Vankleek Hill Christmas Home Tour

New owners have made their mark inside this home, which was previously featured on the Home Tour several years ago. They have opened up the centre of the home, changed how they use the interior rooms, modified the primary bedroom and of course, the interior designer who lives here has added countless elements to this home, all the while respecting its heritage roots! We know you will love this one!

Decorator: This home is being decorated by the owner who has endeavoured to put her stamp on each home she has owned with her husband over their four decades of marriage. Her lifelong passion for decorating became an official career when she turned forty and following several years of being a colour consultant for an international paint company, she successfully started a small business that encompassed all aspects of interior design and decoration. Now retired and a resident of Vankleek Hill these last few years, she and her husband have undertaken several renovations in their current home, all with a nod to its past but equally with an eye on the future. The theme of their Christmas decor is ‘FA LA LA.’ (Tip: We think you will spot the theme 🙂

House History

This is a mill house constructed in 1903.
Step back on the sidewalk. Have a look at this home and its neighbours to either side. You will find similarities in their construction and decorative features. Note the brick work along the roofline – the masons set patterns of several rows of brick to give a distinct look. The flat roof is a practical feature – it is slightly slanted so that rain water is directed to a pipe inside the house that leads down to the collection cistern in the basement. Rain water was used for washing.
All the homes on this side of the street were part of the Higginson Farm where you will find the Higginson Tower. These three lots, one on either side, were purchased from William Higginson by successful Vankleek Hill general store owner Eustache Z. Labrosse in 1902 for $425.
Queen Victoria’s 64-year reign sparked the decorative gingerbread craze, and it ebbed after her death in 1901. The three homes were built in 1903, right on the cusp of change. Why similar home designs? Just as builders do today, using the same building plans and construction materials kept the costs down. These homes were built to serve as rental units, so expenses were kept to a minimum.
A mill house? The early 1900s was a busy time in Vankleek Hill. In addition to servicing the farm community, there were now dependable jobs at flour mills, woollen mills, saw mills, general stores, bakeries, tailors, railways; plus, the presence of electrical and telephone technologies sparked new work.
Economically, the town boom went well until the 1930s. By then, electricity was more accessible, which meant more homes had access to refrigeration, and streets were lit. With cars, people could travel further as well as travel at night. These social conveniences contributed to changes in shopping habits. The traditional use of general stores quickly declined, and Mr. Labrosse went into bankruptcy in the 1930s.
What was the house worth? The houses remained rentals until the 1940s. Then sold for the first time in the
$2000 to $2500 range – about $30,000 in today’s money.

On the porch, note the turned posts with square shoulders, and the decorative open-work running-trim along the porch roofline. The brackets are a variation on the wagon wheel.
Above the front door is a charming half-moon transom, as well as above the front window. Inside, you are met in the entry hall with an eye-catching staircase to the left, and the parlour to the right. Each room features high baseboards with corner posts, and there are moulded casings with rosette corners around windows and doors. The interior doors are 4-panel doors. All of this decorative work was locally milled.
These homes were heated with coal. Note the intricate detail given to the iron air circulation vents at floor level: the white upright vents intake air to the coal furnace, and the black floor vents release the heat. On the second floor, the banister rail of the staircase elegantly wraps around to create an airy living space in the upstairs hall.
The house has an extension to meet the needs of modern-day living. Care was taken to ensure that the old and the new have good rapport.

SPECIALTY VENDOR:

Visit with Les Matantes and purchase delicious take-home meals, jams, jellies and pickles! You might be one of the lucky ones to land a tourtière to take home with you! Les Matantes have a regular storefront location at 2381 Highway 34, Hawkesbury.