Our continued hunt for new and inspiring monochrome home interiors unearthed @mister_minimalist, the swoonworthy profile of interior savvy Instagrammer, Steve Goncalves. Steve lives in a modern condo in Montreal's Blainville neighbourhood and fills his home with covetable black and white furnishing to lust after.
Steve has mastered the minimalist lifestyle. His simplistic interior décor is pared down and beautifully understated, and we’re bursting with excitement as we chatted with him about his sources of design inspiration and how he uses the space for everyday living. If you're looking for some interior style inspiration, check out our interview with Steve below.
Hi Steve, it’s a pleasure to be talking to you. So first things first: when did you move to the property and do you own it or rent?
I moved into my Montreal condo on exactly 1st October 2019. I own the property. It was an important milestone in my life to be able to say I have a property that belongs to me, with my name on it. I take great pride in that fact.
Can we ask – what do you do for work?
I am an Assistant Manager for homeware brand HomeSense, which is such a privilege. I just love my job!
Were you born in Montreal? If not, how long have you lived in MTL, and why did you choose to move there?
Yes, I was indeed born in Montreal. My parents relocated from Azores, Portugal. Fun fact: I can read, write and speak in Portuguese, French, and English. I currently live by myself, but that’s soon to change as my partner will be moving with me in early 2021 with his cat named Aoki.
What do you love most about living and working in Montreal?
I just love the diversity and the languages that Montreal offers. Montreal is a metropolitan city steeped in rich history, which translates into the buildings too, where you can admire the architecture and see the variety brought to life – especially in Old Montreal.
Do you have any interesting facts and figures about the property?
The property was built in 2015, so this is a new condo building consisting of six levels. In total, it's about 590 square feet. There are two bedrooms; one is currently being used as a walk-in wardrobe. Then my living room, dining room, and the kitchen are open-plan. I also have one bathroom. All in all, it's a good size.
Have you renovated the property in any way? If so, how?
In terms of renovations, I haven't done anything extensive; mostly decorating. I changed the kitchen tap from chrome to one with a black matte finish. And I also painted all my walls white except for the bathroom, where I went for a pitch-black colour. I am also in the process of looking at different flooring as it could bring so much potential to the home. I'm slowly but surely putting my personal stamp on things to really make the property my own.
What are the views like from your property?
So depending on what angle you look out of the property from, the view is entirely different. On the left-hand side, there are two other condo buildings. One is currently being built, so you can see all kinds of interesting construction and building works going on. The other condo is complete, so it’s really fascinating to see these buildings coming to life.
"You can see the most amazing Laurentian mountain scenery. There’s an abundance of lush greenery that looks gorgeous at sunrise and sunset."
Straight ahead and to the right-hand side, however, you can see the most amazing Laurentian mountain scenery. There’s an abundance of lush greenery that looks gorgeous at sunrise and sunset.
Is this property your ‘forever home’? If not, what do you dream of owning in the future?
This is a property that I will no doubt have for a while. However, I would definitely like to own another home in my lifespan where I could enjoy more space. That being said, I have no plans to move in the foreseeable future. When the time comes, I would love to have a Victorian-inspired property that I could integrate my minimalist style into. I think it would look absolutely lush.
How exciting! How do you use the space for everyday living?
I’m an active guy, so I created a minimalist home that enables me to pause and relax. I spend a lot of time in my lounge; I love to lay down, read one of my Kinfolk magazines, watch YouTube videos of designers direct from my TV to get inspiration or flick on something on Netflix, which always does the trick.
"I created a minimalist home that enables me to pause and relax."
My bedroom is my restful sanctuary. It allows me to disconnect from the outer world, and I believe my pictures translate that vibe. I try to keep my bedroom separate from my everyday living space so I can make the distinction between the two.
Do you often host friends and family for special occasions?
I have hosted a few gatherings with family and friends. I love entertaining at my home and sharing what I have done with my place. When I host brunch or dinner, I always rustle up my fabulous hot brie with pecans and maple syrup, which is always a crowd pleaser. So far, I haven’t hosted any big celebrations, like Christmas or Thanksgiving. But I did have a New Year’s party with some good friends, which was great fun.
What are your top five online homeware retailers?
- HomeSense
- Must
- EQ3
- Structube
- IKEA
What are your favourite homeware purchases of 2020 so far?
My limited edition classic wishbone dining chairs from Carl Hansen & Son. They’re designed by Hans J Wegner, created with a sturdy black lacquered beech wood frame and natural braided paper yarn seat. I just can't stop looking at them, and I got a crazy deal on them, which makes them even better!
How do you shop online? Are you purposeful and decisive, or do you like to browse?
To be honest, I usually browse without the intention to buy. I do like to be inspired by the new interiors trends and seeing what's going on in the world of design.
Is there a particular wishlist item you’ve set your sights on?
I adore the Gus Ceramic Vase in matte black, which looks absolutely gorgeous on a shelf or tabletop. I love the shell texture and matte finish.
You have a fantastic book collection, with lots of Kinfolk titles. Do you like to read often? What are you currently reading?
I really love the photos Kinfolk showcase in their books, and I am currently reading a book called Less by Rachel Aust. It's a visual guide to minimalism which I highly recommend if ever you are looking into becoming a minimalist.
To see more of Steve’s minimalist monochrome style, visit his Instagram profile @mister_minimalist.
📷 Images courtesy of Steve Goncalves, @mister_minimalist
