Trianon Montreal

Every time I visit one of my closest friends who lives in a beautiful brownstone on Sherbrooke Street, I always glance over and check out the equally beautiful window display that stems from Trianon. Specializing in "period and fine quality reproduction Louis XV and Louis XVI furniture" as well as "marble, bronze, crystal and porcelain decorative objects" this store celebrates the art of decorating with 18th century style. Gorgeous!

After discovering the boutique, I dragged my boyfriend to come visit the place on a weekend and check out what they had to offer. The furniture is either restored antiques or reproduction, mainly imported from Europe. The decorative objects are gorgeous, and you can find some porcelain objects for reasonable prices, better than what you'd find in the antique district. I must say that the store was really beautifully laid out; it reminded me of a typical feature in Veranda magazine or one of the galleries at the Louvre des antiquaires in Paris. Gorgeous!

Trianon Antiques   |   1476 Sherbrooke St West, Suite 100   |   Montreal, QC, H3G 1L3

(514) 934-0088

www.trianon-boutique.com

Moutarde Decor

If you flip through the pages of Canadian design magazines* on a semi-regular basis, chances are you've laid your eyes on some item, or even an entire interior, from Moutarde Decor. The beautiful shop, nestled into Outremont's quaint Bernard St., is the retail extension of Moutarde Design, a firm led by Rollande Vachon and her talented design team.

*House and Home, Style at Home, and Decor Mag included...

Featuring classic furniture, beautiful lighting, mirrors, frames, small items, as well as as linens and bathroom accessories, Moutarde decor is my favourite place to shop on Bernard. For a perfect Sunday I recommend brunch at one of the many cafes across the street (Cafe Souvenir or Les Enfants Terribles), and then a long browse through Moutarde before grabbing fresh bread at Première Moisson, cheese at Yannick fromagerie, and an ice cream at the famed Montreal crèmerie, Bilboquet.

My mother's saying that "classic design has already stood the test of time," is the first quote the comes to mind when I walk into this store. In fact, I could envision my grandmother, my mother and myself all wanting to re-fit our homes with the thoroughly desirable pieces the fill Moutarde decor's sublevel space. The range here, which has a strong European (particularly French) influence, is also clean and soft, appealing equally to a modern yet romantic aesthetic. I can't help but love how the french architectural prints and mirrors, framed beautifully, contrast the fluffy pillows and unique decor objects featured throughout.

Moutarde Decor  

|   1282 Avenue Bernard   |   Outremont, QC   |   H2V 1V9   |

(514) 272-1212

www.moutardedecor.com

Moutarde Decor

L'Ecuyer Antiques

Although timeless craftmanship and perfect attention to detail draw most people in, what I find most appealing about antiques is the story that comes with them. Antique pieces, however small (a locket) or large (a Louis XVth commode) are like little pieces of history, and it is so easy to imagine them witnessing some great love story or fantastic drama decades prior.

I love L'Ecuyer Antiques for this very reason. It is a unique store in that it is loaded with incredible finds and lacks the pervasive sense of pretension that you feel in most others. André, the store's owner and purveyor, is incredibly down to earth and wonderful to talk to about any piece in the store. And what fabulous pieces they are... The store specializes in trunks and luggage, and carries a large selection of antique handmade canes, which, contrary to present use, were once items of fashion, power, individuality and status.

There is no antique store in Montreal quite like L'Ecuyer in that, every time I enter the store, I always feel like I'm stepping into some well travelled, British archaeologist's attic. Each trunk or piece of luggage draws wonder and you simply can't help but imagine what parts of the world it has seen; I postulate Journeys to Africa, India, South America, all over Europe and beyond!

Everytime I visit L'Ecuyer, I can't help but wonder what an amazing and unique decorative statement a set of 6 black vintage crocadile skin suitcases would make in any home (see above, right).

André buys, sells and loans, the latter I expect more for set decoration than anything else (last time I was there he had just sent off two gorgeous trunks for what was likely a period film...) so make sure to visit. It will transform and whisk your imagination away to another time...

L'Ecuyer Antiques  

|   1896 Notre Dame Ouest   |   Montreal, QC   |   H3J 1M6   |

(514) 932-8461

Flore

photo credit: flore.qc.ca

With spring finally here and the flowers in full bloom, it felt appropriate to feature FLORE, the beautiful Westmount shop that showcases exotic flowers and unique objects in whimsical surroundings. Owned by Denis D'Etcheverry and Gilles Lord, the store - which opened in its current location in 2006 - is centered on a workshop and conservatory built to preserve fresh flowers, thus allowing the shopper a unique look at the team as they create new floral arrangements for clients.

But FLORE isn't just a florist; As you encircle the perimeter of the store, you'll stumble on shelves filled of beautiful corals, urns, and statues, as well as larger furniture and accessories for the home and garden. When I went recently with a girlfriend, we both fell in love with their gorgeous topiaries and ornamental vases and insisted, after browsing for half an hour, on doing a second round of the store! I assure you I would have been perfectly content spending all afternoon curiously examining each of the hundreds of objects with great intensity and delight...but lucky for her I refrained.

photo credit: flore.qc.ca

FLORE offers its clients a large range of services from fresh or permanent flower arrangements to event decoration. I'd argue, however, that going to the place is an event in itself, and urge you, on a particularly nice day, to head to Westmount, stop in, and smell the flowers!

FLORE  

|   5008 Rue Sherbrooke O   |   Westmount, QC   |   H3Z 1H4   |

(514) 488-3555

www.flore.qc.ca

Ludovik

On visits to New York, I’ve always loved passing by the Jonathan Adler store on Greenwich Avenue; there is something about his fun and eclectic approach to design that always make me smile. Such is the reason why I was thrilled when, while bixi-ing home from Atwater market with my beau last summer, I sort of serendipitously fell upon Ludovik, a colourful home decor store (and exclusive Canadian retailer of Jonathan Adler!) hidden south of Notre Dame on Rue de la Montagne.

At Ludovik, eclectic home furnishings and unique design collectibles span two floors, with amazing ceramic pieces, incredible lighting, and interesting furniture to punch up one’s decor. I fell in love with their Jonathan Adler cheval table lamp ($695, first photo, above) and chippendale chair ($650), as well as many other little knick knacks and accessories throughout the store. Ludovik also showcases a number of local brands and artists in true "made in Canada" style; I picked up an amazing set of grey cowhide coasters ($40, set of 6) and really enoyed Montreal-based photographer Eric Villeneuve, whose prints are saturated with colour and set on Aluminum for an industrial feel and quality.

When you go, have fun looking through the semi-closed rooms put together by a team of Montreal interior designers, and also be sure to check downstairs for some great finds on sale.  

Ludovik  

|   1318, rue Notre-Dame Ouest, Montreal, QC.   |   Montreal, QC   |   H3C 2A7   |

(514) 678-6617

www.ludovik.ca