• John Wilson
• April 29,2022

Name: Marie Letard and Dan Eap Location: Hochelaga neighbourhood — Montreal, Québec, Canada Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 2 years Born in France, Marie Letard has lived in Quebec for several years, and opened her own boutique in Montreal in 2018. Bouche Bée is a decoration, gift and stationery shop, proudly and cheerfully located in the city’s Hochelaga district. Not only is it full of beautiful things, the products come from local creators or hand-crafted imports.

“The retail business is not dead and I strongly believe in the success of independent boutiques,” Marie tells us. She’s actually the third generation of business owners in her family. Her flat is a true representation of the aesthetic she’s chosen for the shop, like lots of pastel tones and carefully curated items.

Apartment Therapy Survey:

My Style: It has always been difficult to define the style of decor I like. Since I was a little girl I’ve loved to change things around me. I usually move furniture and objects around the house on a regular basis. I constantly say goodbye to stuff to welcome new ones. I like natural and organic materials, like wood, wool, rattan. I like cozy and warm atmospheres with pops of color, which put me in a good mood. The sight of a color like yellow or pink will make me smile and feel good.

Inspiration: I rely a lot on feeling. A shape, a color, a marriage of two different objects. I am inspired by memories of trips I loved, mainly those in California but also in Lisbon and Mexico. I get inspired by Pinterest and Instagram.

Favorite Element: A touch of yellow here and there! I added this color five years ago with my Solar chair in my living room and it influenced everything else since then. Yellow is the sun; it’s good for morale.

Biggest Challenge: We live on the ground floor so the apartment lacks in natural light sometimes. Living in an old apartment also has its constraints like not having enough electric plates or having questionable light fixtures.

What Friends Say: “We feel at home.” Which is very nice because we don’t feel like we have the perfect house—super neat, tidy, and clean where everything is in order in every corner, so we are glad that our friends or family feel good when they come over.

Biggest Embarrassment: The basement. It is not renovated nor designed and it is quite difficult to turn it into something pleasant to hang out in.

Proudest DIY: Ooh! Our paddles in the dining room always amaze people when they come over. Dan and I made them ourselves at the workshop around the corner so it’s also a nice memory. I’m also really proud of all the things I found in the trash, on the street, or at flea markets. It takes so much time and especially patience to find real treasures. I’m attached to the story and the memories of these finds.

Biggest Indulgence: Still to come, but we have been looking for a dining table for two years now. With time, our budget increases, but we have specific criteria and this makes the task quite long.

Best Advice: The rule of three colors is a big lie. And also learn to let go of things, but also to like what you have.

Dream Sources: We love to encourage local businesses and craftsmanship, so our table will probably be bought at Du Design, Retro and Kitsch. I love to hunt for secondhand pieces and my two favorite addresses are Éco Dépôt and Rétro Pop. Bouche Bée, my shop, also gives me access to many pretty things.

Resources

ENTRY

Pots — BOUCHE BÉE

Illustration — Toffie

Pink dresser, mirror, plate — Vintage

LIVING ROOM

Sofa Soederhamn — IKEA

Tables — IKEA

Shelves — IKEA

Ladder — IKEA

Cat cushion — Society6

Banana cushion — HM

Five roses cushion — Fotofibre

Nantes cushion — Etsy

Flower cushion — Mexique

Illustration eye — Toffie Affichiste

Illustration — Elaillce chez BOUCHE BÉE

Illustration serigraphie — Ana seixas

Illustration Kale — Pony mtl

Illustration Québec map — Moon and Sparrow

Mirror — BOUCHE BÉE

Tapestry — Urban Outfitters

Yellow Chair Solar, Blue armchair, Table, Desk chair (DIY for the color) — Vintage

DINING ROOM

Illustration Montreal — Marlone chez BOUCHE BÉE

Illustration flower — Karina Isabelle

Frames — BOUCHE BÉE

Rug — Online chez BOUCHE BÉE

Candle — BOUCHE BÉE

Yellow shelf, yellow light fixture, table, chairs, teak dresser, frames — Vintage

DIY Paddles — Atelier DIY chez L’atelier du coin de la rue

KITCHEN

Brush, dish rag — BOUCHE BÉE

Salt & pepper shakers — BOUCHE BÉE

Illustration Vegetables Young America Creative — Picnic

Table — La petite boite co.

Rug — BOUCHE BÉE

Pots and vases — Vintage

Shelves in the window — DIY

BEDROOM

Nordli white dresser — IKEA

Tarva wood dresser — IKEA (out of stock)

Sheets — URBAN OUTFITTERS

Lemon cushion — The butter flying chez BOUCHE BÉE

Cushion “bouclettes” — BOUCHE BÉE

Pot — La petite boite co. chez BOUCHE BÉE

Basket — L’atelier de Léo chez BOUCHE BÉE

Mirror — HOMESENSE

Night tables, shelves, rattan deco items on the wall, vase — Vintage

Curtains, lamp, jewelry holder — DIY

Thanks, Marie and Dan!

Share Your Style:

⇒ House Tour & House Call Submission Form