“For me, Christmas is not so much about gifts and decorations, but more about the opportunity to reconnect with my loved ones,” says Maison Olive owner Sabrina Ménard. It's the only time we take the time to see everyone, get together and tell each other what happened in our year. I like to keep it simple. »
Updated yesterday at 12:00 p.m.
In this minimalist spirit, she and her team created a festive decoration for La Presse that sets the table for a Christmas feast. “We wanted to keep it accessible and affordable. Not everyone has the means to buy what we sell, but anyone can find a few conifer branches and dried flowers to make a table centerpiece, she points out. And then our schedules are already pretty full. We shouldn't have to do 60 orders to set a beautiful table! »
Entrepreneur and mother of four Sabrina Ménard knows something about this: as the holidays approach, she doesn't have time to “get lost in the flowers on the carpet.” Overload, overconsumption, very little for them.
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
Sabrina Ménard, founder of Maison Olive
When I look at decorations on Instagram, it scares me. It's too much, just too much! Too many things, too much perfection.
Sabrina Ménard, founder of Maison Olive
On the contrary, when you enter the cozy surroundings of Maison Olive, the small boutique she opened in Beloeil a year ago, there is peace. Sabrina Ménard presents what she would welcome in her home: white, beige, brown, gray and classics that resist trends and time.
“A successful facility is one in which you feel comfortable. And for me it has to be gentle and calming. Bright colors like red quickly appear aggressive. » What may seem boring to some people is far from being boring. The richness of the decor is expressed more subtly in the materials, textures and tone-on-tone.
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
White, beige, brown: colors that resist trends and have a calming effect
Before her career stalled, which coincided with returning from maternity leave, she had never considered pursuing a career as a designer. “I hated my job. My friend said to me: “Quit and do what you do best!” »And what sets Sabrina Ménard apart is the art of imagining an environment. “Decor and I have had a love-hate relationship for a long time. My mother had a passion for decoration. From Thursday to Sunday we spent hours in stores with coloring books, waiting for her to choose fabrics, furniture, new colors…”
She must have made up her mind; She was also infected with the virus. However, this maternal inheritance found comfort in a more conservative style and was less marked by novelty and change.
For me it is important that your decoration lasts for a long time. If you invest in the right pieces, there's no reason to go shopping every week.
Sabrina Ménard, founder of Maison Olive
However, decor is not static. “A house has to be alive. It's not true that your blanket and pillows stay perfectly in place every day. This is an ideal that is impossible to achieve. » The motto at Christmas and every other day of the year is simplicity. “The magic of Christmas is the moment when the world stops. And in order to be able to pause, we must not feel pressure to be perfect. »