OLD CHURCH CONVERSION FAMILY AFFAIR
Couple enlisted their son and daughter to help renovate century-old building near London, Ont.
A church in southwestern Ontario was transformed and given new life by a family that cherishes the past while building for the future. Steve and Cheryl Ward, with the help of their daughter and son, have created a new type of gathering space.
Built in 1886 as a Methodist church, the brick building served as a United church in the hamlet of Shedden, 35 kilometres southwest of London, Ont, until 2012. It was flipped twice before the Wards bought it. “There was nothing,” said Steve Ward. A false ceiling had been removed and plywood nailed onto the floor.
They purchased the church in December 2013, moved in October 2014 and began renovations April 2015.
The Wards wanted an open space, kitchen, a loft and bedrooms on the lower level. To realize their dreams, they enlisted the help of their son Scott, of Scott Ward Design.
“He’s a minimalist,” said Steve Ward. “He says we bought the church to put out all our crap. My wife and I have been collecting antiques since we were married 45 years ago. My rule of thumb is, if you sit or lie on it — like a bed or sofa — we buy new. Anything else is antique.”
Their daughter, Leigh Erme, shares her parents love of antiques and helped hunt for appropriate pieces for the new space. She and her father have since launched The Old Curio Cabinet to sell antiques and collectibles online, at fair and at several booths in local antique markets.
As the plans developed, changes were required. A library loft had to be switched from front to back to accommodate a beautiful arched recess.
“We did a couple of designs,” said Ward. “Scott had the vision. We wanted the loft at the other end, but that would have destroyed the character of the church, and that was the whole reason for buying it. We wanted a mezzanine.”
The mezzanine is located in the front entry and includes a mud room, bathroom, and spiral stairway to the loft. The pedestal sink is fashioned from a baptismal font foraged by Erme. The staircase was a kit that was 20 centimetres short. Steve built a platform for the bottom step as a solution.
The raised platform where the pulpit and altar once stood was extended across the entire front. Access to a new deck was created through matching pairs of patio doors on either side.
The old furnace and oversized ductwork were replaced by two new furnaces (one for the main level, the other for the lower) and two air conditioning units, with the ductwork tucked between rafters on the lower level. Each floor is 204 square metres. Storage is hidden between the loft and main floor.
There were only two electrical plugs on the entire main level when the renovations began.
They were able to retain the original pressed tin ceiling and salvage the wood floors. “We pulled up the plywood, did repairs and elevated the area to make a continuous platform,” said Ward. All the windows, including stained glass, are original.
The kitchen is on the east side of the entry. “We knew we wanted the kitchen on this side to get the morning light,” he said.
A wall of cabinetry hides a walkin pantry. The large island is topped in forest green granite. “Scott had a hard time finding it,” said Ward. “We had enough for the island and the Butler’s pantry.” The rest of the counter is made of a grey granite.
On the opposite side, a den is a perfect spot for computer activities. At first the Wards thought they would make this a TV room. Salvaged lath strips make a striking wall treatment.
A small half wall divides the sitting area and provides a backing for the television. A gas fireplace takes centre stage. Above it, a stained glass piece Erme found at an auction hangs in front of a light box to look like a window.
The library loft features a Gothic arch window with stained glass. The space is open to the level below and offers a fresh perspective as light spills through the goldtinted windows onto wood floors and furnishings. Six period globe light fixtures, tracked down in Toronto, hang from original chains.
Because the space is so large, their existing dining table looked lost. It found a place in the den and they purchased a new, old one that seats 10. The church’s communion table had been bought by a member of the community. At a local open house, they asked the Wards if they’d like it back in the church. “It’s a nice home for it,” said Ward.
Downstairs is divided into bedrooms. “The rooms were dictated by the windows and six columns,” said Ward.
The large windows make the space bright and airy, almost more so than the upper level because they are clear rather than coloured, said Ward. Ceilings are 2.9 metres. The old columns now are decorative, replaced by steel posts built into the walls.
The master ensuite vanity was made at an out-of-town shop from the same stone as the kitchen counter. The Wards brought stained glass doors from their previous house.
Two more bedrooms, bathrooms and a laundry are located on this level. An exercise room and mud room are planned. There is access to the back yard.
Outside, the Wards had the bricks repointed and the buttresses repaired.
“Everybody pitched in,” said Ward. “My wife did most of the painting. I like it all. When you’re involved in such a depth and conversion, this whole thing kind of grows on you.”
The old church looks born again and quite at home in its new role.