My Houzz: Urban Goes Exotic in a Montreal Artist's Home

Two years ago artist and designer Joel Dumas returned to his hometown of Montreal in search of a home base he could share with his daughter and son. His main criteria: being close to some green space. Having lived in Bali and in the Quebec countryside, Dumas could not imagine himself living in a completely urban landscape. So his bright ground-floor home is situated directly across from Mile End’s prized Laurier Park, providing his family with the link between the inside and outside world they desired.

Travel greatly influences Dumas' style; he uses items he's found and purchased over the years to create his own furnishings, using almost exclusively recycled and repurposed materials and objects. "I try not to buy new at all," he says. "If something already exists, I'll work with it, reinventing it until it truly becomes my own."

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Joel Dumas, son Eloi (12 years old) and daughter Naïmé (9)
Location: Mile End district of Montreal
Size: 1,100 square feet, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms

Dumas relaxes in front of a light wall he made out of a set of Christmas lights sandwiched between sheets of plastic. While it gives both the living room and connected bathroom an atmospheric quality, “it’s currently used as a Skype background,” he says.


Dumas purchased all the textiles on the couch during a six-month trip to India 10 years ago. He went into antiques shops in New Delhi and Kashmir with the specific goal of finding unique textiles and fabrics, which he then used to create these patchwork blankets and quilts.


A natural, raw-edge wood dining table is the centerpiece of the living and dining area. The tabletop is made from a teak tree root found in a forest in Bali, cut down to size. The legs were then added — made shorter to ensure they were able to support the weight of the wooden slab. Dumas had regular chairs cut down to the proper height and reupholstered them with fabric he chose.

The tree sculpture was made from a fallen riverbank tree in Java, turned white by erosion from wind and water.



This giant, real clamshell — spanning about 5 feet in length and estimated to be 1,700 years old — was given to Dumas several years ago. It was allegedly found in Asia by local fishermen many years ago. Now a sculpture, the unique piece serves a practical purpose: “I use it as my incense holder,” Dumas says.


Dumas designed this large mirror out of ocean driftwood from Bali, cut down to 2-inch pieces.


The open-concept bedroom is kept private with heavy floor-to-ceiling drapes in a rich rust color. By day the space functions as a media room and a hangout for the kids.

This terra-cotta Buddha statue originated in Bali and dates back about 100 years. Dumas received it as a gift from a friend, whose grandfather owned it originally. "He was happy that the statue was traveling," Dumas explains. "For me, it's a very special piece."


With his children in mind, Dumas built desks that run the entire length of the window wall. When he's working from home, his children enjoy drawing and doing homework beside him, taking advantage of the natural light and park view.


Dumas designed the desks, using natural hardwood suar for the tabletop. Old metal airplane ovens, found at a scrapyard, were integrated into the desk design for use as support and as storage for files and school supplies.


The main bathroom, renovated by the previous homeowner, was given a personal touch with the addition of art and artifacts. The mermaid sculptures were commissioned from an artist in Surabaya. “When I find artists I like in Indonesia, I like to encourage them in any way I can,” Dumas says.


What he most loves about the bathroom is the contrast, with the ethereal glow of the light panels offset by the industrial quality of the salvaged airplane ovens.


Dumas re-created a typical Balinese spa atmosphere for the bedroom his kids use when they stay over. The golden voile fabric, purchased in India, makes for a fun canopy above the bunk bed.

A modern kitchen backsplash was used in the bathroom. Dumas decorated the black and white space with a teak ladder he designed out of material found in rice paddies in Indonesia. “The workers in rice paddies used to prod cattle with hand-carved posts made out of teakwood," he says. "I inserted hooks into the wood and created a series of ladders and ramps.”


Dumas benefited from the previous homeowner’s recent kitchen makeover. He personalized the oven with uniformly red collective items and accessories.

Cabinets: Ädel Birch, Ikea


A movable kitchen island makes practical use of the floor space. A recycled aluminum tile, one of the first tiles designed by Dumas’ company, DXU, rests against the wall. “It’s my way of hanging things,” he says, laughing.

Wall tile: Komodo Series, DXU, Dumas Umemoto; cabinets: Ädel Birch, Ikea


With the front and back doors almost always open, this house has become what Dumas calls a “cat highway." “My house is the direct route from the park to the back alley," he says. "Cats love to just wander through my house. Often cats will then bring other cats to show them how great it is.”

Dumas designed the patio tables out of tabletops brought back from Mexico, adding custom-designed iron legs underneath.

The medley of colors in the backyard — not to mention the hammock — gives the space a playful vibe important to Dumas and his family. Some of his favorite memories were made outside in this backyard: playing ball hockey with his son, watching his daughter use a Hula-Hoop and juggling with both of them.



For this Zen garden space, Dumas designed this lounge chair, which is made of used bicycle tires.


The front garden and vivid redbrick facade echo the exotic elements within. Dumas' favorite element, though, is outdoors. "The park is what attracted me to the house to begin with," he says. "It has become a part of the house. I like to keep the doors open to bring nature inside." He and his children spend their days in the park across the street, taking walks, going ice skating and having picnics. "It's our backyard," Dumas says.

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