This Historic PEC Building is Now a Vacation Rental You’ll Want to Book ASAP

With chic retail shops on the main floor and a modern, light-filled vacation rental above, County Collective (as the 1875 heritage building is now known) is “a collaborative hub for creatives in the heart of Prince Edward County.” A mere three years ago, though, the space was crying out for a complete design overhaul. That’s where Tania Kolesnik comes in.

“We bought the County Collective building in the dead of winter, somewhat unexpectedly,” says Kolesnik. “We had always dreamed of owning our own commercial real estate, but had no clue the right opportunity would fall into our laps so soon,” she says. Once their offer was accepted, Kolesnik and her husband set about transforming the century home – which housed a full-fledged restaurant at the time -into their vision for a retail space and rental property.

“The Loft [County Collective’s vacation rental space] had so many wonderfully quirky, historical details, but our biggest gem was uncovering the original fireplace that sat behind a built-out electric stove,” says Kolesnik. “We couldn’t believe what great condition it was in, and though it’s non-functioning, having that bit of charm at the centre makes the entire place come to life,” she says.

The leather sofa is from Restoration Hardware and has “a very deep seat, perfect for cuddling side by side,” says Kolesnik. The wall hanging and tassels are by local artist Caitlin O’Reilly, while the striped rug and coffee tables are IKEA finds.

“The space itself is divided into two main wings separated by the entrance staircase,” says Kolesnik. “The first wing houses the three bedrooms and the other is for the kitchen, living and dining area. We were mindful of seamlessly creating some division while still celebrating how open-concept the spaces are,” she says. The dining table and chairs are from IKEA.

“The floors [and stairs] weren’t in the best condition after the renos, but we couldn’t part with all the amazing character there was in the feel of the old boards,” says Kolesnik. “We decided to gives them a few coats of matte black paint – Onyx by Benjamin Moore. They scratch easily and have worn since we painted them, but we’re kind of falling for how rustic and undone they look this way,” she says.

“We wanted to keep the kitchen light and bright, as it’s tucked away in a bit of a nook,” says Kolesnik. “Even though it’s not very big, we prioritized storage and flow. We went with a punchy green natural stone countertop to create a bit of interest, but mostly we kept it as simple as possible,” she says. The counters were cutoffs from a discount warehouse, and Kolesnik sourced the brass light from the Canvas collection at Canadian Tire.

“We loved putting in open shelving that we could style and change whenever we wanted to,” says Kolesnik. “It’s a fun way to make a non-committal impact in the kitchen.”

“Our goal with The Loft was to have it be a celebration of the County, while still being comfortable enough for our guests to feel at home,” says Kolesnik. “The beach-inspired vibes in our Victorian home are very much a good representation of Prince Edward County. It’s an awesome mix of history and the outdoors that we tried our best to convey in our space,” she says.

The Loft boasts three bedroom, each with a personality of its own, according to Kolesnik. The master bedroom is “earthy and calming,” with artwork by Johnny Lam and bedside lamps from Homesense. The curtains, bedding, rug and furniture are all from IKEA.

In the master bedroom, Kolesnik combines a variety of soothing colours, textures and patterns to stylish effect, giving the space a quietly eclectic charm.

“This is our beach-inspired, more feminine room,” says Kolesnik. The rug is an outdoor rug from IKEA (“a great idea when you’re hosting guests, they last forever,” she says), as are the bedding, bedside tables, bench and bedside light.

The overhead lighting was a lucky Homesense find, while the artwork is by Johnny Lam.

“The accents are mostly thrifted or pulled from our store downstairs, called The Shop at County Collective; it’s full of unique, slow-made homeware,” says Kolesnik.

“We totally splashed out on some bold abstract black and white pieces to make the third bedroom a little more fun for our younger guests,” says Kolesnick, who found the artwork at Urban Outfitters.

The twin bed frames are from Structube, the bedding is from IKEA and the yellow rug is a Homesense score.

“We wanted to create some visual interest in the bathroom, as it’s the first thing you see when you come up the stairs,” says Kolesnik. “We decided to go with a bold black and white patterned tile; we were lucky to find it being discontinued at a local little flooring store and scooped it up,” she says.

The wood vanity, an IKEA find, adds warmth to the bathroom’s black-and-white colour scheme.

The bathroom’s cheeky artwork is from Urban Outfitters, while just about everything else was picked up at Homesense.

The Loft at County Collective can be booked for fall getaways in Prince Edward County here.