When Evik Asatoorian purchased a 1920s property in the Town of Mount Royal in 2013, he wanted to renovate but was restricted by Montreal's strict heritage laws. Updating the red-brick exterior of his Colonial-style home was out of the question, so Asatoorian, founder of Canadian fashion brand Rudsak, turned his attention to upgrading the interior. Down went walls to open up the cramped quarters, and in came a new 20-by-20- foot addition overlooking the tree-lined backyard and in-ground pool, where his two children like to play. Born in Iran and of Armenian descent, Asatoorian immigrated to Canada in 1979 at the age of 10, and fell in love with his adopted country's great outdoors. The den he designed for his backyard is intended to keep him close to nature, no matter the weather. "There's a roof on it, so it's protected from the elements," he says of the space. "I love being where I can see the greenery."
The ceiling "I really like the old-fashioned look of a copper ceiling, so I had this one made using 16-by-16-inch copper tiles from Plafond et mur élégant. What's great about them is their reflective quality. Light bounces off them and makes them shimmer, which is really beautiful. It's the one thing that everyone who sees it says is a wow factor."
The screens "These were custom-made from Entreprises Marchand, and they are all automated. They are there to keep out the mosquitoes and also to create a warm atmosphere, especially at night. Since they are black, when they are down they make the room feel cozy."
The fireplace "It's important to have a fireplace in a four-seasons room like this. In early spring and fall it heats up the space quite quickly, making it enjoyable to be in even if it's still cold outside. It's a gas fireplace with a custom-built surround."
The flooring "One of the main reasons I love this space is it's a combination of Paris and the Mediterranean, two places I love most in the world. I wanted the floor to be checkered black-and-white to evoke that very old café look you see in those parts. I created the look using 12-by-12 patio tiles in a light sand and black colour. I really love how it turned out."
The dishes "I got this china set at Williams-Sonoma. It's a vintage look, and the blue-and-white reminds me of the Mediterranean. When I receive friends and family I always have the table ready for them. I set the table myself. It's something I like to do as soon as I get up in the morning."
The light fixture "I wanted elements of indoor living in the outdoors so added a crystal chandelier to my design. It's from Restoration Hardware."
The table "I always like mixing styles together – classic with contemporary for instance – and I have always loved vintage wooden tables. This one has wrought-iron legs and it looks vintage and modern at the same time. It's from Vietnam originally. I got it in Toronto at Nuevo. The bench is from there, too."
The panelling "This is also made of copper. I wanted to create a sense of visual continuity in this room by connecting it visually with the original red brick of the exterior, which I wasn't permitted to touch. Using the same material creates a unified look."