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A Pinteresting restoration:
DIY breathes new life into a tired farmhouse text and photos by sarah macneill
Grey is the new beige It’s anything but boring. “Museum Piece” by Benjamin Moore creates a calm, contemporary environment.
“T
he serious buyer of this property will have the vision and resources to undertake a task that is not for the faint of heart,” the listing agent’s blurb read. When all other interested buyers wanted to tear down the 1908 McFeely Manor House on six acres in Central Saanich, Jesse Crawford and Tasha Vollo saw restoration potential. This Before & After focuses on the kitchen, but the entire 4,500 sq. ft. house was transformed to match the vintage of the original house, while still feeling very current. The homeowners relied in part on their own talents to bring the farmhouse back from dilapidation — Crawford and his father handled carpentry work, including the floors, walls and roof. Forgoing a designer, Vollo selected interior finishes and colours, curating ideas with the help of a Pinterest board — a resource increasingly relied upon by professionals and design-savvy DIYers.
Sophisticated country elegance
before
What was a dark, musty space with wood panelling, dusty drapes and the previous owner’s hoard is now a stunning, spacious kitchen full of light and sophisticated country elegance. Subdued grey walls and white shaker-style cabinetry reaching the 9’7” ceiling pair beautifully with Brazilian granite countertops. The kitchen island, with a wrapped solid cherry bar top design, has plenty of drawers and cupboards for storage. Corner windows, with a pastoral view of the barn and duck pond, set the scene for an idyllic breakfast nook — a much-improved use of space over the original mud porch. The six-month project is an incredible feat worthy of appreciation. Not long after Crawford and Vollo moved in, an elderly man knocked on their door. “He explained that when he was a boy, he used to deliver the newspaper here to the McFeelys,” says Vollo. “He was happy to see the old house restored to its original character.” No doubt the McFeelys — a family who owned the local hardware store — would agree. If it can be said that the studs are the bones of a house, the wiring its nervous system, the fireplace its heart and the interiors its lungs, this one has definitely had the life breathed back in. Kitchen cabinetry: Thomas Philips Woodworking // Crown mouldings and railings: Point Break Development // Tile: Osmia Enterprises // Lighting: Mclaren // Countertops: Floform // Farmhouse sink: The Ensuite // Doors and knobs: Slegg Lumber 69