Decorating & Design
You’ll Want To Spend Christmas In This Rustic Country House
Updated on December 15, 2016
Set on 98 acres of rural farmland near Rosemont, Ontario, this rustic-meets-contemporary weekend home ticks all the boxes required of a Christmas getaway: a serene palette, relaxed decorating and the kind of welcoming atmosphere that makes friends feel like family. Contemporary furniture, adventurous art and eclectic furniture liven up the historical architecture of the 1830s home. It’s this juxtaposition of old and new that gives the home a collected, organic vibe — and makes it the perfect place to wake up on a snowy Christmas morning. Click through to be transported to the serene getaway.
Built in the 1830s, the original part of the house has a Georgian tidiness.
The original structure was kept in mind when planning the modern addition.
The 98-acre property is a year-round retreat for homeowners Pheona and Tim Wright and their children.
Painted brick, exposed beams and a distressed floor provide a charming rustic backdrop to the mix of vintage-mod and thrifted furniture. The soaring ceilings that give the room its airy, welcoming feel are also high enough to fit a 13′ Christmas tree — which the family always gets from a nearby tree farm.
Crisp patterns on basic kraft paper put a playful spin on gift-wrapping.
Many of the furnishings in this space — like this pretty butterfly chair — were transplanted from the couple’s previous abodes, including a mod, post-and-beam home in Los Angeles. “After we sold the house in L.A., we didn’t have room for all this stuff in our little semi in Toronto,” Pheona says. “But I think houses shouldn’t be too curated. Two people meet, their families collide, and the pieces fall as they may. It just reflects us.”
In the dining area, the sturdy, simple table was designed and built by contractor Jacob Dupuis to work in the rustic space, and Pheona found the vintage chairs at a Toronto antique store near her West End home. “I paid $10 or $15 for each one. I think there’s enough new stuff in the world,” she says. Overhead, a giant chandelier by designer Paul Campbell doubles as a conversation-starting sculpture and adds a touch of glam.
The “main room,” as Pheona calls it, is a combination living-dining room that’s open to the cozy, light-filled kitchen through a wide entry trimmed in rough-hewn beams. The old ’70s-style summer kitchen was ripped out in favor of a hardworking update that suits the home’s history. In one corner, a replica Saarinen tulip table is paired with classic pine chairs.
In the den, soft green walls are a soothing choice, and a huge, inky sectional and ottoman from an L.A. flea market give the room a cozy feel. A striped kilim adds graphic punch underfoot, while a molded-plywood chair (another flea market find) is an infusion of ’70s cool. Pheona gave this space a rustic holiday feel with simple touches, like a huge wicker bowl filled with oversized pinecones on the ottoman and a vase filled with sprigs of pine by the window.
Pheona maintained many of the original structure’s charming features, like this double-door linen closet in an upstairs hallway.
In the principal bedroom, the exposed beams and metal cross-bracing feel graphic, while large windows flood the room with light. A black and white quilt and pillows are bold layers on the bed.
In the second-floor powder room, patterned tiles look like a pretty patchwork quilt.
Donna Griffith
House & Home December 2015
Pheona Wright