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Name: Lena
Location: Montreal, Quebec
Size: two-story semi-detached house
Years lived in: 30

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tour2009.jpgSee that porch light there by the front door? It's a beacon. To a warm and cozy retreat at the end of a snow-filled walk. Home to Lena for 30 years, her house in downtown Montreal shelters a much-loved interior filled with art and collections from a lifetime of creation and travel. Hailing from Sweden with extensive travel in Vietnam and Africa, the home reflects her widespread roots while remaining a traditional Montreal residence...

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With her children grown and left with the large family home, Lena now opens her doors to guests, providing travelers with simple stylish bedrooms and gourmet breakfasts. AT often finds home inspiration in hotels and other travel accommodations, so I was thrilled when Lena opened her doors to me for a tour. Since we are neighbors, I haven't had the opportunity to stay as a guest but I did feel right at home tending to the house while she traveled over the holidays.

The house is one-half of a tudor style building with a broad sloping slate roof, solid brick walls, and wooden casement windows galore. Inside, spaces are clearly divided in a traditional sense. But Lena has used the conventional family home as a backdrop for displaying a collection of her own artwork and cherished mementos from a lifetime of travel. The home is potent with an air of quiet memory and reflection, almost wistfulness.

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Rooms are furnished with a casual sense of style that makes you feel at home with absolutely no pretension. Maybe it's that cold, gray weather outside, but inside Lena has certainly created a cozy nest that's a perfect counterpoint to the Montreal winter.

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