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Decorating & Design 2 Min Read

Inside a Refined and Rustic Kitchen With Farmhouse Style

By Wendy Jacob On

Stephanie and Daniel Aquino call this rural property in Schomberg, Ont., home, and rescue horses, a donkey and a brood of chickens do, too.

“It’s a little hobby farm — nothing fancy,” says Stephanie. “I like older homes and would love to buy one, but Daniel is a builder and that will never happen,” she says with a smile. “So, we build new houses like this that feel warm and cosy, and have period elements.” 

Two women standing in a refined, rustic kitchen. On the left, a woman with black hair, a white shirt, and jeans leans against a kitchen island with a white countertop and a brass fauced. On the right, a woman with auburn hair, a pink shirt, and white pants leans against a range . There are pale oak cabinets on the walls and heavy unfinished beams on the ceiling with conical white light fixtures hanging over the island.

Homeowner Stephanie Aquino (left) and Rhonda Thornton of Bloomsbury Fine Cabinetry with Marley, Stephanie’s soft-coated wheaten terrier.

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That’s especially true of the kitchen, designed by Nazem + Rose Design, with millwork by Bloomsbury Fine Cabinetry. This is the couple’s third collaboration with the cabinet company. “Stephanie wanted the kitchen to feel like an old farmhouse,” says Rhonda Thornton, one of Bloomsbury’s owners. “It’s the details that make this space so authentic.”

Related: Idyllic Quebec farmhouses with fresh style and classic charm

A photograph of a refined, rustic kitchen. On the left, a range and a white range hood alongside light wood cabinets with white countertops. ON the left, a kitchen island with green cabinets and a white countertop and a large white sink with arcing brass faucets. In the background, an arched doorway leads to a coffee bar set against a stone wall and surrounded by light wood cabinets.

Archways bring an old world look and frame the beautiful sight line.

To establish a genuine farmhouse feel, hand-hewn barn beams salvaged from 1800s houses and barns were brought in and are defining features in the kitchen; they crisscross the ceiling, frame the doorways and serve as shelving. The custom framed cabinets are rendered in rift-cut white oak; Stephanie didn’t want a painted finish that could chip.

A photograph of a rustic, refined kitchen. In the centre, a banquette with white cushions and pillows facing a wooden table and chairs is built into an L-shaped kitchen island with painted green cupboards and a white countertop. Unfinished beams crisscross the ceiling. In the background, a window opens onto a field.

The back of the banquette does double duty as the kitchen island, providing plenty of counter space.

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Stephanie’s process is research-rich: she travels and scours Instagram and magazines, sometimes saving ideas for years like this kitchen’s L-shaped island-banquette combo.

Related: 8 tips for designing banquette seating at home

A photograph of a rustic, refined kitchen. An L-shaped island with green cupboards and a white countertop is in the centre. On the wall behind, wood cupboards line a stone wall with unfinished wood shelves.

The kitchen’s walls are clad in rustic stone, a counterpoint to the Cristallo quartzite counters. 

She describes herself as very hands-on; she even picked the individual stones for the kitchen’s interior walls at the masonry yard. “We did a lot of stone inside because that was something I love in old barns,” says Stephanie. “This kitchen is so cosy; it’s warm and inviting, with a simple beauty in the details. For us, it’s always about feeling comfortable.”   

A photograph of a refined, rustic kitchen. An arched doorway on a white wall gives a view through a black-trimmed glass door into a wine cellar with several wooden bottle racks.

The wine room, by Rosehill Wine Cellars,  is conveniently located right off of the kitchen.

Written By

Wendy Jacob

View All Articles
  • Photographer Alex Lukey
  • Stylist Stephanie Acquino, Bloomsbury Fine Cabinetry
  • Designer Nazem + Rose Design (interior design), Lorne Rose Architect (architecture)
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