Houzz Tours
My Houzz: Poetry Romances a Montreal Live-Work Home
Love notes, quotations and lines from poems bring an enchanting air to the home and storefront of a Canadian furniture maker
Artist and furniture designer Luc Sergerie bought this small and narrow 1930s building to host his workshop and storefront. Ten years and many changes later, he's transformed his apartment into a bright and airy house filled with custom wood furnishings and meaningful details. With his workshop and store, L'Arbre Ébénisterie, on the first floor, this space fits right in with Montreal's innovative and diverse Boulevard Saint-Laurent.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Luc Sergerie
Location: Mile End in Montreal, Quebec
Size: 2,000 square feet, with a 500-square-foot terrace; 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms; the workshop is also 2,000 square feet.
That’s interesting: A skylight built into the deck lights the bottom-floor workshop.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Luc Sergerie
Location: Mile End in Montreal, Quebec
Size: 2,000 square feet, with a 500-square-foot terrace; 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms; the workshop is also 2,000 square feet.
That’s interesting: A skylight built into the deck lights the bottom-floor workshop.
Sergerie created many of the items here, including the table and the benches made from butcher's block. Overhead, three red pendant lights from CB2 add an industrial touch. The other furnishings in the space are collected antiques.
A replica of the 1917 Red and Blue Chair by Gerrit Rietveld sits on the other side of the open living room. Sergerie used a mix of cherry, oak and walnut to create this version of the chair. He uses the hammock for lounging and looking out at the terrace.
Sergerie used primarily wood and stainless steel for the kitchen finishes. The large island has plenty of open shelves and drawers for storage. He built the recessed wall shelving to hide a chimney and make the wall flush with the refrigerator. The blackboard adds a fun touch to this already playful space.
An impressive collection of fruit stickers lines the bottom cabinet shelf.
Sergerie built these large sliding glass doors to bring a flood of light to the original narrow staircase — typical in homes in this area. A friend gave him these antique theater seats, which make a great space for putting on shoes before heading out or even just reading. He built the vertical bookshelves with a variety of woods.
A large custom wooden storage unit in the foyer is filled with inspirational knickknacks and mementos.
Sergerie enjoys tucking surprises into his furnishings, such as this tiny drawer on the side of the dining table bench. The drawer can be opened only by gently knocking the side of the bench. Sergerie says he plans to place a grain of rice with a poem written on it inside.
A local artist created this metal spiral staircase frame for the main living space, and Sergerie added the wooden steps. On one of them he wrote the word "ciel," which means "sky" in French.
The master bedroom features a custom art piece made by Sergerie's girlfriend.
A closer look at the wall art reveals 50 romantic messages written in French. The messages all begin with the phrase, "When you ..." and end with phrases like "... surprise me" and "... forgive me."
In the master bathroom, Sergerie repurposed an antique window shutter into an interior window to bring in extra light from the kitchen. A recessed wall unit holds additional bathroom necessities. The single yellow bath tile is a tribute to the sun, and a second single blue tile (not shown) honors the sea.
The third-floor family room features a framed poster originally used in an Aldo marketing campaign. The poster, with lines from various French poems, was designed by one of Sergerie's friends.
In the third-floor bathroom, a tiled phrase adorns the wall of the walk-in shower, translated as: "Art is emotion without desire," from L'élégance du hérisson by Muriel Barbery. A ladder serves as a towel holder.
This room on the top floor hosts game equipment for Sergerie and his two daughters, who occasionally come to stay with him. He hopes to build an office here to take advantage of the view of downtown Montreal.
A large patio door replaced a small window to bring in optimal light. Custom wood doors, made using scraps of wood found in Sergerie's office, conceal laundry appliances.
A large patio door replaced a small window to bring in optimal light. Custom wood doors, made using scraps of wood found in Sergerie's office, conceal laundry appliances.
The game room leads onto a deck with a view of Mount Royal and the 500-square-foot terrace, which sits just outside the kitchen. This is Sergerie’s favorite spot in the summer. He replaced a small kitchen window with large patio doors so he can easily prep and step out to barbecue in warm weather. Eventually, he hopes to expand his home's living space out here.
Sergerie's woodshop is located on the building's first floor. He works with many local designers and architects, creating custom wood furniture.
Some of Sergerie’s custom work is on display in his storefront window. The bike holder is a great storage solution for bicyclists in downtown Montreal.
Houzz call: Share your creative live-work home with us
Houzz call: Share your creative live-work home with us