What’s Old is New Again
STORY: HEATHER WRIGHT | PHOTOGRAPHY: GORDON KING
Featured in The City of Ottawa - Holiday/Winter 2025/26
Some homes are built to endure, giving generation after generation the chance to add their own chapter to a home’s story. This stately century-old home, located just blocks from the historic Prescott waterfront, had bones strong enough to transform.
That’s what Lindsay Wolfe-Assaf of The Home Stylist and her husband Carey Assaf discovered when they decided to revive the old home to suit modern living.
It was a passion project for the couple, who had been searching for a historic home ready for the next stage in its evolution.
“It was really important to us as a family to bring a home back to life, rather than tear one down to rebuild,” says Lindsay. Their goal was to take an older home and make it functional for today’s homeowners while mindfully maintaining its authentic style.
The couple saw the potential in this home, built in the 1890s, and completed extensive, down-to-the studs renovations. While the focus was on updating the spaces, the true guiding light was the home’s history and character, preserved with care in every detail, big and small, inside and out.
They started outside. “We painted the window frames and front porch, added the hanging baskets (Dovetails and Lavender) and a new front door with sidelights from EuroStar Windows and Doors,” says Lindsay, noting that the arched window at the top of the door was original to the home.
The iconic red brick stayed. “We thought the brick was really beautiful, so we restored it instead of painting it and losing that character,” she says.
The home featured two staircases, which was typical for homes during the 19th century: one for the homeowners and one for household staff. Two aren’t necessary today so Lindsay and Carey took a pragmatic approach to make the design relevant and increase storage.
“We got rid of the second staircase, which allowed us to add a double closet in the primary bedroom,” she says.
The remaining staircase is now a stunning focal point in the foyer – a suitably grand entrance to this elegant home. To add warmth to the entryway, a staircase runner from Carpet Sense was added.
Overall, the home is a lovely balance of old and new. On-trend colour drenching in a rich green, Benjamin Moore Lilypad sourced at Randall’s, envelops the dining room, with a farmhouse-style light fixture that feels slightly industrial. Original ceiling medallions hint at the home’s history.
Throughout the home, extra-large baseboards and mouldings, recreated with the help of the WoodSource, replicate the authentic style. It’s representative of how deeply this couple dove into project details.
Other small but high-impact touches that feel true to the home’s age include beadboard, warm wood tones and café curtains.
It’s hard to believe that the sunny kitchen was once a dark, cramped space pre-renovation, confined to a corner. The couple enlarged the area and created pathways for natural light, along with more room to move. The kitchen is decidedly modern and highly functional for the family’s current needs, with HanStone quartz counters from Urban Quarry, an eat-in island and an abundance of cabinetry and storage by CS Concepts.
An apron sink, a stylish range hood with wood trim and open shelving all add modern farmhouse style. The contemporary vibe is balanced with treasures from the past, like antique plates Lindsay discovered in the attic, which were left behind by the home’s long-ago owners.
Main-floor laundry is cleverly tucked into an alcove behind doors in the kitchen, perfect for a busy family and underscoring how this home puts function first.
Upstairs, the primary bedroom and bathroom are sanctuaries that provide a retreat from the daily grind and feel like an escape back in time. Lindsay says the bathroom was inspired by a boutique hotel but designed and decorated to feel authentic to the era of the home.
“We used marble counters and chose ornate plumbing fixtures. The checkerboard floors from Euro Tile & Stone were something that I envisioned as well,” she says. Some fresh bathroom artwork was supplied by Dovetails and Lavender.
Lindsay shares a simple, but effective approach for homeowners to achieve this checkerboard look in their own homes. “Take a simple 12-by-12 or 13-inch tile and lay it on the floor in a unique pattern that makes it feel more high-end.”
This sunny home proves that old and new are not opposites, but can overlap naturally with the proper guidance and vision – especially if you start with good bones. OH