A Victorian Love Story
STORY DORATHY GASS | PHOTOGRAPHY TYLER MATOFF
As seen in the Peterborough Mid-Summer 2026 issue.
The homeowners fell in love with this century Victorian farmhouse on a winding road in Selwyn the moment they saw it. The wife grew up on a farm, and the couple had been looking for a second home that evoked nostalgia and fond memories of her childhood.
However, the home, built in 1875, was last renovated well over two decades ago. They needed the right designer to oversee the extensive construction and cosmetic changes that it required.
This is where Rachel Neil of Obsidian Design Studio came in. The couple had worked with her previously on a home renovationproject while she was at another firm. Rachel had branched out and opened her own design company, and the husband and wife knew right away that she was the perfect person for the job. Rachel was working on the Home Network’s Renovation Resort Showdown with hosts Scott McGillivray and Bryan Baeumler when she got the call about the couple’s design needs.
“They reached out in May of last year and told me they found the farmhouse of their dreams,” Rachel remembers. “But they also said that if I didn’t sign up to design it, they wouldn’t buy it, so I was more than happy to step in and help.”
After Rachel wrapped up filming on the Home Network show, she hit the ground running and was given full rein on the project. As lead designer Rachel took care of all the in-home design, furnishing, material selections and interior décor. She also worked as the project manager, overseeing timelines, budget and all trades.
“We just wanted to stay true to the character of the house,” say the homeowners. “We loved Rachel’s work in the past and trusted her talent and vision.”
Renovations and interior design for the five-bedroom, 3,000 sq. ft. dwelling took eight months to complete. Areas of focus for the renos included the kitchen, primary bedroom and its en suite and walk-in closets, and the home’s main bathroom. However, every inch of the home was touched in one way or another by Rachel, including trim additions, interior décor, painting and wallpaper.
She transformed the primary bedroom by increasing its square footage. As most century homes have both a back and front set of stairs, Rachel suggested removing the back stairs from the main-floor laundry room to the primary bedroom. This expanded the bedroom, making room for a king-size bed and side tables. The cavity left by the stair space was then turned into two functional storage closets, with customized shelving units in each completed by Cabinetree.
“For a century home, there was also very little moulding throughout the house,” Rachel says. “The only wainscotting was in the parlour, so we freshened up the millwork in that room and integrated additional wainscotting in other areas of the farmhouse, like up the main stairs and in the dining room, which provided vibrance, personality and gave the entire house new life.”
The renovations were completed by Big Country Home Services, including custom cabinets in the kitchen. HP Tiling & Renovations worked in various areas of the home, installing a backsplash in the kitchen and coffee bar and tiling the home's bathrooms. Delray Granite created a custom vanity top and shower bench in the guest bath and supplied the countertop in the en suite. Meanwhile, Kerr’s Home Products provided some of the wainscotting and additional moulding, trim and custom doors in the home. Timbers and building materials were purchased at Chemong Home Hardware Building Centre.
All of the paint and wallpapering was provided by Lakeland Paint & Design. Dorion Mechanical installed all fixtures in the kitchen and bathrooms throughout the home.
For the interior décor, Rachel carefully selected “vintage vogue” pieces to create an elegant home while maintaining a warm and welcoming atmosphere designed for everyday living. Furniture, including the large dining table from Craftworks at the Barn, emulates the historic feel of the old farmhouse. Décor sourced from local antique shops like Nostalgic Journey and Harvest Antiques also adds to the old farmhouse charm.
The home was ready by December 2025, just in time for the holidays. The couple opened their farmhouse to family for hors d’oeuvres and cocktails to celebrate the season.
“We didn’t get in until the winter, and with the colder weather, my favourite time of the day was all day,” laughs the homeowner. “Just sitting in front of the wood fire and looking through the french doors at the snow-covered, wide-open fields. It was beautiful.” OH