This playful name is perfect for a family home designed for fun weekends
by Judy Ross ❧ photography by Derek Trask
Just when you think you’ve seen it all, you happen upon a fresh, innovative take on country style that speaks to the adaptable appeal of this look. In this case, a standard model home in a newly developed neighbourhood at the base of Craigleith has been given a rustic chic makeover by a talented fine arts photographer from Toronto. She calls her weekend chalet “Strobahry Jam,” which is an amalgam of all the family names and initials. And, every year, they do get together to make their own strawberry jam.
The story begins when photographer Tamara Bahry and her partner, Rob White, see the house for the first time when visiting the owners, friends Christine and Andy Pritchard. Christine, a decorator, is about to open a home décor store in Thornbury, and wants to move to a smaller house closer to her store. The two couples agree that this spacious Craigleith home with its vast lower level and numerous bedrooms is the perfect choice for Tamara and Rob’s blended family of six active children, aged three to 13.
Almost perfect, that is, except that Tamara had always dreamt of building her own weekend home using her artistic talents to create something unique. Rob, on the other hand, wanted something ready-made that didn’t require a thing except a moving van. The pair came to an amicable compromise. Tamara was given a budget (approximately the amount saved by ‘not’ building an entirely new home) that she was able to use for retrofitting the house from top to bottom.
“It was almost more fun than building new because I had to be creative within a very set budget.” says Tamara, whose own photography art works enrich the interior walls. “The house already had a lot of upgrades but it was too stark and open without enough points of interest. I wanted to create cosy vignettes to make the home feel less urban. My goal was to combine big open living spaces for family get-togethers with small cozy nooks for quiet getaways.”
An example of this approach is seen in the main floor den just off the entryway. Originally an open space, Tamara closed it off by installing two sliding barn doors from the hallway and from the pantry that leads to the kitchen. The cosy factor comes from a soft textured sectional sofa anchored by dense, nubbly carpet and a richly coloured kilim footstool. On one wall is a dramatic triptych of a horse, one of several of Tamara’s large photographic pieces. “This room is my retreat,” she points out, “I can come in here and close off the noise from the rest of the house.”
Because the family spends many weekends here year-round, the house needed to be chameleon-like, reflective of both their summer and winter lives. The barn elements and equestrian details speak to their summer existence that revolves around horses and riding. In winter, when a fire blazes in the large stone fireplace and the wooden ceiling beams are highlighted by immense antler chandeliers, the home takes on the look of a stylish ski cabin. To enhance the winter cozy factor Tamara adds extra woolly throws and knitted toss cushions.
One bit of serendipity that contributed to the new look of the house was the teamwork of Tamara and her friend, decorator Christine Pritchard, whose new Thornbury store, Habitat Interiors, is a treasure trove of sophisticated country and cottage décor. How often do you buy a house from someone and then work with that person to redo the place?
“It was fun for me to see how the house has changed,” says Christine, whose store provided most of the furnishings and accent pieces. “It really looks like a different place, with a different personality.” Although the retrofitting was primarily cosmetic rather than structural, the end result was refreshingly new.
Throughout the house Tamara used a lot of black and dark brown to give the interior more depth and richness. She painted the natural pine trim and baseboards the same colour as the walls and added an extra layer of molding to give the doorways more structure. All the doors and window frames were painted black as well as the pine stairway. To add interest to the plain stucco ceilings she covered them in stained, rough sided pine that looks like reclaimed barnwood. And, perhaps most impressively, the same application was used on the open doorways of the main floor to give the illusion of a framework of thick beams.
Tamara advocates the use of light fixtures (all on dimmers for ambiance) as a starting point to pull together a living vignette. The sitting area off the kitchen, for instance, is highlighted by a huge antler chandelier. Beneath it, a couple of leather chairs and a comfortable sofa form an inviting grouping. Hanging over the spectacular African walnut table in the long narrow dining room are two flickering candle chandeliers that add a touch of romance. And the kitchen island is lit by two immense metal drum pendants, custom made by an ironworker. The island is surrounded by high back swivel chairs that lend themselves to conversation. “We use this area as a bar hangout at night,” offers Tamara, “and the gold interior of the drum lights casts a lovely warm glow.”
Texture plays an important role in the overall design collaboration between Tamara and Christine. Burlap is a current favourite textile and was used for cushions, to cover an ottoman, and to hide the chains of chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. Carpets are either made of sleek cowhide or are thick and shaggy; drapery consists of simple iron rods and neutral cotton fabrics; and slipcovers are constructed from easy-care cotton canvas. It’s a look that is durable for family living and, most important, it transitions well from one season to another. For this family of skiers and equestrians it’s an ideal setting for weekend getaways.
