Designer Carolyn Wilbrink celebrates her family’s farming past in a thoughtful reno of an 1843 heritage home.

When designer Carolyn Wilbrink and her husband Craig were expecting their fourth child, they knew they needed a bigger place. On the list of properties to see was, surprisingly, a place they’d considered a few years before but decided against. This time, when Carolyn saw the 1843 Gothic Revival farmhouse in Burford, Ontario, her country girl roots surfaced. She was in love.

The couple bought it, of course. But even though the previous owners had preserved much of the home’s original character, it was in desperate need of updating to accommodate a growing modern family. “When we moved in there was one cupboard under the stairs,” says Carolyn. In other words, there was practically no storage. And some features, like a back staircase they found behind a wall, were a sweet throwback to life almost two centuries ago, but not really a smart use of space in the 21st century. It had to go.

Photography: GAP Interiors / Robin Stubbert

“We decided to create a small bathroom in its place and use the extra space to extend the utilities room and add a mudroom,” says Carolyn. “We felt this was essential with our four children coming in and out all the time. In fact, we’ve made this our main entrance door as it makes life a lot easier.”

Luckily, Carolyn’s brother, Bill Pearson, is a contractor. He and Carolyn’s dad, as well as the couple’s friends, pitched in along the way, helping to transform the interior without erasing its past. “I knew I wanted a modern farmhouse style and we incorporated lots of natural elements into the design, too, like reclaimed wood, brick and marble,” says Carolyn. They opted to leave patches of brick wall exposed for texture and to celebrate the age of original materials alongside new modern finishes. The strategy makes it seem like the home evolved gently over time, rooted right where it’s always been.

Numerous clues to Carolyn’s farming heritage are visible throughout, including old milk bottles from her grandfather’s dairy and the dining room barn door, which her dad salvaged from their old calf barn before the farm was torn down. “I do really believe that a house is only a home once you display your most precious belongings – the things that are important to you,” says Carolyn.

It took three years to complete the interior renovations, which Carolyn documented on Instagram along the way, never imagining those posts would lead to being “discovered” by television producers. But she was, and this coming winter 2021, you can watch Carolyn and her brother Bill in action on HGTV Canada, restoring old homes in Farmhouse Facelift.

But at the end of the day, it’s not in front of a camera that Carolyn longs to be. It’s in her favourite place – her porch sanctuary. Says Carolyn: “It is the most peaceful place to be and the view really is beautiful from here.” It certainly is.

Welcome Home

Photography: GAP Interiors / Robin Stubbert | LANTERN LAMP, Savoy House.

Generous proportions make Carolyn and Craig Wilbrink’s new porch perfect for entertaining from spring to fall. There’s plenty of room for a bountiful display of mums, ferns, wheat sheaves and gourds. A huge table laden with hydrangea blooms and sweet treats is ready to welcome family and friends.

Past Perfect

Photography: GAP Interiors / Robin Stubbert

An idyllic autumn scene unfolds at the Wilbrink’s front door, looking much as it would have in 1843, with rows of golden corn and a canopy of turning leaves bringing a nostalgic glow.

Country Style

Photography: GAP Interiors / Robin Stubbert

A French ticking runner holds together a tabletop display that includes hydrangeas, a wire basket of farm-fresh apples and sweet cider on tap.

Swing Set

Photography: GAP Interiors / Robin Stubbert

It’s no wonder Carolyn calls the porch her sanctuary. The suspended daybed is layered in cozy cottons and chunky wools to make it a destination for late-afternoon fall daydreaming. The soft neutral palette doesn’t compete with the still-brilliant autumn colours on view at the property.

Clean Slate

Photography: GAP Interiors / Robin Stubbert | WALL PAINT, Coventry Gray HC-169, Benjamin Moore.

A slate floor in the new mudroom does just what it’s meant to do: stand up to mud. A new coat of sealant every season keeps the natural stone in top shape.

Gracious Entry

Photography: GAP Interiors / Robin Stubbert | DESIGN, CW Design & Co.

