Artist and furniture designer Luc Sergerie purchased this small and narrow 1930s building to host his workshop and storefront. Ten years and many changes later, he has transformed his apartment into a bright and airy home filled with custom wood furnishings and purposeful details. Together with his workshop and shop, L’Arbre Ébénisterie, on the first floor, this space fits in with Montreal’s innovative and varied Boulevard Saint-Laurent.
at a Glance
Who lives here: Luc Sergerie
Location: Mile End at Montreal, Quebec
Size: 2,000 square feet, with a 500-square-foot terrace; 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms; the workshop can also be 2,000 square feet.
That’s interesting: A skylight built into the deck lights the bottom-floor workshop.
Esther Hershcovich
Sergerie made many of the items here, including the table and the chairs made from butcher’s block. Overhead, three red pendant lights out of CB2 add an industrial touch. The other furnishings in the area are gathered antiques.
Esther Hershcovich
A replica of the 1917 Red and Blue Chair from Gerrit Rietveld sits on the opposite side of the open living room. Sergerie utilized a mix of cherry, oak and walnut to make this version of the chair. He uses the hammock for lounging and looking out at the terrace.
Esther Hershcovich
Sergerie utilized primarily timber and stainless steel to your kitchen finishes. The large island has plenty of open drawers and shelves for storage. He constructed the brightly wall shelving to conceal a chimney and produce the wall flush with the refrigerator. The blackboard adds a fun touch to the already lively space.
Esther Hershcovich
An impressive collection of fruit stickers lines the bottom cabinet shelf.
Esther Hershcovich
Sergerie constructed these big sliding glass doors to deliver a flood of light into the first narrow stairs — typical in homes in this field. A buddy gave him these classic theater chairs, making a great area for putting on shoes before going out or perhaps just reading. He constructed the perpendicular bookshelves with a number of woods.
Esther Hershcovich
A large custom wooden storage unit at the foyer is filled with inspirational knickknacks and mementos.
Esther Hershcovich
Sergerie enjoys tucking surprises to his furnishings, like this very small drawer on the side of the table bench. The drawer can be opened only by gently knocking on the side of the bench. Sergerie says he intends to put a grain of rice with a poem written on it inside.
Esther Hershcovich
A local artist made this metal spiral stairs framework for the primary living room, and Sergerie added the wooden steps. On one of them he wrote the word “ciel,” which means “sky” in French.
Esther Hershcovich
The master bedroom features a custom art piece produced by Sergerie’s girlfriend.
Esther Hershcovich
A closer look at the wall art reveals 50 romantic messages written in French. The messages all begin with the term, “If you …” and finish with phrases like “… surprise me” and “… forgive me.”
Esther Hershcovich
In the master bath, Sergerie repurposed an antique window in an interior window to bring in additional light from the kitchen. A recessed wall unit holds additional bathroom requirements. The only yellowish bath tile is a tribute to the sun, and a 2nd single blue tile (not shown) honors the sea.
Esther Hershcovich
The third-floor living room features a framed poster initially utilized in an Aldo marketing effort. The poster, with lines from several French poems, was designed by one of Sergerie’s friends.
Esther Hershcovich
In the third-floor toilet, a tiled phrase adorns the wall of the walk-in shower, translated as: “Art is emotion with no desire,” out of L’élégance du hérisson by Muriel Barbery. A ladder functions as a towel holder.
Esther Hershcovich
This chamber on the top floor hosts match gear for Sergerie and his two daughters, who occasionally come to remain with him. He hopes to construct an office here in order to benefit from the view of downtown Montreal.
A large patio door substituted a small window to deliver in best light. Custom wood doors, made with bits of wood utilized in Sergerie’s office, conceal laundry appliances.
Esther Hershcovich
The game room leads onto a deck with a view of Mount Royal and the 500-square-foot terrace, which sits just beyond the kitchen. This can be Sergerie’s favorite spot in the summer. He also replaced a small kitchen window with big patio doors so he can quickly prep and measure outside to barbecue in warm weather. Finally, he hopes to expand his home’s living room out here.
Esther Hershcovich
Sergerie’s woodshop is located on the building’s first floor. He works with many local architects and designers, creating custom wood furniture.
Esther Hershcovich
Some of Sergerie’s custom work is on display in his storefront window. The bicycle holder is a great storage solution to bicyclists in downtown Montreal.
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