Martine Brisson’s unusual career path has given her an approach to space that sometimes has more to do with architecture than interior design. Before she becomes involved with the content of the space, she concentrates on the envelope that defines it. “I like to create boxes, like jewel boxes, that my clients can arrange in their own image.”
Before engaging in training as an interior designer, Brisson began her professional life as a lyric soprano. It was during her international tours that she cultivated her talent for design and her love of architecture and spaces. “I always had a little notebook and a pencil so I could sketch the places I visited,” she recalls. After working as an on-stage artist, she became a fashion designer and opened a women’s clothing boutique in Montreal. A few collections later, she launched her career as an interior designer.
From her artistic and creative experiences, Brisson has taken a taste for simple, human-oriented spaces. “Rather than strike the imagination,” she notes, “a space has to make people feel good.” Thus, instead of imposing her own style, she tries to understand the tastes and needs of her clients and offer them a virgin space in which they will be able to express themselves. “My clients bring me their music score, and I’m the orchestra conductor.”
