Carolyn and Billy Revitalize a Once Hazardous 136-Year-Old Farmhouse

Katie and Dalton’s shared dream of a working family farm was nearly realized when they bought 100 acres of land and began farming while they raised their family. But getting to the home renovations proved challenging, especially after Dalton broke his back during a farming accident. It wasn’t until Carolyn and Billy stepped in to assist that their dream renovation came to be! With a budget of $150,000, Carolyn and Billy gave the main floor a major makeover. They created a beautiful dining room, moved the kitchen for better flow, created a safe and serene living room, and they even managed to work in a breathtaking ensuite bathroom for Katie to enjoy. This farmhouse renovation is something out of a fairytale!

Katie and Dalton’s kitchen had seen better days (and several makeshift makeovers). It was filled with an eclectic collection of cabinets, but nothing that matched! And for all those cabinets, there was actually very little storage.

The floors had also become a hazard for the family. The beautiful original floors were in rough shape. Parts had been painted, and other areas were causing slivers, so Katie had thrown a large rug down. This kitchen was far from being the heart of the home!

An elegant farmhouse dining room was created in the space where the kitchen was initially. With more space, Carolyn was able to showcase Katie and Dalton’s original furniture, which was beautiful, but hidden in a cramped corner. The Shaker style chairs were given a fresh coat of black paint, which gives the room a contemporary edge and plays nicely with Carolyn’s gorgeous hand stencil on the walls.

The wainscoting and the peg rail beautifully tie into the home’s farmhouse roots, but Carolyn wanted the young couple to have a space they could proudly entertain in, so she gave it a dash of elegance with a large chandelier and wall sconces.

Read more: From Kitchens to Living Rooms: Modern Farmhouse Design Ideas, Room by Room

The new farmhouse kitchen boasts everything Katie and Dalton had been missing. The island alone has more surface space than the entire previous kitchen! The kitchen now has a spectacular view of the farm through gorgeous double doors and provides a great flow from the dining room into the living room.

The kitchen is the perfect marriage of modern elegance with rustic farmhouse details, like the exposed beam that Billy salvaged. While it’s no longer load-bearing, it adds personality and history to the new room. And speaking of new — new pine flooring went in to replace the floors that were raised and hazardous. The natural finish will darken over time and eventually match the original flooring in the dining room.

Dalton had been midway through the living room renovation when his injury stalled the project. Now, what was meant to be a focal point of the room was a focus of frustration. The fireplace had so much potential but needed Carolyn’s eye for design.

Billy focused his attention on raising the sunken living room so it wouldn’t be such a danger to Katie and Dalton’s young children.

The completed living room is nearly unrecognizable! Carolyn knew she had to think big for the huge living room, so she chose a large stone for the fireplace to add that “wow” factor when people walk in. To draw on the farmhouse design aesthetic, they went with shiplap for the walls, with a nickel gap to create a bit more texture.

The raw textures of the stone, and the exposed beams are beautifully softened with warm colours and soft textures. And how perfect is that sled-turned-coffee table that Carolyn discovered in Katie and Dalton’s storage shed? It was the ultimate discovery during their shed shopping adventure!

When Carolyn and Billy closed off this staircase during the main floor renovation, it opened up this area beside Katie and Dalton’s bedroom to be used for a glamorous ensuite bathroom. Katie had dreamed of a space she could enjoy after her long days on the farm, and when Carolyn saw the big window, she knew it would be perfect for a dramatic standing tub!

This corner of the bathroom is straight from heaven! Carolyn chose a charming charcoal grey and white wallpaper to play off the vintage inspired tiled floor. It’s the perfect romantic backdrop for this regal soaker tub. This space was all about Katie having an area to enjoy, and we love that once again, the view of the farm (which captures the sunset!) from the tub is an essential component of the design.

The double vanity here was a true labour of love by Billy. He enlisted his father to help with the construction, which included repurposed hardwood from the home’s original floors. Carolyn sourced a specialty cut countertop using a remnant of quartz. (Carolyn recommends quartz because it looks very much like marble, but for a fraction of the price!) Beautiful wall-mounted gold hardware on the sink call to mind a farmhouse in France, making this the ultimate area for Katie to start and end her day.

Katie and Dalton work tirelessly for their family and their farm, but after enduring so much with Dalton’s accident, they deserved a helping hand from Carolyn and Billy to see their dream farmhouse become a reality! They were overjoyed with the renovation, and felt it was finally, truly, their family home!