A TESTIMONY TO CRAFTSMANSHIP
Maison Gervais-Roy maintains character despite renovations
This alluring, rustic-looking fieldstone house is a rarity, as very few farm houses dating from the mid18th century still stand today. But what makes this house even more of a gem is that it is not tucked away in the countryside as one would expect, but rather stands on a busy street in Montreal facing condo towers. Yet many visual elements give the illusion of a rural setting; notably it is set back from the street and surrounded by vegetation and mature trees.
Named the Maison Gervais-Roy after its first two owners, the building’s style is French colonial, and research documents put its construction somewhere between 1752 and 1802.
Originally built square, it underwent major alterations around 1840, when it was extended on the right side and the battenseam roof was elongated by an overhang to cover a new porch. Three dormer windows were also added to make the attic habitable. Despite these modifications, the house has kept its harmonious proportions.
It was declared a cultural heritage monument in 1981 by the Quebec government. Unfortunately, this did not protect it from further remodelling until a law was passed in 2012 — when the house was officially designated a heritage monument of exceptional value.
By that time, Martin Archambault and Isabelle Cyr, the current owners, had made all the renovations needed to make it a cosy and practical home. “It had not been lived in for some time when we bought it in 2002, and it was quite in disrepair,” Cyr said. While the exterior only needed cosmetic touch-ups such as a coat of paint on the wood trim and a good scrubbing of the stone walls, the interior required a lot more work. And this was mostly done by the couple — it helped that Archambault owns a renovation company that does residential work.
Respectful of the house’s identity and character, the couple proceeded with care. They encountered some pleasant surprises along the way, such as the discovery of a third fireplace and a few cupboards built into the walls, previously hidden behind ugly panelling. Situated in the extension that was added in 1840, the kitchen combines the old and the new for practical efficiency more than style. The cupboards were simply stripped of old paint and varnished, the counters covered up with granite. The kitchen is one of the few rooms in the house with original floorboards. The breakfast table stands against the stone wall, separating this annex from the main body of the house. To pass through to the other side, which opens onto the dining room, tall people have to stoop down, as the door frame is quite low.
Most of the original floor has been replaced by parquet flooring. Eleven-metre-long wooden beams run across the eight-foot high ceiling of the spacious dining room. The furniture is a mix of different styles that reflect the owners’ tastes. While they were conscientious when restoring the house, they never attempted to recreate an authentic 1800s decor. The dining room set may be an antique dating from the early 20th century, but it is definitely not as old as the house itself. As for the roll top desk, popular in late-19th century offices, it is a reproduction that hides a computer. In fact, most modern gadgets and technology are tactfully out of sight in this home.
In the living room, the odd-coloured upright piano was played by the couple’s three children when they were young. It stands against an unusually angled wall, the result of the space being divided into two rooms — the living room on one side and a bedroom on the other. To keep a window in the bedroom, the wall had to be constructed in an unusual fashion. One item of note in this room is the coffee table. It’s an antique scale used to weigh either grain or pigs — nobody really seems to know for sure — but it does make for an intriguing conversation piece. And it is still functional after all these years.
The house has four bedrooms, three of which are located on the ground floor. The master bedroom is cosy and just big enough for a queen-size bed and some beautiful knotted pine furniture. Choosing blue for a bedroom is always a good idea as it is a soothing colour. The main bathroom is long and narrow, but the space is used efficiently. The stone wall, the shower tiles and the abundance of wooden vanities give the place a warm and rustic atmosphere. The old-fashioned hot water radiator underneath the window is still in use. Others with the same classic design are found in all the rooms on the ground floor — they are the main heating system of the house.
The thickness of the stone wall that surrounds the entrance to the bedroom in the attic is apparent and quite impressive. Before the house was enlarged in the mid19th century, this was, of course, an outer wall. It extends all the way to the rafters and divides the attic in two. The area above the kitchen, built in 1840, has been converted into private quarters for the couple’s daughter. She has plenty of space, including a study and a walk-in closet at one level, and sleeping quarters in the mezzanine, accessible by climbing the steep miller’s stairs. It is well insulated for maximum comfort. The older section of the attic is used as storage space. There, the original wooden framework of the house is visible. The fact that it has survived for more than 200 years is a testimony to the craftsmanship of Quebec’s builders from the past.
The couple has enjoyed 15 years of happiness so far in their heritage home. Now that their two sons have moved out and their daughter is on the verge of doing the same, however, the couple has reluctantly started to think about downsizing. “We are saddened at the prospect of having to put our home up for sale,” Cyr said. “Especially after all the work and love we invested into it.”