dominic Jones, wood artisan in the United Kingdom.
Photos by Joe Sarah.
