My Country Farmhouse – My Inspiration for Lady Mathison

When I enter this house it feels dark and closed in.  As I look at how grand each room is I can see that a simple coat of white or off white paint will lighten it up and make the ceilings sore.

I’ve already picked out some paint samples and am really drawn to off white colours however, I do not want it to read too pink, yellow or grey. Benjamin Moore has some beautiful colours. Dune white, Chantilly Lace and Simply White are just a few that I am toying with. Luckily Benjamin Moore does sample size cans of paint for under $10 which is always the best idea when you plan on painting the entire main floor and up stairs landing one colour.

The master bedroom and guest rooms will be painted with the same warm neutral that will allow for the beautiful wood pieces, painted furniture and upholstery to pop. I have already purchased an antique twin size day bed (similar to the one in the picture) for $75 that I will paint.  I have plans on spray painting my old charcoal grey metal headboard with a vintage brass finish and am on the hunt for the perfect upholstered headboard for my master bedroom. I will take the old white dresser with the round mirror from my current guest room and use it in the room with the twin size bed, selling the blue dresser and looking for a more appropriate wood (can be painted) dresser for the queen size bed guest room.

The master bedroom bay window area will be where I place my makeup vanity and stool to get ready in the morning with all the natural light. I will continue to use my current dresser that is a dark solid wood with trifold mirror attached. The closet will be designed to function as a walk-in and the bay windows will have beautiful warm fabric curtains and blinds (to help keep it dark).

Here are some of my inspirational photos:

The dining room will have a large mid-tone solid wood double pedestal table (purchased from a long time friend whose grand parents bought the table off the Danforth when they first migrated to Canada – $300), a vintage inspired chandelier and upholstered chairs. The cabinet that houses my great grandparents dish set will also be in the dining room (if they will fit).

The half bathroom is a great size. It has a bulky vanity which may be coming out in the future. It has the original 12″ baseboards which will remain in tact and I love the idea of doing a nice wainscotting finish to enhance the look.  I’ve purchased a beautiful curio cabinet from Nolstalgic Journey in Peterborough for $60 which will go up on the wall behind the toilet and hold some of my fun little antique trinkets.

Here are some of the ideas I have for this little room:

The living room has a beautiful set of bay windows.  Once this room is painted (I’m excited just to see primer on the walls at this point) it will be warm and cozy.  The floors need to be sanded and refinished and the entire room is missing the shoe kick (quarter round). It will require some electrical work to remove old sockets in the floors and the massive mirror will need to come down to complete the painting.  There will be gold curtain rods with sheers to enhance the look in both the living and dining room. I will repurpose my former buffet in to a TV stand that will sit on the north wall. And I am also looking for a lighter coloured couch to go with the gorgeous solid wood side tables I purchased off the classifieds that have been refinished in a creamy off white for $150.

The now office will be converted in to the mud room & laundry room.  There is old carpet that needs to come out which will likely mean some new flooring to go down. I may consider using a wood look vinyl or durable wood laminate since this area will need to stand up to water and dirt. I will install cabinets and a countertop between the washer and dryer for storage and folding and install a steal pipe rod to hang the items that shouldn’t go in the dryer.  This room will need a fresh coat of paint and new lighting to modernize it. I will be purchasing the washer and dryer from my mom who when they bought their house ended up with another new pair (score for me!). There will be an added expense in converting the office in to laundry room as the plumbing and dryer vent will need to be moved, but in the end the kitchen will reap the rewards and feel like it has doubled in size losing half the appliances.

And now the hub of the house – The Kitchen! My favourite room in any house since I love cooking and baking. I also find it to be the one room my family enjoys gathering in when we are together (especially if there is food involved). The kitchen set up now is not ideal. The layout leaves nothing to be desired. They old 90s blond wood cabinets and laminate countertop are outdated and there is little to no prep room. So how do we remedy this? We take down a wall.

On the wall opposite the kitchen is a sitting room (and half bathroom). This room serves no purpose for me and would allow for about another 12 feet by 8 feet of space. I will be able to move the stove from the centre of the room to the 16 foot long wall flanked with beautiful new cabinets and quartz (or Corian or Granite or wood … oh dear once again so many options) counters. The sink will remain where it is and the fridge will move from the centre of the room to the north wall opening up the space for more light and a slender island. The remainder of the sitting room will be an eat-in kitchen with my current vintage wood table and chairs. The kitchen will continue in the same direction as the rest of the house and be light, bright and airy.  All the appliances will be “new” (used, refurbished, on sale) stainless steel to keep the cost down.

Here are some of my renderings for how I envision the space (not to spec):

My inspiration for the kitchen:

My next step now is to move in November 1st, start measuring and begin the process of painting the walls that are the mosts offensive. I will tackle some plumbing and electrical  issues that cannot wait and start decorating for Christmas (can’t believe I just said that).

I look forward to sharing the renovation process with you as it happens. There will be before and after pictures for everything I do in the house. Stay tuned for the big move.

🙂