Heritage Reinvented
They found their ideal, farm property in 2005.  The Duncan family had owned the piece of land for 173 years, and built the original farmhouse in 1870.  Jeff and Monica desperately wanted to save the house, but when renovations began, they quickly learned that it would have to come down.  It became very important to them, that they salvage as much of the farms history as
 they could.
The intention was to re-purpose, re-use and re-cycle as much as possible, for use in the new home they were building from scratch.  It was a true labour of love.  They had become close to Jack Duncan and his sister who were the surviving siblings, and had been raised on this farm.  They could no longer manage on their own and had moved away.  But, they were still emotionally connected to the farmhouse, so it was important to Jeff and Monica that they respected the sibling’s wishes even allowed them some input during the building of the new farmhouse.  Jack Duncan has since passed away, at age 90.

Kitchen
Like most farmhouses, the kitchen is always the hub of the house.  Theirs is no exception, and it’s exactly what they intended.  While some family members thought they were crazy for extracting the old, farmhouse floor boards, their talented carpenter Andrew Hugh, a true craftsman, remarked that it was some of the nicest wood he’s ever
worked with.  
The old farmhouse gave up many treasures that found new purpose. Those old floor boards were also turned into the beautiful, kitchen cabinets and painted a Benjamin Moore shade “Grey Mist” set against the “Sandy Hook Grey” of the walls.  Andrew also crafted the large, island counter-top from wood that a younger Jack Duncan had planed from trees downed during a severe storm in 1956.  Even the bead board on the bottom of the island was made from the downed poplar.  
It was painted a flat black under a coat of ‘Sun dried Tomato,’ then sanded to give it a distressed look.  This is a favourite spot for Monica and Jeff to sit with their 3 kids, discussing 4H projects, over bowls of steaming soup.
The much large, new house needed hardwood floors in keeping with the heritage look they wanted, and chose German Beech in a stain called, Cappuccino.  Bathroom cabinets and vanities were customized using the farmstead, floor board stained dark, and distressed for continuity.  Library pulls and knobs in white metal were chosen as hardware for cabinets and cupboards throughout the house.

Ambiance
The house fills with sunlight that streams through the many windows that Jeff and Monica have chosen to leave unadorned until they know exactly what the house needs.  Bare windows has been known to generate nervous concern from overnight visitors who can’t quite fathom the concept of not needing to worry about privacy here, in the same way you do in the city.  But, Monica says she accommodates their concerns, and will hang a sheet as a temporary resolution for the comfort of her guests.  One of the unique windows rescued from another of their barns, has been installed in an interior wall of the farmhouse office.  
The great-room fireplace is a family favourite.  It’s constructed from dressed fieldstone, in a mix of pale shades called ‘Chardonnay,’ which is a wonderful contrast to the dark stain of the expansive mantel that spans the top of the hearth.  The mantel is actually a beam that was happily scavenged from one of the Wohlgemuth’s old barns.  This is a popular place with the Wohlgemuth kids, as it’s where roaring fires invite movie and popcorn evenings on cold,
winter nights.
What would a true farmhouse be without antiques?  They adorn every room here. Many of them were acquired at auction from the original farmhouse.  For Jeff and Monica, they are more than pieces of furniture.  Monica explains, “...They hold a priceless value for us, as they are now a part of our farms’ history.”