An Edited Victorian | Montreal
A styling project for an executive couple and their teenage son in a Victorian home in Montreal’s Notre-Dame-de-Grâce neighbourhood*.
The goal was to create a space that felt intentional and personal while respecting both the architecture and what the family already owned.The clients appreciated their home’s character and already owned meaningful art and furnishings, but the main living spaces felt unplanned and some pieces didn't belong together. Rather than renovating or replacing everything, they wanted interior decorating help to understand how what they owned could work better together within the home.* This project is based in Montreal. I occasionally work outside Toronto for the right project.
The Challenge
Over time, the home had accumulated furniture, artwork, and decorative objects from different homes and life stages. Individually, the pieces were valued, but together they lacked a clear visual narrative. The clients were unsure what should stay, what should move elsewhere in the home, and what should be removed entirely. They needed objective guidance to make confident decisions without losing the character of the space.The challenge was not to redesign the rooms, but to evaluate what was already there and help the home read as a unified environment.The Design Solution
The project focused on what the clients already loved, rather than starting over. Artwork and decorative objects were reassigned between rooms, and pieces that created visual congestion were removed. Accessories borrowed from other areas of the home were used to establish connections between spaces and highlight the architecture.A small number of new pieces were introduced to balance scale and support the overall composition without losing what made the home feel personal. Key actions included: Pieces pulling focus away from the room's best features were removedArtwork and accessories were moved to spots where they could be better appreciated and better support the spaces around themPieces were reintroduced in new contexts, creating a sense of continuity and connection between roomsA select number of new elements were brought in to address scale and balance where support was needed
The Result
The clients didn't need a renovation. They needed a clear perspective on what belonged in their home. Now their artwork can be appreciated individually, the rooms feel complete without feeling crowded, and the home reads as a coherent whole. Same house. Same pieces. Entirely itself.
If you are seeking meaningful change without construction - through art, furnishings and a more intentional use of what you already own, I would love to discuss how I might help. “We loved many of the pieces we already owned but the space felt stale and disjointed. Stacia has an incredible eye for edit — she immediately saw the potential in what was there, thoughtfully moved and removed pieces and brought everything together with a few perfectly chosen additions. The foyer and living room now feel fresh and new while still feeling distinctly like us.”