When Lionel and Agnès crossed the Atlantic to move to Montreal, they were looking for a family home that wouldn’t be too far from their respective jobs. The problem was that one worked in the east of the city and the other in the west. And the school where they wanted to enroll their children was somewhere in between. “So we made a compromise,” says Lionel. We chose Montreal West! »
As a bonus, the unearthed property ticked all the boxes. “We were looking for a single-family house, with several bedrooms, renovated, in a neighborhood with a village atmosphere,” says Agnès. With a certain cachet, one might add. The arts and crafts style property offered all of this. The couple did not hesitate.
Despite its name, which suggests that the charming little municipality of the Montreal agglomeration is located in the West Island, Montreal West is actually almost in the heart of the island, at the very end of Sherbrooke Street. It was in 1927 that the industrialist Edwin Crabtree had the architect Alfred Payne build three houses in the same style: one for himself and two others, one on each side of his, to house his daughters. Lionel and Agnes’ property housed one of the Crabtree girls from 1927 to 1970.
Sitting well on a peaceful street, the house is just west of Westminster Street where the small shops in a row are reminiscent of the main street of a village. “There’s even a French bakery,” says Lionel, who grew up in southwest France.
Wolseley Avenue, wooded and full of flowers, transports us to another era. The neighboring houses (as well as those in the surrounding streets) have retained their charm despite the renovations they have had to undergo over time. They look like they have just been built, they are so well maintained. Our family of five’s home (with kids aged 12, 17 and 20) was renovated by the couple who previously lived there from 1999 to 2016. “We were looking for a house that didn’t require any work,” says Lionel. We were well served. The owners spent long hours restoring it harmoniously: kitchen, laundry, bathrooms, basement… We put the interiors to our own hands, but apart from the upstairs windows which we changed, the essentials renovations were done prior to our arrival. »
Characterized by its architecture and its many ornamental attributes, the property won the Heritage Emeritus Award from the City of Montreal West in 2008 and was chosen among the five finalists of the favorite house of the year competition by Héritage. Montreal.
Among the renovations of the current owners, note those of the dining room and the living room. “These are large pieces that lacked clarity,” says Agnès. The wallpapers were dark colors and the woodwork was brown. Designer Lucie Pitt, who helped them with the downstairs makeover, chose pale hues and painted a few wooden elements and the bricks of the fireplace. For some, painting woodwork is sacrilege. But paling them adds brightness. The rooms are now brighter and the living room is the family gathering place. During our visit, the 12- and 20-year-old boys were playing chess and Louise, their sister, was reading comfortably on the couch. A familiar scene, say the parents.
The dining room, warm with its woodwork and magnificent windows, can accommodate fifteen guests. “It’s convenient for us, as we regularly receive family and friends who spend long periods of time here,” the couple note.
The four bedrooms upstairs are of good size, each with generous closets and two windows letting in light. There are two full bathrooms on this floor, one of which was recently renovated for the family. The parents’ room has all the beauty of the old ones with a Penny-style porcelain mosaic floor. The most recent has undergone a major transformation and is similar to the character of the house.
There are several charming spaces here, starting with the glassed-in solarium at the front of the house. This rare room has transoms and leaded pane windows. Then there is the attic with its guest bedroom and TV area, perfect for Saturday night home theater.
Behind the house is an inground pool in the shape of a square allowing a terrace and a pergola. A small, perfectly landscaped courtyard.
Why leave? Because the family is preparing for a sabbatical year. “We want to travel and we don’t want to leave our house unattended. It will therefore soon be the hunt for large condos.
Asking price: $1,795,000
Municipal assessment: $1,566,900
Year of construction: 1927, completely renovated
Number of rooms: 18, including 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 1 powder room, and 1 wood fireplace
Land area: 4500 ft2
Property tax: $13,970
School tax: $1154
Real Estate Broker: Fabrice Voltzenlogel, M Real Estate – 514 806-3101
