2953 E. MAPLE STREET a look at noël miró-saulnier's home front of the house two story, single family home 3 beds, 1.5 baths, Sq. Ft.: 1, 800 Interior: hardwood floors, fireplace, open-concept front porch it's as good a welcome to his home as any, a porch with recessed can lighting and ceiling fans which see some use in the summer, a pair of adirondack chairs and a table (sometimes covered with snacks noël absolutely did not make himself unless he took things from a jar and plopped them on crackers or bread...and he buys his veggies already sliced, thank you). he'll sit on the porch in nice weather, usually with his dog and perhaps a guitar or mandolin. living room he doesn't watch much television, though there is a flat screen sitting atop a console on the far wall. noël is more apt to read or work (writing lyrics or sometimes copying arrangements) in this space. the couch is also good for the naps he takes and poutine (his dog) loves the squishy leather beanbag chair beneath the window. the fire place is the focal point of the room and the painting on the mantel is a thrift shop find. dining room open to the living room and kitchen, the dining room serves as a work space as well as a place to eat meals. noël likes to decorate with a limited scope, usually it's leftover centrepieces from wedding receptions where he's played and sometimes, it's more seasonally festive, but the wooden box in the middle of the table often holds his latest fancies. he also keeps his turntable in this central location and the shelved display is constantly changing as he swaps out the vinyl he's listening to at any given time. kitchen black granite counter tops and a gas range/oven. all the appliances are pretty and pretty unused. noël doesn't cook. he orders takeout and he boils water. sometimes uses the microwave. unless his brother is home (rare these days), the fridge is filled with bottled juices and water, fruit he can eat whole, milk, and the makings for sandwiches. music room in any other house, this would be the den or the game room. it's around the corner and down a short hall and this space is where he does the bulk of his playing and his rehearsing. his home recordings of rough demos, too. aside from his three cellos, he has acoustic guitars, a mandolin, a steel lap guitar, a ukulele, harmonica, some second-hand recording equipment (mics, dampeners, etc), and a third-hand baby grand piano. the bulk of his vinyl collection also remains here on shelves and in milk crates, his system for organizing them is his own, don't ask him to explain. this space is where he lives and breathes his passion and compulsions. it's his sanctuary and he's very selective about who he invites into it. piano on the other side of the music room is the piano, this is where noël does most of the physical task of composing and arranging. he plays the piano several hours a day, every day, as a leftover bit of instilled discipline from his classical training. he also sometimes will play along and sing to whatever's on the stereo, able to play by ear as he is. this piano was bought used from someone else who bought it used--the only way he could afford an instrument of this calibre...and passed around as it is, he still babies it the same way he does his cellos. he also keeps a string of rosary beads tucked inside the body of the elegant beast, his acts of faith small and understated as always. master bedroom where he sleeps. and not!sleeps. that bed was purchased new when he moved to orchard hollow five years ago and other than himself, few have graced those sheets. often, it remains made and untouched for days at a time while he naps sporadically on the living room couch. sometimes, the dog decides it's where she's bedding down for the night. the mismatched furniture are pieces from his childhood home and the drapes have been known to mingle with the morning light to play tricks on the room's appearance, making it look green. bathroom blue and white tiles. a large tub. enclosed glass shower. it's clean, organized, there may be several dozen bottles of various hair care products under the sink. his curls are a lot to manage and he has to rotate through things in order to keep those tight ringlets looking nice. backyard when the weather permits (and being from montréal, very little deters him) noël likes to spend time in the yard with his dog playing fetch or chase or just rolling around on the ground with the fluffy chowchow. he also makes use of the fire pit during a lot of evenings. he can work from there or entertain the few friends (and/or his band members) around a fire or on the stone patio occasionally, he lobs things over the rear fence for entertainment value--or because he's a little french canadian gremlin. |