18TH ANNUAL GLEBE HOUSE TOUR AN ODE TO BOTH OLD AND NEW
Denise Carruthers reimagined her century home during almost a year of renovations. It’s one of five stops on this year’s Glebe House Tour, writes Anastasia Philopoulos.
Denise Carruthers didn’t expect that her playful negotiations over a bottle of wine at the backyard fence would result in getting her dream home.
Originally living next door to their current home on Fourth Avenue, Carruthers and her husband would often plead with their neighbours to give them first dibs if they ever decided to sell.
“And they made good on that bottle of wine,” Carruthers laughs.
Her well-loved home is one of five on this year’s Glebe House Tour. The 18th-annual fundraiser will be held Sept. 17, and will support special needs programming and camps organized by the Glebe Neighbourhood Activities Group (GNAG).
Over 100 years old, Carruthers’ three-storey home stands as a testament to the balance of traditional taste and contemporary style — the result of almost a full year of renovations.
With the help of designer Luc Crawford and Darrell Brown Carpentry, Carruthers reimagined almost every room of the house, including a fresh master bedroom and bath, basement butternut wood wine cellar, and backyard man cave in what was once the garage.
Possibly the largest transformation was the gutted main floor, where the team added a full extension off the back, now the open concept kitchen and family room — a bright space due to five skylights and large double doors that open out to the backyard.
The kitchen’s centrepiece is a 30-square-foot granite countertop that graces the apothecary-style kitchen island. “We hang out in the kitchen a lot, it’s the heart of the house,” Carruthers explains.
Throughout the renovations, Carruthers managed to stay true to the home’s historic roots, as well as her own traditional sense of style. As changes were made to each room, new wood trim was blazed cut to match the original, and missing crown mouldings were installed. Family heirlooms grace various rooms, such as the 18th century dining room set passed down from the Carruthers family.
A bit farther down Fourth Avenue is where you’ll find Carol Morgan, who’s lived in her Victorian-style brick home for 25 years. Built in 1895, the house has seen a few smaller renovations over the years, but last summer Morgan finally opted to completely gut the main floor, in favour of a brighter, more artistic look.
Updated lighting, plum-coloured custom cabinetry in the dining room, and ash hardwood throughout help the space come alive, which is further punctuated by original pieces of local art, including a six-by-four-foot glass mural in the kitchen.
“A small art gallery is how some people described the finished work,” Morgan says.
Whether you’re into new, old, or something in between, the tour has a bit of everything for everyone. Here are a few highlights from other featured homes:
A charming semi-detached home on Third Avenue that blends traditional features, like antique pieces and crown mouldings, with contemporary touches, like modern light fixtures and art. The use of paint colour and smart storage make the home feel spacious and bright.
A recently renovated familyfriendly home on Woodlawn Avenue with an elegant beach vibe. The homeowners focused on repurposing what they could from the century-old brick house, reusing items like old doors in modern ways.
A small art gallery is how some people described the finished work.