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Plateau Kyoto Residence: A Montreal Home Meets Japanese Minimalism

  • May 28
  • 4 min read

When a compartmentalized single-family home in Montreal’s Plateau Mont-Royal needed a fresh start, local interior design firm Indee Design stepped in with a clear vision. The result is the Plateau Kyoto Residence, a striking home renovation that perfectly balances mid-century Montreal warmth with the calm beauty of Japanese minimalism.


Plateau Kyoto Residence: A Montreal Home Meets Japanese Minimalism. Girl reading on a beige beanbag in a bright modern room with wall bookshelves, large windows, and a purple rug.
Image courtesy of: Caroline Thibault

Designed for a young couple and their two children, the home is built to evolve with the family over the next twenty years. It is a space where everyday life feels fluid, light, and deeply connected to nature.

Rethinking the Flow

The original home had plenty of charm, but its layout no longer worked for modern family life. Indee Design’s primary challenge was to open up the cramped spaces and create an intuitive flow.

Rather than tearing everything down, the firm completely reimagined how the spaces connect. By repositioning the staircase, they expanded the main living area and created a seamless bridge between the ground floor and the upper level. The home now opens entirely out into the garden, offering the family a peaceful retreat at the end of a busy day.


“Clients aspired to a home where fluidity, light, and efficiency come together to enhance the existing structure—particularly through a bold staging of the courtyard and a luminous opening on the front façade. The harmony of the project stems from a fully open space where connections between each zone are achieved through subtle proximity and rigorous alignment of lines.” Florence Charron, interior designer and founder of Indee Design.


The Art of "Less, But Better"

Drawing inspiration from both 1970s retro aesthetics and Japanese minimalism, the home is a masterclass in combining intimacy with shared family experiences.


To make the space perfectly suited to the family, all the furniture was custom-designed. Every corner serves a purpose without cluttering the visual space:

  • The Meditative Window: In the new extension, a suspended bench floats in front of a large window, leading to a special wall alcove designed specifically to hold a bonsai tree.

  • Hidden Technology: A beautiful maple shelving unit cleverly conceals a video projection system, keeping the living room looking clean and uncluttered.

  • A Floating Staircase: The new painted steel staircase rests elegantly on glass blocks, hiding clever storage compartments behind integrated doors.

  • The Upcycled Kitchen: The original walnut kitchen cabinets and stainless steel countertops were fully reworked and modernized, paired with fresh ceramic backsplashes for a sleek, contemporary look.

  • The Gathering Hub: A custom circular maple banquette paired with a rotating table creates a cozy, highly engineered dining spot designed for family meals and sharing.



A Playful and Artistic Spirit

While the home is incredibly chic, it doesn't take itself too seriously. Indee Design wove a sense of playfulness and art directly into the architecture, ensuring the children feel just as at home as the adults.


The children's play area is bathed in natural light and features walls covered in plywood climbing holds, a reading bench, and a pegboard wall that looks like a traditional workshop. The fun continues into the kids' bathroom, where clever placement of sconces, a round mirror, and a wall sink creates the friendly silhouette of a little monster. There is even a removable track on the staircase so the kids can race miniature cars down the steps.


To tie everything together, an eclectic mix of art gives the home its unique personality. Vintage movie posters hang alongside whimsical illustrations, while a striking central piece by street artist Sticky Peaches anchors the dining area.


“All furniture was entirely custom-designed to precisely meet the occupants’ needs while integrating seamlessly with the architecture. From the rear extension to the front of the house, every intervention reflects meticulous attention to use, detail, and spatial experience.” Florence Charron, interior designer and founder of Indee Design.


A Space Made to Last

The Plateau Kyoto Residence proves that a great renovation is about more than just knocking down walls. It is about crafting an atmosphere. By focusing on smart storage, natural light, and custom details, Indee Design has created a home that is as functional as it is beautiful.


“The Plateau Kyoto Residence is a lasting living space, balancing intimacy and conviviality, designed to evolve with its occupants while offering a constant visual and emotional anchor.” Florence Charron, interior designer and founder of Indee Design.


Project Details

  • Location: Plateau Mont-Royal, Montreal, Canada

  • Completion: 2025

  • Designer: Indee Design

  • Project Lead: Florence Charron

  • Project Team: Félicie Lallement (Junior Interior Designer), Sara Vézina Ulrich (Senior Technologist)

  • Extension Architect: Zornitsa Dineva

  • Extension Engineer: Julie Fournier

  • Construction Team: Ind. Cons.

  • Millwork: Stéphane Metayer, Meggan

Founded in 2018 by Florence Charron, Montreal-based interior design studio Indee Design places strong emphasis on respecting clients’ needs, lifestyles, and above all, their well-being. The firm embraces a diversity of styles—from classic to contemporary—skillfully blending genres and palettes to reflect an eclectic and creative spectrum. Since its inception, the studio has completed numerous large-scale residential and commercial projects and has received several prestigious awards for its work.

Press release source: v2com-newswire

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