"Montreal's a city that we love so much," says Ivy Studio cofounder Philip Staszewski. ‘‘We travel a lot, but every time that we come back, we’re happy to be home. It has a soul, it has an identity, it’s unique in North America, and it has a lot of creativity.”

Founded in 2018 by four young partners, creative firm Ivy Studio specializes in customized architecture and interior design. Cofounders Guillaume B. Riel, David Kirouac, Philip Staszewski, and Gabrielle Rousseau—the latter two also a couple since university—cut their teeth working at different firms, which helped inform their individual and collaborative skillsets. Gabrielle worked for Zébulon Perron, Guillaume for Pierre Thibault, David for Sid Lee Architecture, and Philip for Laurent McComber.

When they launched Ivy Studio, they set out to create unique spaces with impactful designs that stand out from everything else.

Now, their expanding portfolio has grown to show that they're defining the visual identity of many notable players in the city: Restaurants—including SHAY and Clarke Café to the more recent Dorsia and its underground supper club Bowie, Hayat, and Laurent Dagenais's Saint-Lambert restaurant Limousine—as well as the barbershop brand Crisp, recording studios, coworking spaces, and offices.

Clockwise from top left: Gabrielle Rousseau, Guillaume B. Riel, David Kirouac, and Philip Staszewski.

Teamwork makes the dream work

At the beginning, all four partners used to do a bit of everything, but over time, each developed more of a specialty. Guillaume manages the technical aspect of the business including structures and drawings, Gabrielle heads the design aspect, David focuses on project management and administrative work, and Philip takes care of the brand image such as marketing, press relations and social media.

Before defining roles, it took some time and a few tough conversations to figure out how the Ivy Studio partners could work best as a team.

"Now that we know what everyone’s strengths and interests are, it’s easier to have those direct conversations (and help one another)," Philip says. "It’s clearer for everyone and for the client too. And maybe if we weren’t such close friends, maybe we wouldn’t have gotten to that point, you know?"

Besides the four partners, Ivy Studio's now seven strong team is completed by a senior designer, a senior technician, and a junior architect. The small but mighty team works on 20 to 30 projects at once, all at different scales and on different timelines.

When asked about how they envision the growth of their firm in the future, Philip explains that it’s a question that the team ponders on often. "I think that the priority number one is to maintain the level of quality that we give our clients, the level of service," he says.

"Now, we are seven, we could easily be 10, maybe 15, but I don’t think that we’ll ever be a 100-person firm. It’s not the same vision, it’s not the same type of work."

Philip says that he and his partners love being involved in projects and that they don’t want to spend their days managing people, hence why they think that they will keep their team small, at least for now.

“Ask me again in 5 years,” Philip says, laughing.

The underground supper club Bowie and Hyatt Centric Montreal, both in Old Montreal. | Photograph: Alex Lesage / @alexlesage__

"We have a pretty big role in developing who the client is with them, and we see it as not only representing what we see graphically in a space, but understanding what they want to portray and who they want to be and making that into a physical space."

Parade Studios on Plaza St-Hubert and Dorsia. / Photograph: Alex Lesage / @alexlesage__

The creative control of what's commercial

Originally, Ivy Studio was dividing its workload between commercial and residential projects, the latter of which accounted for about a third of the business. That changed last year when they shifted their focus exclusively to commercial work. The Ivy Studio team loves the creativity offered by commercial work as well as the faster pace, which is often informed by an already signed lease.

"It’s these short timelines that make it more intense in commercial, but we like that fast pace, we like that there’s a lot happening at once," Philip says. "We prefer that chaos with projects that move fast than having a steady pace with a waiting list, so that we know what’s happening in the next year or two."

The team focuses on spatial branding, where the interior design is developed in parallel with the brand’s identity. "We have a pretty big role in developing who the client is with them, and we see it as not only representing what we see graphically in a space, but understanding what they want to portray and who they want to be and making that into a physical space," Philip says.

The materials and colours used by Ivy Studio in commercial projects wouldn’t be at home in a residential project; they're a bit too bold for a house. "If you go to a restaurant, you’re living an experience for two, three hours max, so you can really immerse yourself in this universe," Philip says.

"We want to create an immersive environment for people to have an experience for that period that uplifts what our client wants to give his clients."

Details from around Ivy Studio's Saint-Henri office.

The wow factor

Ivy Studio-designed spaces are striking with an expert use of colour, materials, and texture. Elements such as clear polycarbonate panels exposing the pink fiberglass insulation walls at M.A.D in Montreal, 1970s style cabinetry and cozy red stools at Limousine restaurant in Saint-Lambert, and round, mint green banquettes and glassy geometric light fixtures at Dorsia in Old Montreal really put the fun in functional.

"We want to create a unique personality that’s strong and impactful, so that’s where different textures, patterns, colours and sheens play a big role in creating the identity and the soul of a space,” Philip says.

When people step into a space designed by Ivy Studio, the goal is that they feel wowed right away.

“Not for any specific reason, but we want them to feel surprised, like they haven’t experienced this before,” Philip says. “Whether it’s a restaurant, a coworking space, an office or a barbershop, we want them to notice and feel that it’s different and that it’s intentional."

Limousine in Saint-Lambert. | Photograph: Alex Lesage / @alexlesage__

Clark Café in Pointe-Saint-Charles. | Photograph: Alex Lesage / @alexlesage__

Motivated by Montreal’s creativity

Ivy Studio has offices in the Sud-Ouest, a neighbourhood where they also have their hands in local projects. The team members were regular customers of Clarke Café when the latter reached out to them to design their new space, a result of their moving three streets down in Pointe Saint-Charles. Considering their relationship with the café, it was a resounding yes for the Ivy Studio Team.

The goal was to design a neighbourhood coffee shop that feels like it’s always been around. “It doesn’t feel like it’s been opened in 2024-2025, it doesn’t feel like it’s been open in 1995 either, it’s just always been there. So, we really aimed for design cues that are a bit timeless in a way, but that create more of an identity than a moment in time or a location,” Philip says.

The Ivy Studio team is glad to witness that people are embracing Clarke Café when they visit. “We love playing a part in its development,” Philip says. “Just being able to go to these places that people love, and that play a role in the city, and have an impact, it’s fulfilling for us and it’s what inspires us to keep pushing.”

Including local Montreal artisans in their work is something that differentiates Ivy Studio from their competitors. To build their custom designs, the team collaborates closely with local craftspersons and builders, including millworkers and lime plaster artisans.

"We rely on experience and help from everyone around, so that is why the local artisans play a big role in these projects because they can share their experience and knowledge with us," Philip says.

For example, when Ivy Studio did the scenography for Complètement Design earlier in 2025, they worked with many local artisans to make custom furniture like chairs or lamps. "Instead of picking the chair that’s been used everywhere from Italy, we will always try to bring some locally made things," Philip says.

"It is also very much an experience to have that local craftsmanship inside the product itself, and there is so much talent in Montreal that we want to just bring it all in."

"They don’t just execute what we draw, they give feedback and then we make the best result possible together."

Scenes from COMPLÈTEMENT DESIGN 2025 by Ivy Studio. | Photograph: Alex Lesage / @alexlesage__

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Lili Monette-Crépô

Ivy Studio is Shaping Montreal's Visual Identity from the Inside Out