Montreal Staircases !

Good morning everyone !

I thought you all deserved a break from my crappy reno's - how about a visit to Montreal?
We haven't done it in a little white now -

Come - let's check out something Montreal is quite famous for
Our staircases !

Every time you see a tour bus go by in the city you see people frantically snapping photos of them lol - so even though they are second nature to me ( after 55 years ) I decided to look at them through a " tourist's " eyes.................

I used to run up and down some of them with roller skates on as a little girl - can you imagine?
My girlfriend and I went to a party once and may or may not have had a little too much wine - and it was in one of these " flats " - I was TERRIFIED to go down the stairs - absolutely terrified.

Here we go...............btw - these are exlusive to CITY neighborhoods - you won't see any of these in the suburbs..............
Ranked in the top 5 " recognizable " Montreal features................

The South may have duelling banjoes - we have duelling staircases !

SOURCE: ASHLEY GASPERINO

It's pretty strange that this would have been a building feature in a city where the winter's can be brutal with snow and ice..................

Hence most of them are wrought iron - with open risers - allowing for easier snow removal

There are several theories on their beginnings in our city..................

Apparently they were first created by British builders newly arrived from Europe and bringing inspiration from Edinburgh and New Castle.................( although I've also heard that the Iron on the stair cases and balconies were influenced by the Irish - of which we had a huge population )

To help adapt to the rapid growth of the city - causing a density in population - multi storey flats were built - hence the staircases...............

Building the stair cases on the outside of the building allowed for more space on the inside for living
Again several theories exist -
Another one being that the Clergy reinforced the use of them to deter adultery - LMHO - because you would be SEEN slinking into someone's else's home !!!

Some are straight

and some are beautifully curved
http://www.savvysouthernstyle.net/

We had one like this in our back garden 2 houses ago - flowers and all - wish I'd been blogging then lol

Some are colorful

Some have a wonderful Patina

Some lead up from Stores....................

and some grace where we shop and eat

We love them so much we even have stairs leading up to Mount Royal Park ( Montreal's version of Central Park - in fact designed by the same man - Frederick Law Olmsted - ours rests on top of the mountain in the middle of the city - MONTREAL - derives from MOUNT ROYAL -  )

So we can gaze at the city below while reading a book or having a picnic

although my favorite is the view at twilight

(Hmmm - maybe my next Montreal post will be on our Mountain Park :)

And then of course there are perhaps Montreal's most famous stairs

The ones that lead up to St. Joseph's Oratory - all 283 of them.......................

( if you love Churches - I have a post on Montreal Churches - which we are also renowned for HERE )

What makes your city/town unique?  I'd love to know !

Ok - I'm going downstairs now to do some more painting - wasn't this a nice distraction from all my reno's, lol ?

All of the above photos can be found on my Montreal Pinterest page HERE

( Most of us that have lived in this city's neighborhoods have a horror story ( or 2 or 3 ) of moving days.
Montreal movers should have medals - without a doubt !!! )

Have a great weekend
Much love,

I'll be partying here!

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This and That.....................

Good morning everyone !

I would have loved to have bought a new sofa - something that fit this tiny living room a little better - because it's basically wall to wall -
but it was in such good shape that in the end I chose to have slip covers made for it instead.
( filthy I'm embarrassed to say - but it's been plunked down there for 4 months with walls literally coming down all around it - that's my story and I'm sticking to it )

The color is ugly ( although I LOVED it when I first bought it 12 years ago and it's still in great condition speaks volumes for this furniture, doesn't it? )

So..................meet Mary !!!  ( she's the cutest thing - and she MAKES SLIP COVERS )

She came to the house - measured both pieces..................

Then she made them at her studio - bringing them back today almost done - did a final fitting
Letting some areas out - tightening other areas up

And will bring it back once it's all finished - I just can't wait -
I chose a pure white canvas - ( in the midst of renovations - crazy I know - but we already know that I'm not all there )  I'll cover them in plastic when work is being done :)

I'm going to talk her into ask her to participate in a give away - she makes the prettiest " Maritime " themed pillows and totes and oven mitts and aprons ( and what ever else you can see in the photo )

Ok - on to other things :)
I also painted the frame around the kitchen window - in the end I chose to keep the window white ( for the hardware to stand out ) and just paint the window frame ) That may change in the future but for now at least there's some black involved for contrast.................
Side note - when we placed those plate racks we centered them to the kitchen wall - and not the window - wasn't that a little stupid?  Have to change that this weekend !

That shelf on the bottom is temporary - I'm going to have one made for the full width - for small planters of herbs - the smell of basil makes me weak in the knees - so I'm imaging some of that in small pots - with the windows open - and a breeze gently blowing the scent all around the kitchen.
The photo was taken in the middle of the night - I was terrified a killer was going to be standing outside the windows when I opened them up.......................

But strangely the only thing that was there was my water mark ( by the way I'll have nightmares from that photo now for weeks )

are you ready for the mandatory before and after photo?
are you sick of them yet?

I'm on the look out for 2 pendant lights for over the island/table and then I'm kind of finished in there and I can do a final reveal instead of little bits and pieces.

This house is starting to feel like it'll never be finished to be honest with you :(

Have a great day!

15 degrees in Montreal today ( 61 in American lol )
Think I'm going to clean out the pool and go for a swim - this is positively balmy after the winter we've had...............

Much love,

Partying here !!!

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