Why I keep coming back to Montreal

The weekly micro-decorating newsletter * Issue 12 of 13, SS26 * Subscribe free *

Once again, I'm in Montreal for a stint, a design-infused city that draws me back like a friend whose company never fails to enthrall. I could try to articulate why I journey here annually, but a better explanation might be hidden in the newsletter articles I've written about this place. So this week, let's look back.

Let's visit some hard-to-find vintage shops...

More Montreal stealth stores – let’s go!

The weekly micro-decorating newsletter * Issue 12 of 13, SS25 * Subscribe free * Let’s continue our tour of Montreal “stealth stores” – those under-the-radar showrooms that are appointment-only, or hidden from street-level, and often both at once. Two weeks ago, we visited Full Room for a glimpse

guy with an eyeGuy Koolhof

Let's roam through a pedestrians-only street...

In praise of street furniture

The weekly micro-decorating newsletter * Issue 11 of 13, SS25 * Subscribe free * Adopting a room is something I’ve written about before – the idea that you can extend your home with an external space you claim and love as your own. While I’m in Toronto, it’s the south

guy with an eyeGuy Koolhof

Let's learn from a mid-century maestro...

Opening a design candy box at Full Room

The weekly micro-decorating newsletter * Issue 10 of 13, SS25 * Subscribe free * There might be a secret league of design aficionados who find ways to connect in person. Now that e-commerce is the norm and high rents are killing retails strips, there are still hidden ways to meet likeminded

guy with an eyeGuy Koolhof

Let's survey the world from my doorstep...

Sightseeing from home + Elsewhere

The weekly micro-decorating newsletter * Issue 9 of 13, SS25 * Subscribe free * Have you been sightseeing this summer? You may think I’m talking about the default activity of the tourist, but I mean the everyday version – seeing what’s right in front of you. An extravagant trip isn’t

guy with an eyeGuy Koolhof

Let's get to know a happening neighbourhood...

How to shoplift ideas – Mile End edition

The weekly micro-decorating newsletter * Issue 8 of 13, SS25 * Subscribe free * It’s a guy-with-an-eye tradition to check out store displays for ideas to take home. It’s a perfectly legal form of shoplifting and it’s also a lot of fun. Now that I’m

guy with an eyeGuy Koolhof

Let's take notes on stylish homes...

5 lessons from Montreal entrances

The weekly micro-decorating newsletter * Issue 12 of 13, SS24 * Subscribe free * Looking at the facade of a house is a bit like noticing a stranger in a crowd. There are so many details to take in at a glance. You can imagine stories behind the appearance, but with rare

guy with an eyeGuy Koolhof

Let's window shop...

How to shoplift ideas – Montreal edition

The weekly micro-decorating newsletter * Issue 10 of 13, SS24 * Subscribe free * Window shopping is the gateway to a permissible form of theft: lifting ideas from store displays to give your home a new look. We’ve studied how to do this back in October, and again in March, and

guy with an eyeGuy Koolhof

Let's hunt for abandoned treasures...

Salvaging beauty

The weekly micro-decorating newsletter * Issue 9 of 13, SS24 * Subscribe free * There’s so much beauty in the world, and most of it winds up in the garbage. What to do? We can’t save everything, but maybe rescuing a small portion is a way of saying thank you.

guy with an eyeGuy Koolhof

Let's slow down and really look...

The new browsing

Three attributes of the way we shop now.

guy with an eyeGuy Koolhof

And if the mystical je-ne-sais-quoi that makes this my summer home still isn't coming into focus, there are always future issues, future attempts. If you happen to be here before the end of September, let me know, and I'll gladly demonstrate the phenomenon for you in person.

Thank you for reading.