LABOUR OF LOVE
Family’s input on home improvement
Genevieve Meloche was still a student when she and her soon-to-be husband, Leopold Ste-Marie, decided to buy their first home. That was back in 1997. Due to the fact they were working within a modest budget and to save money, the couple got together with friends to buy what is still their residence. By pooling their resources, the group found a duplex constructed in 1908, in Rosemont La-Petite-Patrie. The purchase price was $114,000.
Today, Meloche is a business consultant whose company advises companies around the world (strateginternational.com) and Ste-Marie works in the health-care system. Meloche and Ste-Marie love their neighbourhood, and while their property would reap them a handsome profit if they sold, they prefer to stay put.
They have made many renovations through the years, with the help of family and friends. At one point, the building was converted into condos. The other apartments were sold off and on the second floor, Meloche and Ste-Marie kept a 5½ for themselves. It has two bedrooms, one of which is Meloche’s home office, as well as a terrace.
They share their abode with Stella, a Cornish Rex cat. An unusual looking feline, she is skinny, shaped like a whippet and covered with wavy down instead of fur. She also has enormous ears, typical of the breed. Stella strolls over to be petted, then settles down, as if to eavesdrop on the conversation.
Q It sounds as if you have made a really good investment. Was that the reason you bought the building? A That was certainly at the back of our minds, but at the time, the neighbourhood wasn’t so great. Rosemont wasn’t like it is today, with lots of interesting food shops, an SAQ, cafés, bakeries. Really, our decision had more to do with the price. We were on a limited budget and we didn’t want to put all of our money into a house because we liked to travel.
Q Is that why you did most of the renovations yourselves? A Absolutely! We were lucky to know people who could help us. My brother-in-law works in construction, my brother and father are very handy and we have a couple of friends who are architects. They redesigned the bathroom. The cabinets were custom made by a carpenter, but they worked as a team.
(The cabinets in question are made of a reddish wood. The other bathroom fittings include a rectangular vessel sink and a soaking tub surrounded by white, subway tiles. Across from the sink is a storage area with a curtain in front, to hide a washer and dryer. Meloche mentions that they installed a pocket door in order to save space.)
Q You mentioned the bathroom was one of the more recent areas to be renovated but when you bought the place, what was the first thing you had to change? A The building had good, solid foundations but everything had to be redone — the roof, the wiring, the plumbing. We also took down a wall. (Meloche shows me where there used to be a division between the kitchen and the double living room. The section closest to the kitchen is the dining room. It has a large refectory-style table and spindle-back chairs.)
Q Is your dining table antique? A It’s actually from Mexico, but we bought it here in Montreal. (At the far end is the couple’s seating area. It’s furnished with a sectional couch covered in dark turquoise upholstery, brightened with crimson and multi-coloured scatter cushions. A red metal
cabinet from IKEA , flanked by a couple of speakers, serves as a TV stand. Throughout the apartment, the flooring, including in the kitchen, is cherry wood.)
Q Did you install the flooring as well? A We did. There was carpeting all the way. Underneath, it was just hardboard. It really wasn’t nice.
Q Where did you source all your materials? A I got some help from the people at IKEA. As you can see we have a lot of stuff from there. But also from my architect friend. He came with me to a couple of places. The backsplash in the kitchen, for example, came from Ramacieri Soligo in Outremont. They specialize in tiles.
Q So now you’ve got the place the way you want it, I guess you’re not in a hurry to move? A Definitely not! A lot of time and effort has been poured into this house, working with family and friends. It’s so filled with love that it would be almost impossible to go anywhere else!