Country Homes
A Newly Built Barn Is Decorated For The Holidays With Fresh Greenery And Vintage Finds
Published on December 16, 2024
This story was originally published in our November 2023 holiday issue.
CeCe Krecsy, who owns Little White House & Co., a lifestyle shop and teahouse in Fort Langley, B.C., and her husband Gene had built a house near Salmon River back in 2017. But when they stumbled onto a ramshackle, two-hectare country property three years later, they fell in love: it had blackberry bushes and an old orchard of plum and apple trees that would produce enough fruit to make organic jam, chutneys and tarts that CeCe could sell at the store.
They bought the place and started by building a new 1,398-square-foot barn; they would stay there during the construction of the main house. Later, it would become a work zone for the shop with a drying area for hydrangeas and a place to prep berries and fruit. Plus, the barn would act as a bunkie for visiting family.
Now that CeCe and Gene’s main house is ready, the barn will be a charming extension of their space during the holidays. “Our plan is to have everyone over on Christmas Eve, with some of the family sleeping in the barn,” says CeCe. We can’t imagine a cosier place to wake up Christmas morning. Sweet dreams.
CeCe put a team together to help realize her vision. Andy Friesen of Su Casa, who designed the couple’s Salmon River house, designed the structure and interior layout, and Wescraft Homes handled the build. “I wanted a Prairie-style barn that looked like it had been on the property for a century,” says CeCe. Stephanie Giesbrecht of Stephanie Jean Design was hired to collaborate on designing an interior that would be layered with vintage and antique elements. “I love her clean take on the classics,” says CeCe.
It could be considered putting the cart before the horse but, for CeCe Krecsy (seated) with her daughter, Natasha Isaak, building a small barn on their new farmstead property before the dream house made perfect sense.
The barn project began in May 2021 and wrapped about a year later. Today, the bright, airy space boasts rough-sided wood walls painted in Benjamin Moore’s Oxford White, 32-foot-high ceilings, an open-concept kitchen, dining and living area, a loft bedroom, and a full bathroom and laundry zone.
The palette is a beautiful blend of whites and creams, with antique pieces from CeCe’s travels and her own shop layered in for an inviting mix. A wood apothecary-style sideboard with original brass handles just needed a good scrub. “I don’t like covering up of the age or history of an antique piece,” says CeCe.
Stephanie focused on the kitchen layout, which is anchored by an antique stepback hutch that CeCe sourced. “I wanted something that would give a collected-over-time feeling to the space,” she says.
Other traditional details include a farmhouse sink with skirting below and white glass knobs on the face frame cabinets. Above the range are vintage-style hooks, and the kitchen table is clearly a well-worn antique.
Wood furniture and accents stand out against the rustic, painted-white envelope.
Come the holidays, the barn is decked out with fresh greenery and decorated trees. “Though I didn’t have a specific plan, the barn dictated how it should look for Christmas: simple, cozy, country and all-natural,” says CeCe.
Fresh boxwood wreaths, cedar garlands, pinecones gathered from the property and clusters of vintage collections set the scene. “Fresh greenery takes you back to another time, when decorating was more natural and organic,” says Stephanie. “In the barn, you feel like you’ve stepped back into the past.”
In the loft bedroom, layered pillows and comforters are perfect for chilly winter nights.
The barn’s bathroom has pared-back, country style. A little elbow grease and repainting was all the antique cast-iron tub needed.
The ombré dresser in the bedroom was created by sanding off some of the original paint.
CeCe hangs her vintage green glass decorations with twine instead of metal hooks.
“It’s not about overpowering the beauty of the tree but enhancing it,” says CeCe of her nature-inspired ornaments
A white enamel tray with holiday cookies is a nostalgic touch.
Reusable bags and pillowcases make for eco-savvy holiday decorating elements.
A tiny spruce cutting atop the bathroom cabinet adds a dash of festive style.
Janis Nicolay
House & Home
Andy Friesen (architectural design)/Stephanie Giesbrecht (design consultation)