In early 2019 …
we decided to add 8 brand-new rooms to the ground floor of Maison Sainte-Thérèse. Sabrina Barazin of Sabrina Barazin Studio was given the mandate of designing these spaces.
Here’s how it all went down...
Talk to us about your creative process. What was that like?
As soon as we were presented with the mandate for the new rooms, we started to build a character profile for the space. We wanted to create a story. We asked ourselves, who is staying here? Who is experiencing the space? What should it look like, feel like, smell like? … etc.
“We were also very inspired by the building in which the hotel is located. Maison Sainte-Thérèse is a historic building that used to be a prestigious library in the 1800s.”
What inspired your design?
A couple of aspects inspired the design of these rooms, but to put it simply, the two overarching inspirations were history and nature.
First, I am eternally inspired by the Jazz era and wanted to exude a vintage feel while also representing the stylish, modern, cultured Montrealer. I believe that we achieved this by including a mix of contemporary items with repurposed objects in each room; like having Old New York Times issues sitting on our new side tables, for example.
We were also very inspired by the building in which the hotel is located. Did you know that Maison Sainte-Thérèse is a historic building that used to be a library? In fact, in the 1850s, the J.-B. Rolland Bookstore was one of Montreal's most renowned bookstores! We therefore wanted to preserve its historic significance and allow the original parts of the space to shine - like the floors which have wonderful ancient cracks and texture in them, the exposed brick and stone walls, and original window shutters on the east side.
Our color palette, textures, and materials were primarily inspired by mama nature. We gravitated toward colours like terracotta and moss green and incorporated ceramics, warm wood accents and added live plants in each room.
Do you have a favourite room?
Love them all, it’s so hard to choose. I could say that my favourite changes depending on my mood, since each room has it’s own personality. The room we are sitting in now, 102, is a great space. It’s a corner unit, which is a nice feature seeing as it gets a lot of natural light. However, on days when I want to feel held by a space I would go into rooms 103 or 104. They are super cozy. Perfect for an intimate weekend.
Where did you find some of your favourite pieces for these rooms?
I really wanted to involve as many local artists and Canadian brands as possible in this project. The feature lobby paintings were done by our friend, and Montreal artist Dan Climan, many pieces were bought from local vintage shops, as well as Canadian brands such as EQ3.
What original pieces did you design?
A couple items in the hotel rooms were custom-made.
For one, we designed the headboards in the rooms. These were important as they were the anchor of the overall room design. We decided to have these be the focal point as the bed is such an important part of any hotel experience. We also custom designed the hallway millwork, sconces, banquet + reception counter.
To add, we also got a lot of custom upholstery done. Most of the statement chairs found in the rooms were vintage pieces which we breathed new life into.
What were some challenges you ran into during the process?
To be blunt, COVID-19. This was our biggest challenge. Originally, we were supposed to launch the new rooms in May 2020. However, as we recall, the pandemic hit Montreal in March. This created a rupture in the supply chain. A lot of our suppliers were shut down due to government regulations and items were being held up at customs.
Although the delays were frustrating, this extra time actually allowed us to pivot a little and make the rooms more full and liveable for long term stays. (We always try to look at the bright side of situations!)
Despite the catastrophe caused by the pandemic, the experience was amazing from beginning to end. The Maisons & Co. team allowed us creative freedom and trusted us completely - which is more than you can ever wish for in a project like this.
Outside of design, what was your favourite part of this mandate?
Thinking about all the people who will get to experience the space, and spend a little slice of their lives living, and loving in it. That’s definitely the best feeling for me.
