At home with Andréanne

I knew I had a lot in common with Andréanne before we even met. As one of the nine stylish young women behind Les Bachelières, Andréanne is always on the hunt for the latest and greatest in fashion, music, film and design. She also works in PR so she's got a very full social calendar! We began to exchange emails, as most bloggers do, after she wrote a great profile on Lake Jane for Les Bachelières. It was clear that we shared a lot of common interests so it was only a matter of time before we sat down for a cocktail together. When I found out that her Montreal apartment was filled with vintage treasures, I knew I had the perfect excuse to make this meeting happen!

The minute I set foot in Andréanne's upper triplex apartment, which she shares with her boyfriend, I knew I would get some great stories. It's a home filled with carefully selected items and refurbished goods. Every piece has its place and is clearly cherished, whether it's a pyrex butter dish or a Jack Kerouac novel.

When Andréanne and her boyfriend moved into this place, he had one demand: that there be a bowl of nuts on the coffee table with a nutcracker. Oh men, they aren't hard to please. The rest of the decorating would be in Andréanne's capable hands and boy did she ever get to work - although the bowl of nuts was the first priority.

She scoured flea markets, vintage stores and consignment shops in search of key pieces, stumbling onto interesting accessories along the way. Her mother, a talented seamstress, helped her reupholster red vinyl chairs found at a Salvation Army, sew plaid curtains for the kitchen and create a bed spread out of Ikea fabric. Her mother's talent was passed down to Andréanne who also sews in her spare time. In fact, she dedicated the spare bedroom to this hobby. She has 2 sewing machines set up on a long table, ready to make silk bow hair pieces and fabric earrings for friends. The "sewing room" also houses Andréanne's extensive collection of vintage purses and bags. I have to admit, I'm a little bit jealous of her finds...

A big thank you to Andréanne for inviting me over to her place and for introducing me to the greatest summer cocktail ever (fresh lemonade and mint with a splash of ginger ale and lime)! ox