HIGHRISE LIVING IN WESTMOUNT
A spacious studio found by chance
Misha Solomon grew up in CôteSt-Luc and Hampstead and when I asked about the origin of his first name — Misha is often a derivative of the Russian ‘’Mikhail’’ — he came up with an amusing anecdote.
His mom, when she was pregnant, favoured calling the babyto-be ‘’Marcia,” in memory of her mother. Solomon’s grandmother, on the other hand, thought “Misha” would be a good choice. His father liked that name, but his mom wasn’t so sure. In the end, Solomon’s parents came up with a compromise. If the baby was a girl, she would be called “Marcia,” but if not, “Misha.” As Solomon turned out to be a boy, Misha it was.
Solomon is only 26, but he is already a development executive with Muse Entertainment Enterprises, one of Canada’s leading film and television production companies. The curlyhaired millennial bears more than a passing resemblance to Justin Trudeau — something many people have remarked on — and for four years he lived in New York City. There, he studied biological anthropology at Columbia University, graduating with a BA.
In 2014, after he returned to Montreal, he lived for a while with his parents in Snowdon, casting about for a job and somewhere to live. He ended up in a studio apartment in a highrise building in Westmount, a neighbourhood he chose quite by chance.
Q You said you’d been looking all over the place when you came across this building. Tell me about that. A I liked the idea of a studio and at first I focused on St-Henri and the South-West. There really weren’t many studio apartments on the market. Most of the places in those areas seemed to be loft condos. I’d been looking for a while online, but one day I was just walking along the street when I saw the rental sign for this apartment and that was it.
Q What was it you particularly liked? The apartment itself? The neighbourhood? A Both. I love Westmount with the parks and restaurants and boutiques, but I also like the fact I can walk to work. My office is in St-Henri, which is why I was looking around that area initially, but it doesn’t take me long to get there on foot. It’s a bit slip ‘n’ slide in the winter because I have to walk downhill, but that’s not a huge problem.
Q And the apartment? A I liked the tiled hallways and the fact we have a doorman — not so much for security, but because I order a lot of books online. He takes delivery of them when I’m at work.
Q What about your furniture? I’m assuming because you were living in New York and then with your parents you might have had to start from scratch? A I did. I bought most of the stuff new. My bed came from Dormezvous and the coffee table is from Ikea. The sofa — it was on sale — I got from The Brick after visiting Ikea. I didn’t want to buy a sofa there and have to assemble it myself.
(Solomon explains the apartment had been ‘refreshed’ by the landlord just before he moved in. It has parquet floors and the walls are ivory — a neutral background that sets off his charcoal sofa, oatmeal floor rug and smart, black TV stand. His double bed is tucked into the far corner. To the left of it is a double window and on the opposite wall, a large mirror, which reflects the light.)
(At the opposite end of the sleeping quarters/living area is a kitchen that is open, but separated from the rest of the interior by a wide breakfast bar with a recessed, stainless steel sink. The countertop is beige and blackflecked granite and the bar stools are white.)
Q This looks like a typical galley kitchen, but you seem to have more than average storage space? A I do. That was one of the things I liked about the apartment. (He opens a couple of cabinets and the door to a minipantry, where he stores food.)
Q You also have some interesting artwork. What’s the story behind the print of the sleeping dog above your TV? A That’s something my grandfather had. My grandparents used to pick up artwork here and there and I got quite a few things from them.
Q Like the black and white photos above your bed? A Yes. My grandfather was downsizing when I moved here, so I went to his apartment and found these pictures. In fact, one of them was on the floor because he was going to get rid of them. Back in the 1970s and ’80s, the photos had hung in his office. They’re my favourite things in the apartment, but I’m afraid I don’t know much about the origin of the images.