Celebrating Perth’s rich heritage
Here’s a glimpse inside this year’s homes:
READY FOR RETIREMENT
Two years ago, Maureen and Rob Patterson bought a classic redbrick Victorian home near the Perth hospital with plans of retiring. “We bought the house before the retirement,” says Maureen, who still commutes to work in Ottawa and has no immediate plans to give up her full-time job. For the house tour, Janet Page of Hay Design Furnishings & Decor spent hours twisting gold ribbon into billowy bows and weaving strings of gold beads, scented pine cones and magnolia leaves into a garland to turn the staircase into a festive showstopper. “It’s all about layering,” says Page.
TOWN GEM
If this small blue home could talk, it would have lots to say. Built in the early 1800s, it is one of Perth’s first timber-framed homes and believed to be the town’s original post office. Now converted into a modern home, the rough-hewed timbers in the cellar and original stone hearth are the only traces of its historical past.
FAMILY HOMESTEAD
Since moving into her grandfather’s farmhouse in 1996 with their three children, Dawn and Tim Hodgins have renovated the brick house from top to bottom. The original summer kitchen is now a cosy TV room with a stone fireplace and wide plank floors, and a detached three-car garage was built behind the house. The “grand finale” was a new country kitchen, which blends new cherry cabinets and granite counters with the original tin ceilings.
LANARK COUNTY’S FINEST
Though labelled the Maple Syrup Capital of Ontario, Lanark County is also renowned for its heritage masonry, like this century-old stone farmhouse. Home to five generations, it features rich pine floors, deep window sills and a bold colour palette.
BUILT TO LAST
A fine example of early pioneer construction, this square-timber log home features exposed wooden beams, wide flooring, a brick fireplace and period tin ceilings. An eclectic mix of antiques and cosy furnishings make the interior warm and welcoming.
HOME WITH HEART
During the latter part of the First World War, H.K. Wampole Company built stucco and brick housing in Perth, known locally as the Wampole Houses, for their employees. This is one of those former residences, but it has been completely transformed into a bright and spacious home with the addition of a sunroom and large windows.
SWEET SUITE
Moving back to Canada after more than 20 years in Los Angeles, Penny Mesa had a dream to open a boutique bed and breakfast. In 2013, she bought a 100-acre property outside Perth with an 1850 timber-frame home and attached barn. She has since renovated the barn into a charming two-storey cottage — it’s called Suite Miss Scarlett — and filled it with antiques, as well as unique finds from the farm.