As Valentine’s Day rounds the corner it’s quite remarkable that the holiday dates as far back as the 3rd century. Rooted in complex history that is deeply interlaced with myth, this so-called day of love started off quite differently compared to the commercial phenomenon it is today.
One legend claims that it was founded on the basis of a Roman priest, who apparently performed illegal marriages for young lovers during the time of Emperor Claudius. Others say that it began during the fertility festival of Lupercalia that was celebrated in Rome in honour of the god of agriculture, Faunus. After Pope Gelasius declared February 14th as Valentine’s Day, the holiday was officially associated with love. This was during the Middle Ages, around the mating season of birds.
Whatever the true source of the holiday may be, what’s interesting is its profound origins interwoven with mysterious stories. Quite similar to many of the unknown yet fascinating stories that are imbedded within the woods from which we handcraft our collections.
Valentine’s Day comes once a year, but the celebration of love is continuous for us at artemano. We celebrate our love of nature and all the creativity that it inspires year round. As a tribute to love, we decided to launch a new series appropriately titled artemano love stories. These stories profile some of our friends who share with us their discovery and love of artemano.
This month, we feature Marie-Soleil, a buyer for a health food store, and her husband Lehel, a software engineer. The couple has been together for over a decade and were introduced by a mutual friend.
They were artemano fans long before they furnished their home with it. As residents of the Plateau Mont Royal area in Montreal for 15 years, artemano has been part of the couple’s neighbourhood for as long as they can remember. “For years we used to visit the boutique on a regular basis,” explains Marie-Soleil, “but we held back from purchasing anything until the right place to live came along. We wanted an ideal space to house what would eventually become our artemano furniture.”
Recently, the right space presented itself. The couple purchased their second condo. Their current open-concept living/dining room is filled with artemano pieces that, as Marie-Soleil describes, make the interior soothing and Zen-like. “Our friends and family were so excited for us when they saw our new space. They couldn’t stop talking about it. They told us that it was beyond anything any of them could have imagined.”
Marie-Soleil makes a point to tell us that what she loves about artemano is all the wood, especially its organic quality. “Wood has played a significant role in my life. Throughout my childhood I was constantly exposed to it because my father was always refinishing or revamping old wood furniture. It’s been important to me and I’ve had an attachment to it ever since,” Marie-Soleil explains.
Marie-Soleil and Lehel adore living in the Plateau. The eclectic neighbourhood is full of life and filled with a plethora of diverse shops. “Living here allows me to walk to work!”
At the end of a long day, the couple loves returning home to what Marie-Soleil describes as “their refuge”. “We have found not only a great place to live, but we’ve created an ambiance that makes us feel like we are travelling to Asia while remaining in the comforts of our own home, surrounded by our beautiful belongings. It’s like a dream come true. The dream of a lifetime.” 