Tour a Historical Family Farmhouse with a Modern Twist

After renting and managing an Ontario cattle farm for 32 years, Caroline and Gerald were looking forward to buying a property of their own – but they wanted to find a home that retained the same warm, country charm they had grown used to over three decades.

This gorgeous dining-room table belonged to Gerald’s grandparents, which he lovingly restored back to its original condition, and now sits in a place of honour surrounded by classic, dark-grey shaker chairs just waiting for the next big family gathering.

Not to be the only one displaying old-timey treasures, Caroline’s oil-lamp collection gets its own display shelf, which Jonathan whipped up using only $20-worth of materials. Showcasing a grey stain, the lamp tower tonally matches the new dove-grey drapes and dining-room chairs.

Having a kitchen space big enough to host large neighbourhood gatherings and family music nights was a must for this hardworking, musical couple who’d lived with cramped cooking quarters for most of their life.

The large, quartz-topped kitchen island provides plenty of room for potluck parties, while its soft, spruce-green shade gives the space a splash of colour without overwhelming the other earthy tones.

Simple, white shaker cabinets cater to the couple’s love of farmhouse chic but, with addition of black hardware and modern pendant lamps (kitted out with the ever-trendy filament lightbulbs), the space feels fresh and updated.

The stone-tile backsplash – in a fun, mini-subway pattern – presents a soothing colour combo of soft white, beige and brown, which pulls in the wood furnishings and accents found throughout the newly opened-up space.

By taking down a number of walls, installing glass doors at the back of the house, and adding much-needed extra ceiling fixtures, light now floods into this once-dark Ontario farmhouse, illuminating a completely updated living space.

There were a few treasured antique pieces that Caroline and Gerald told the Property Brothers had to be incorporated into their farmhouse renovation – Caroline’s family piano was one of them.

After an unsuccessful search for their forever country home in the open real-estate market, with Drew’s help Caroline was actually able to buy back her childhood farm from family members – and Jonathan turned it into her adult dream home.

Behind this front entry table used to be a 1950s green and orange pastoral mural that Caroline’s mother loved when she lived here. After a coat (or three) of matte white paint, the space now feels fresh but also extremely personal with a tabletop display of Caroline and Gerald’s vintage finds.

Opting for a lavender tweed-upholstered couch and purple-and-cream geometric area rug creates a warm, welcoming space. Introducing touches of soft pastel colour into a neutral white and cream base palette give a room that country-chic feel.

With the addition of a large silver tray and strategically placed objets d’art, Caroline’s antique steamer trunk is reimagined as a funky, usable coffee table in the living room.

When out shopping for new furniture, Caroline was quite taken with the silver studs on these leather armchairs, which makes sense since they match up nicely with the metal rivets found on her vintage trunk-cum-table.

With Caroline’s piano back in the exact corner of the farmhouse it was when she was growing up, paying homage the past is a touching theme seen throughout this fourth-generation family home.

Even with all the throwbacks to yesteryears, this couple still wants the luxuries of modern living. Stealing some unusable square footage from the bathroom, this spacious walk-in closet provides all the storage they’ll need.

As the only bathroom in the 1,350 sq.-ft. house, Caroline and Gerald wanted to make it a special one. Replacing everything from the floor up, they still managed to get that old-farm charm mixed in with modern conveniences.

The details were not ignored when it comes to adding homestead flare to this full-sized modern bathroom – the water-pumped inspired faucet is a sweet touch.

Handy with a tractor and a jigsaw, Gerald transformed this vintage dresser into a custom bathroom vanity and mirror, topped with a chic, white circular basin.

With the original three-acre property priced at $800,000, Caroline and Gerald spent an additional $130,000 and seven weeks renovating, turning this rundown family home into their updated forever home.