The front door opens onto a traditional centre hall plan. Carolyn installed a gallery of favourite images on the long wall; its modern lines and frames are an effective juxtaposition to the home’s stunning traditional ornate mouldings.

Crowning Glory

Photography: GAP Interiors / Robin Stubbert

Carolyn is particularly proud of the ceiling rosettes and stunning chandelier in the living room. The touch of grandeur elevates the relaxed modern farmhouse vibe, and enhances the original architecture and formal symmetry. A rustic wood coffee table ensures the room, though more formal than the rest of the house, is visually linked to the more casual spaces.

Colour Theory

Photography: GAP Interiors / Robin Stubbert

Blue-green eucalyptus, creamy white and blue-tinged pumpkins, pine cones and golden votives create textural beauty at the table. The colours of the arrangement echo the room’s palette. A simple galvanized tray in the living room and a white runner with a homespun feel on the dining table enhance the informal aesthetic.

Second Life

Photography: GAP Interiors / Robin Stubbert | CHANDELIER, Pottery Barn.

The dining room’s barn doors mean so much more to Carolyn because the wood hails from her father’s barn before it was torn down. The tin sign is also an antique.

Well-Worn

Photography: GAP Interiors / Robin Stubbert

The family’s English Bulldog Georgia is happy to pose for a pic. Reclaimed wood and unfinished brick are elements repeated throughout and give the home an honest authenticity.

A Posh Powder

Photography: GAP Interiors / Robin Stubbert

Elegant vintage style fixtures in the powder room sit pretty alongside a patch of exposed brick wall. New high baseboards mimic the style that the original home would have had.

Warm Glow

Photography: GAP Interiors / Robin Stubbert

During the reno, the home’s original 176-year-old joists were discovered when stripping out the old kitchen. Carolyn and Craig asked a friend to turn them into the family’s dining table. The mellowed wood glows warmly, all the more so because it reminds them of the home’s original builders and owners. The copper pots were gifted to Carolyn and Craig by the previous owners.

Modern Country

Photography: GAP Interiors / Robin Stubbert

Shaker-style cabinetry doors were a natural choice for a modern farmhouse. A single gold-framed landscape painting is a focal point poised on the range hood.

On Display

Photography: GAP Interiors / Robin Stubbert

Chunky reclaimed wood shelves are a perfect place to mix collectibles and frequently used everyday items. Vintage finds – glass bottles, tinware, landscape painting and blackboard – bring patina alongside new surfaces, blending the centuries seamlessly.

Function First

Photography: GAP Interiors / Robin Stubbert

A kitchen for a family of six has to have lots of storage, plenty of extra seating and sturdy materials. Carolyn lightened the bank of cabinetry by topping the uppers with glass-front doors. An extra-large island makes room for family and extended family to gather around.

Restful Retreat

Photography: GAP Interiors / Robin Stubbert

Another stunning chandelier and ceiling rosette bring an air of elegance to the master bedroom. Carolyn loves mixing informal country-style elements like the chunky wool throw with more refined pieces, such as the gilt-leg bench.

In the Pink

Photography: GAP Interiors / Robin Stubbert | WALL PAINT, White Truffle SW 6029, Sherwin Williams.

The soft pink and winter white palette in Carolyn and Craig’s daughter’s room is warmed by the honey-toned floors. The second-hand daybed received new life thanks to a little TLC in the form of a fresh coat of black paint.

Sweet Spot

Photography: GAP Interiors / Robin Stubbert | CHAIR, Marshall’s.

Carolyn’s daughter loves her antique desk that doubles as a dressing table. The chair looks antique but is an affordable repro from a big box store.

What a Pair

Photography: GAP Interiors / Robin Stubbert | BEDDING, Pottery Barn Kids and Pottery Barn Teens.

Symmetry rules thanks to twin beds and a pair of round mirrors that enlarge and brighten a bedroom shared by two brothers. Framed modern art prints give the room graphic interest, as does the textural woven rug.

Punchy Palette

Photography: GAP Interiors / Robin Stubbert

Red punches up soft blue-grey walls in the boys’ bedroom. Carolyn and her father built the abacus over the dresser.