KEEPING THE COOL PLATEAU LOOK IN PLAY
Painting over brown bricks will add to home’s hip factor
Are you cool? According to MTL Blog, the Plateau hosts the largest population of hipsters. It is ranked No. 24 out of 100 most stylish places in the world and the No. 1 most stylish place to live in Montreal.
For the owner of this property the Plateau is flavourful — having many different people, foods and architecture. It is always interesting to walk around and look at the houses. Each one is unique but distinctively Plateau.
The location of her house, which dates back to 1885, provides a good balance between urban life, with all the amenities at hand and a splash of nature from the mature trees and the parks. Her home is only a few steps away from La Fontaine Park.
This park sits on the grounds of the old Logan farm, the owner explained. This land was sold in 1845 to the Government of Canada, which used it for military practices for 40 years. The soldiers of the British garrison were housed there and trained in the surrounding wilderness. The city of Montreal rented part of the farm to create a park in 1874 named Logan Park. In 1888, the park tackled major landscaping work. Two years later, the greenhouses, where all the flowers adorning the city were grown, were transferred from Viger Square to the park. In 1901, the park was renamed Parc La Fontaine in honour of Louis- Hippolyte Lafontaine, the first Canadian to become prime minister of the United Provinces of Canada and the first head of a responsible government in the country.
After this short history lesson, the owner advised me that in spring, the foundation around the house will need to be replaced. The house also lacks a proper drainage system, but the owner claims that the ancient silver maple in the backyard, with its thirsty roots, naturally extracted most of the water accumulation.
An energy conservation inspector will evaluate the insulating value of the 20- year- old windows and doors. I sketched new ones in a medium taupe- grey shade. If the old ones remain, they could be painted in this understated rich colour in a soft- sheen finish. In this hue, the crown of the facade will adopt architectural details enhancing the building.
To me, the worst feature of the house is the randomly placed brown bricks. I would have these dark bricks removed entirely and swapped for new ones mimicking the actual sand tone. Another alternative is to paint all sides of the brown bricks with specialized paint for such surfaces, perfectly mirroring the existing sand hue, in a matte finish. The new flat vent plaques and current white corner strip on the left should also be painted sand for camouflage, in a matte finish.
Between the two buildings is the owner’s backyard door. A simple black iron gate would look more appropriate than the existing portal that looks more suited to an interior setting.
When the facade is so close to the street and the front lot so compact, every subtlety is monumentally important. New silver or black sconces, matching address numbers placed vertically and sleek hardware are treated like jewelry. Since the two- family dwelling is converted into a single cottage, the handles should now be positioned in the middle.
Unlike the two existing steps, which are not equal in height, the new risers finished in warm- grey pavers should present the same elevation. On top, the floor could be made deeper so that the lower step is flush with the right neighbour’s facade. Or, the floor could be similar in size as the old porch. Then, a small section in front, at the sidewalk level, would also be done in pavers, as depicted here. Custom- made, nine-to- 10- inchhigh flower boxes, measuring the width of each window casing, will foster pink and white annuals.
The planting bed is small, thus must reveal clean lines. As a permanent backdrop, a hedge of evergreen shrubs will serve as a visual anchor. In front, double or triple rows of dwarf sedum perennials will offer contrast, even when the deep pink blooms are not out yet, with their bluish burgundy foliage. A 10- inch strip of scented white thyme ground cover will soften the sidewalk edge.
I don’t know if every Plateau resident is hip or not, but I imagine that with the new improvements, this home will surely increase the “cool factor” of this street.
VEGETATION(FROM LEFT ):
Ginkgo Mariken ( ornamental tree, small compared with much larger regular Ginkgo tree, fanlike leaves, yellow in fall, pollution resistant, left corner of building)
Buxus Green Gem ( persistent shrubs, hedge along foundation, occasional pruning in boxy shape)
Sedum Vera Jameson ( perennials, deep pink blooms, burgundy purple foliage, drought tolerant, double or triple rows, front of boxwood hedge)
Thymus Snowdrift ( perennial ground cover, white blooms, scented, near sidewalk)
Begonia semperflorens ( annuals, pink blooms, fertilize, back of flower boxes)
Calibrachoa Superbells ( cascading annuals, white blooms, fertilize, flower boxes)