FACTORY MADE
Condo’s history a woven one
Lyne Arcand is a doctor who works for the Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ). Since she does not have direct contact with patients, for many years she lived in Lorraine. After she divorced her husband and when the youngest of her two sons finished high school, she decided to move to Montreal.
At first she thought she might buy an old apartment in the Plateau. She had seen one that she really liked, with features typical of that neighbourhood — exposed brick walls, wood trim around the windows and so on — but the home inspector dissuaded her from putting in an offer, pointing out that the foundations were not in good shape. She then switched gears and decided to find an apartment near her place of work with easy access to Jean Talon Market — a favourite hangout for Arcand, even when she lived in the suburbs.
In November 2008, her house in Lorraine sold and she found her current home — a two-storey condo, which had been converted from a former textile factory. Situated in Little Italy, it is within walking distance of her office and the market.
Arcand shares her abode with Mario Couture, a semi-retired management consultant. The couple divide their time between what is now a city pied-a-terre and a home in Eastman in the Eastern Townships, where Arcand, a budding artist, also has a “beautiful studio.”
Q I gather that you are able to walk to work? A Yes. My office is only 2.5 kilometres from here. Going in, I prepare mentally for the day ahead and when I walk back, I let go of all my problems.
Q What do you like about the neighbourhood itself? A The boutiques. The restaurants. There are also several multimedia companies in this area, full of dynamic young professionals. I love this generation! Last summer there was a pop-up pub with tables set up outside an old garage. The young people gave life to the place!
Q When you moved from your house in Lorraine, did you have to buy a lot of new furniture for the condo? A It’s funny you should ask me that because we’re in the middle of making some changes. I want to get rid of the dining room table and replace it with one that has a glass top. I also want to change my bedroom furniture because it’s rather old. In Lorraine, I had a little Normandy-type house so the style of the furniture doesn’t fit all that well here.
(While Arcand’s current abode was built decades ago when it part of a factory, the developer who renovated the building gave the condos modern, minimalist interiors.
The living room — it has a black leather sectional sofa and a glasstopped coffee table — and the dining area, are open plan, all the way to the kitchen.
The walls throughout the condo are hung with abstract artworks, some painted by Arcand herself. At the far end of the living room is a wall of glass and alongside the dining table is a window, etched with a motif of ferns.) Q That’s very unusual! Tell me about it. A There isn’t a very nice view out of that window so I wanted something to hide it, but without blocking the light. It’s a photo made by my brother who has a printing business. The image is affixed directly onto the glass and during the day, as the sun moves, the colour of the leaf changes slightly.
(We walk downstairs to the master bedroom, along a hallway with built-in shelving on which are displayed photos, books and ornaments. Off the hallway are two other bedrooms. One functions as a home office. Here, too, is a piece of furniture with a glass top, namely Arcand’s desk.)
Q You seem to be very keen on glass-topped tables? A I am! They give a light, airy look to a room and makes a space seem bigger than it is.
(The walls of Arcand’s home office are pale yellow and beside her desk is a beige upholstered sofa that pulls out into a spare bed. The other bedroom is a storage space for her artwork and supplies and various odds and ends, including pieces of jewelry, made by this talented doctor with an artistic bent.)
At some point we may use this space as a bedroom once again.
Q For guests? A (Smiles). One day we’ll probably have grandchildren and they’ll need somewhere to stay.