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Tales From The Set

Letter From Debbie

Hello Everybody;

It was a welcome change for us all to move out to the farm for this rural Facelift. Working on an old building is a special kind of challenge as you want to keep the history of the building intact, while updating amenities and infusing modern practicality where it counts. The traditional theme was updated with a new country colour palette of pastel aquas and purple -- cheerful colours that complement the existing wood floors and deeply stained wainscoting.

This was a longtime family home, and any addition including stenciling the stair risers, knocking down a wall and painting the kitchen wainscoting was met with stunned silence and a hesitant shoulder shrug, but I thought I knew how Val would react, and in the most part I was right.

Although the living room isn't her favourite shade, that's easily reversed, and I still believe she'll grow to love the welcoming lilac hue.

When you embark on the renovation of a 200-year-old farmhouse you never know what you'll unearth, but it is always worth the time it takes to strip away old layers of paint, paper or flooring. We crossed our fingers and hoped for the best as the old linoleum in the kitchen was torn up.

There was a good chance we'd find an original wood floor, but is wasn't a sure thing and it could have been a real mess. There were great whoops of joy when the cherry wood appeared with only a small patch in poor shape. It is one of the starring features in Val's new kitchen.

Revealing all that glorious old wood made it easier to convince the family that painting the dark wood waiscoting in the kitchen was a good idea to lighten up the space.

The beautiful island, pot rack and harvest table were all built from reclaimed wood, which gave us the opportunity to add more special memories to this heritage home.

Val's kitchen Facelift turned out to be a main floor makeover that brought her whole extended family together for work and for pleasure, and it was our pleasure to meet them all and make this wish come true.

Love
Debbie Travis

Letter From Val

Dear Debbie and the Facelift Team;

There are no words to describe the joy I have every day in my house. What a joke on me when Jen said Facelift was not coming … it broke my heart. But July 4th you made my dreams come true. I never expected my hall, which I love, it adds so much to that area with the risers painted and hooks on the wall. Then my living room, what a change. The room looked beautiful when you were finished, but the purple living room colour is not my favourite. One colour out of the whole house is not that bad.

Debbie thank you from the bottom of my heart for my kitchen. I never believed I could have such a space in my home. It has brought my family so much closer as we spend 90% of our time in this room. By giving me a proper work space you gave me more time to spend with my kids and that is the best gift you gave me. The colours, the island and my ceiling, that is a piece of art. The kitchen is my favourite room, and the harvest table and sideboard in the summer kitchen are out of this world.

The best part is that things were used from the farm, wood for the table, pot rack and sideboard were from a 200-year-old tree, the hooks on the pot rack came from the slaughter house. By using these things you made the rooms more meaningful for us.

My hope for every one of the Facelift crew is that you each get one of your dreams the way you gave me mine.

Thank you from us all.
Valerie, Ricky, Amanda, Megan and Ryan Bushey.