Located in Laval, a Montreal suburb, this century old house underwent a complete overhaul of its interior. The owner/designer Mélissa Ohnona wanted to maximize the space as well as the natural light and exterior views from the house, to create a welcoming and functional family home. Photography by Maxime Brouillet.

The space had been renovated in the 90?s, leaving it oddly divided and devoid of any original charm. Therefore, it was decided they would start from scratch and completely rethink the layout. Not much was left intact; the kitchen, bathroom, powder room, even the stairs were relocated. An extension was also added on the second floor, in order to have 4 bedrooms (allowing each of their 3 daughters to have their own bedroom). This was not the first time Mélissa Ohnona and her husband tackled major renovations, so they knew what they were getting into from the start. With a limited budget, the couple managed to create their dream home by doing a lot of the work themselves. Hubert, Mélissa?s husband, built the stairs, installed the floors, the moldings, the wood paneling on the wall, the doors and also did all of the painting. Because he is a self-taught handyman this bestows a ?hand-made? feel to the house, which contributes to its warmth. They did not try to hide the imperfections because they see them as a welcoming factor, keeping the house from feeling intimidating. The designer thinks houses benefit from nicks and scratches, whi...