How a Toronto Couple Created a Cozy Farmhouse Escape Just Outside of Collingwood

The goal was to keep the renovations cheap and cheerful, and Jenn, a self-professed thrift store aficionado, knows how to find a deal. Plenty of pieces in the living room came from HomeSense, including the landscape photo above the mantle, the rug and the side table. The mid-century modern chair beside the fireplace is from Ikea.

The goal was to keep the renovations cheap and cheerful, and Jenn, a self-professed thrift store aficionado, knows how to find a deal. Plenty of pieces in the living room came from HomeSense, including the landscape photo above the mantle, the rug and the side table. The mid-century modern chair beside the fireplace is from Ikea.

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One of the best deals in the home is this beautiful tobacco leather couch from West Elm. It normally costs $3,000, but Jenn’s friend who works at the store spotted it in the as-is room for $500. Within an hour, Jenn was there with her credit card. The pillows are from HomeSense, and the coffee table was found at the Salvation Army.

Pops of greenery are seen throughout the home, like this hanging plant on the mantle. Because the home is rented out to tenants, Jenn opted for low-maintenance plants.

The living space is connected to the kitchen and dining room. The farmhouse feel is emphasized by the striking pine ceilings.

Jenn found the funky teak dining room set on Facebook Marketplace for $250 and picked it up in a small town outside Barrie called New Tecumseth. Jenn and Daniel reupholstered the cushions to give them new life. The two-tone macrame wall hanging is from HomeSense.

When Jenn and Daniel bought the place, it required very few renovations. The kitchen it pretty much the same as the day they bought it. The barstools were a thrift find on LetGo, a cousin of Kijiji, at $25 for the pair.

The kitchen opts for neutral whites and greys, which draw attention to the pine accents.

The kitchen is flooded with natural light thanks to windows wrapping around the home.

This centrepiece was plucked from a bush outside. The previous owners operated a landscaping company, so the property is full of interesting flora. “That was one of the big selling points,” says Jenn.

The renovation was fairly low-key, but the one thing Jen and Daniel insisted upon was adding wallpaper throughout the home. This floral piece in the bathroom is from British manufacturer Farrow & Ball, which has a storefront in the Rosedale neighbourhood of Toronto.

For a bit of colour, Jenn added a potted succulent on the sink from Planet Y Home Decor in Toronto.

Here’s a better look at the shower, which has both a rain head and jets.

The master bedroom is bathed in light, thanks to all the windows overlooking the wooded lot. For an accent wall, Jenn opted for more Farrow & Ball wallpaper. The bed frame is from IKEA, with bedding and pillows from HomeSense.

Jenn is a big fan of Maxsold, an online auction forum where you can bid on furniture from estate sales. That’s where she bought this mid-century dresser for a cool $80. The chair is another vintage find from from LetGo, where she scored it for $60. The lamp is from Bephi Home.

The barn-style closet offers plenty of valuable storage space. The floors in the bedroom are authentic reclaimed barn board.

To capitalize on the vintage aesthetic, Jenn picked up this retro side table from Kijiji. A little plant sits in a pink teacup, a gift from Jenn’s Nana.

One of the most relaxing parts of the master bedroom: the private balcony. A set of two chairs – a garage sale find for $20 – offers the perfect place to watch the sunset or unwind with a book.

The basement is pretty much an apartment all on its own. Here, Jenn and Daniel opted for a distinctly 1970s vibe. The vintage velvet couch is the showstopper, and Jenn and Daniel both wanted it so bad that they entered a bidding war against each other on Kijiji in hopes of securing it. “We overpaid because we were bidding against each other,” Jenn said. It cost about $650, but they have no regrets.

A little gas fireplace in the corner adds a bit of warmth in the winter, without the hassle of chopping wood. The television sits atop a vintage dresser from the Salvation Army.

The pillows in the basement are all from HomeSense, and the blanket is from Cambie Design, a little shop in Toronto at Queen and Ossington. Daniel made the coffee table himself.

Jenn found the wall hanging at the Christie Antique Show. It’s actually a rug, but they decided to hang it on the wall as art. The four-piece dining set is another ultra-frugal Kijiji steal, at $100.

This may look like a one-person bedroom, but the bed, from IKEA, is actually stackable, with another bed underneath. It comes in handy when hosting large groups of guests. The wall hanging is another HomeSense find.

How do you add some flavour to an otherwise basic bathroom? With wallpaper, of course, and this print from Farrow & Ball did the trick. “It was such a bland bathroom before, and now it’s got personality,” Jenn said.

Another bold design choice: black paint. This accent wall, painted in Farrow & Ball’s Off-Black No. 57, adds drama to the guest bedroom. The two side tables, built by Daniel’s father, are a nod to the home’s farmhouse vibes. The artwork is from Society6.

Here’s a look at the outside of the home and its two porches. If you look closely, you can see Jenn and Daniel’s dog, Gracie, a rescue from Mexico, waiting patiently at the door.

The barn isn’t functional, but Jenn and Daniel use it for extra storage. Bonus points: it’s super cute.

Another perk of buying a home from former landscapers: apple trees.

Several ponds dot the property, offering homes for families of turtles.

A pair of wrought-iron chairs from Kijiji add another old-school touch to the home.

A mudroom in the front of the home, complete with heated floors, offers plenty of storage for mittens and hats come winter.

Jenn loves finding pieces with history, like this rug from an antique market in Thornbury, for a cool $45.

The best deal of the home is found in the fourth bedroom. Jenn bought this set of two beds from an online auction for $1. “No one wanted them,” she said. She picked them up in Rosedale, Toronto. The two side tables are another set from Daniel’s father. The pastel green wallpaper behind the beds is by Farrow & Ball.

Here’s another look at the $1 bed, and a colourful wall-hanging Jenn picked up from HomeSense.