The 1875 Farmhouse Prince Edward County, Ontario home photos, Canadian real estate images
The 1875 Farmhouse in Prince Edward County, Canada
1 August 2024
Design: V+R Design Studio
Location: Prince Edward County, Southern Ontario, Canada
Photos by Alex Lukey
The 1875 Farmhouse, Southern Ontario
The 1875 Farmhouse project was a chance opportunity turned dream home that took two and a half years to realize. What began as a mess of volumes and rundown materials is now a cohesive home that is both contemporary and rustic, beautifully embodying Belgian style.
From down the country road, there’s a familiar shape – a red brick home with a steeply pitched gable roof. It’s typical of this area, the hamlet of Bethesda in Prince Edward County, Ontario. Upon closer inspection, however, you notice the adjacent structure wrapped all in black, the oversized windows, and very little ornamentation. This was no quickie update to an old farmhouse – there is visible intent here, and it’s that of Toronto interior designer Vanessa Emam.
Prince Edward County is an island south of Belleville, Ontario – about halfway between Montreal and Toronto. It’s made up of towns and villages, with a history rooted in agriculture. Key draws for those from away are the marinas, wineries, and beaches of Sandbanks Provincial Park. A once-hidden gem, The County has gentrified over the past two decades, with city-dwellers arriving to eagerly participate in a quieter life. During Covid, The County became an attractive option for seeking reprieve, and modernization of the rustic landscape accelerated as housing stock was bought up. Emam and her family were part of this rush.
Emam is the principal of V+R, a boutique interior design firm with 10 years and 25 residential projects under its belt. Raised in Paris, Emam’s can-do spirit can be attributed to her father, an architectural designer; she spent much of her childhood on his job sites. Much of her portfolio consists of reconfiguring and refreshing Toronto homes, but with her own flair for combining old with new. With Belgium just a quick train ride from Paris, it was there that the future interior designer would learn the art of Belgian style, a form of shabby chic that blends Scandinavian rustic modernity with French spice and luxury. During Covid, Emam watched (via social media) as her European contemporaries renovated storied spaces, wishing for her own historic project. And so, what began as a casual property search in The County resulted in this: the completion of “1875 Farmhouse,” situated on 30 acres of forested land in Bethesda.
The house was originally built in 1875, and its owner divided and sold the surrounding land to various families. Wheat, soy, and hay were cultivated, and cows were raised, but nothing has been farmed here since 1978. The red brick home was typical of the area’s Loyalist descendants, quirks and all. This meant walled-in rooms, very few windows – only two faced the magnificent forest – and a barn nestled against the house. Deemed a problematic purchase by many onlookers, Emam saw potential and purchased the home as a family retreat and peak-season vacation rental.
The interiors of both structures were stripped to the studs, and all electrical and insulation were updated. In the main building, the original staircase and plank flooring were saved, and the house was linked to the barn by enlarged interior doors. New roofing covers both volumes; black corrugated metal siding now wraps the barn and the back of the house, further unifying the look.
Inside, Emam rebuilt the house. Interior walls were removed in favour of unobstructed views to nature all the way from the foyer. Here, new mosaic tile at the foot of the staircase reads “1875.” Space was reallocated for a mudroom with dog wash, as well as for a reading nook with a large, curved window. The primary bedroom now occupies what was once a living room with a library, and upstairs, four bedrooms share a contemporary bathroom plus a laundry facility. Aside from these shifts, Emam matched the interior back to the original home but with new doors, trims, moldings, and double-pane windows.
While the house salutes its British heritage, the barn is a contemporary revamp, and this is where Emam’s creativity shines. The floor of the upper hayloft was removed, and now a kitchen and living room occupy this double-height volume. The back wall is now completely glass with sliding doors opening to outdoor dining and lounge areas. Inside and out, Emam’s penchant for mixing polished with rustic elements is on display. The barn’s old beams found new purpose as the kitchen island countertop, as well as benches and stools.
Against the backdrop of comfortable yet modern furnishings, other historic gems Emam uncovered are showcased, including a bookcase turned bar cabinet, a kitchen cupboard made into a bedroom wardrobe, and an antique bread-making cabinet now serves as a prominent credenza. While the new white and black additions convey modernity, the various textures and pops of colour exude warmth.
Architects: V+R Design Studio – https://www.vplusrdesign.com/
Photography: Alex Lukey
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