A Heritage Limestone Farmhouse Gets a Reno for the Next Generation
This 130-year-old home near Kingston preserves the past while looking to the future
In the eastern Ontario towns of Napanee, Belleville and Kingston, a street of unassuming, softly aged red-brick homes is a familiar sight. While no less quietly beautiful, these heritage homes are a dime a dozen — and many are in dire need of an upgrade. For Napanee-based designer Shalagh Elliott, renovating these century-old properties is her main source of business.
“We do so many heritage renovations, and most of the time, these are the homes that need to be brought up to our modern functionality,” says Elliott, who leads her eponymous design firm. “But people want things to look beautiful at the same time. So, we’re really fortunate in our area that we get to work with so many homes that have these qualities and characteristics that we can enhance — while embracing what they have to offer.”
For the renovation of a 130-year-old farmhouse near Kingston on a fifth-generation dairy farm, there was much to embrace. In fact, there were surprisingly few structural issues for a house of that age. This was great news for the project’s contractor, Brendan Troy of Alair Homes Belleville: “A lot of it was just making sure that the building was sound. And surprisingly, it was. There were a lot of happy conveniences, but at the same time, those flowed well with the design.”
Other than a small infestation of carpenter ants (typical of old homes), the heritage farmhouse was in excellent shape. For Troy, that was due to the quality of the materials: “You build a limestone house like that; those walls aren’t going anywhere.” For Elliott, the fourth-generation farmhouse stands the test of time for a simpler reason. “It’s been a really well-loved home,” she explains.
And that spirit shows through in the design. Working closely with the homeowners, Jillian and Rob Chadwick, Elliott and the team crafted a bright, contemporary home that is equal parts cozy and cheerful. Jillian’s strong aesthetic vision was also key to the redesign, from the ‘70s-inspired glass bricks in the staircase to the white oak cabinetry and terrazzo shower walls that she sourced from local flea markets.
The renovation unfolded in two main stages: the Scandi-style main floor and plywood kitchen (completed almost four years ago) and a chic second floor overhaul, complete with walk-in shower (finished this year; layout by Kate Crothers). Downstairs, the open-concept interior was widened to accommodate a free-flowing layout.
“The limestone feature wall used to back onto the old kitchen, and it was covered by cabinets. So, when we pulled the cabinets out, we knew the wall was there, but we didn’t know what condition it was going to be in. Miraculously, it wasn’t in that bad of a shape,” says Troy. And with very minimal scraping, the new entryway brought character back to the house.
In the kitchen, warm plywood cabinetry, white walls and salvaged mosaic tiles harmonize in a bright, calm interior. Plus, Fisher & Paykel appliances and a custom wood seating nook complete the Scandinavian-inspired look. For some of the tradesfolk who worked on the project, this plywood kitchen raised eyebrows. It took the whole team pushing for their shared vision to bring everyone on board.
“At one point the client was like, ‘You know what? Let’s just do a white kitchen.’ And I was like, ‘Don’t you even dare do that! We are this far, this deep. Let’s see it through.’ And boy am I glad that we did,” laughs Elliott.
Upstairs, the original bathroom was expanded dramatically to include a modern terrazzo-tiled walk-in shower nook, a standalone soaker bathtub under an original farmhouse window, a custom white-oak double vanity with Dekton countertops and additional cabinetry storage for the homeowners’ growing daughters.
In a home with such rich family history, the design artfully preserves the past while looking to the future. Whether it’s strengthening the stairs from years of stomping feet or highlighting the dent in a section of trim from the owner’s grandfather’s rocking chair, this heritage home renovation was a labour of love — and community.
“There was a strong vision, and I think everybody had such a huge part to play to help bring it to life and to fight for it, because we’re a little more conservative down this way,” says Elliott. “It really took a team.”
