Creative Salvaging in the Countryside
Three months after Meaghan Gizuk and Trevor Arthur moved into their newly renovated three-story residence, the basement flooded. They had to gut the space and start over. But durability and resourcefulness seem to go hand in hand for these two.
For example, when they recognized that their 12-foot antique church pew didn’t fit their dining room, they just cut it up and reassembled the endings. To get a makeshift kitchen island Gizuk affixed a piece of Carrara marble to a wine barrel given for her with her winemaker brother. Another wine barrel turned into a table. An office tabletop is, meanwhile, held up by 2 suitcases. These smart design moves are why the couple refers to decorating as a family sport.
at a Glance
Who lives here: Meaghan Gizuk, a dental hygienist and blogger; Trevor Arthur, a heating and A/C mechanic Jack Russell terrier Milo and cats Oliver and Sammy
Location: Welland, Ontario, Canada
Size: 2,500 square feet;3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, plus a cellar
Esther Hershcovich
Two piled mizuya, or tansu closets, will be the focal point in the living room. “There are many rooms constructed around the staircase, which is fantastic for entertaining large parties,” Arthur says.
Cabinets: Jalan; leather seat: Kijiji
Esther Hershcovich
Gizuk’s daddy made the 12-foot-long “Oliver and Rust Antiques” wood signal above the windows out of pine. It refers to the title of Gizuk’s Etsy shop. He had been inspired by a photograph on the site Ekster Antiques, bought the letters out of Michael’s, then applied two coats of a wood stain mix. The existing pine fireplace mantel was updated with black paint.
Interior paint: Baby Fawn OC-15, Benjamin Moore; sectional: Ektorp, Ikea
Esther Hershcovich
2 Ikea chairs and a church pew Gizuk’s mother located on Kijiji, a classifieds site, encircle the couple’s harvest table. The couple cut the 12-foot-long pew and reassembled the endings to fit in the dining room. Gizuk salvaged, stripped and hung two cosmetic doors on the back wall.
Mirror: Restoration Hardware; paint: White Dove OC-17, Benjamin Moore
Esther Hershcovich
Paint: Rockport Gray HC-105, Benjamin Moore; painting: Edward Spera
Esther Hershcovich
Armchairs: Ektorp, Ikea; coffee table: antique
Esther Hershcovich
Three weeks after the couple moved in, the basement flooded, and they were forced to gut it and start over. The space is currently used mainly for viewing films and winter enjoyable. Reclaimed barn wood outlines a nook that displays mementos.
Esther Hershcovich
A buffet table that had once belonged to Arthur’s grandfather is currently the press center. Guzik stripped it down and installed metal net on the doors. The couple made the two wall lights out of glass X-ray shades.
Esther Hershcovich
Reclaimed barn wood substituted a vinyl-covered drop ceiling.
Esther Hershcovich
Photographs of grandparents, Gizuk’s nonni’s first shoes, pay stubs, marriage certificates and some newspaper clippings adorn a basement wall. Pictured here’s the couple’s dog Milo.
Before Photo
BEFORE: The kitchen had natural oak cabinetry when the couple moved in. The box at the middle of the ceiling was a light using a piece of plastic covering it.
Esther Hershcovich
AFTER: They painted the cabinets and added molding to the surface, and changed the sink, faucet and floors. “We’re not glistening folks,” says Arthur. They chose a black granite countertop and pine beadboard painted the exact same color as the cabinets to complete their kitchen renovation.
Gizuk placed a piece of Carrara marble in addition to a wine barrel for a makeshift kitchen island.
Esther Hershcovich
Cabinet paint: White Dove OC-17, Benjamin Moore; w /all paint: Spanish Olive CC-606, Benjamin Moore; kitchen lighting fixture: Steven and Chris; china cupboard: Kijiji
Esther Hershcovich
Gizuk awakened with her daddy to create these vintage library-inspired shelves with galvanized tubing and furniture.
See how to make a similar shelving unit
Before Photo
Esther Hershcovich
AFTER: Arthur and Gizuk updated the main-floor bathroom by painting the walls and figurines and altering the light fixture. Gizuk placed a round glass piece in addition to a massive vase for additional table space.
Paint: Alexandria Beige HC-77, Benjamin Moore
Esther Hershcovich
This hall on the top floor features black and white photos, old sheet music, newspaper clippings and a collection of antique mirrors.
Paint: Alexandria Beige HC-77, Benjamin Moore
Esther Hershcovich
A small collection of suitcases warms a sunlit sitting place at the end of the hall.
Esther Hershcovich
The bed in the main bedroom was initially a medium pine the couple stained darker.
They sent the white Bamileke headdress over their mattress from Africa.
Esther Hershcovich
A salvaged doorway, a freestanding porch column plus a linen-draped seat complete the diverse Shabby Chic–fashion vibe.
Paint: Natural Linen CC-90, Benjamin Moore
Esther Hershcovich
Gizuk converted the fourth bedroom into her house office-workshop to perform sewing and general work. 2 suitcases hold up one side of her worktable.
Paint: Revere Pewter HC-172, Benjamin Moore
Esther Hershcovich
Arthur and Gizuk torn out carpets in the guest bedroom and maintained the existing subfloor. The headboard is a salvaged discover that Gizuk touched up.
Esther Hershcovich
The couple repurposed a ladder that they found on the side of the street as a hanging rack for additional valuables.
Paint: Dufferin Terrace CC-456, Benjamin Moore
Esther Hershcovich
The very first thing Arthur and Gizuk did when they moved in was gut the bathroom and put a shower in area of what had formerly been a cupboard.
Wall paint: Baby Fawn OC-15; trim: Cloud White 967, both by Benjamin Moore
Esther Hershcovich
Many of the photos on display used to hang in Gizuk’s youth bedroom.
Shelves: Ikea
Esther Hershcovich
Esther Hershcovich
The backyard has an outside barbecue space and dining area. Gizuk stapled a grain sofa runner to the dining table and hung crates to store garden-related decoration items.
Esther Hershcovich
A garden shed from the previous homeowners had been repainted to match the home’s color scheme and holds the couple’s lawn tractor.
The couple added an old wood-burning stove to an existing firepit. They intend to relocate it in the near future and build a swimming pool in its place.
Esther Hershcovich
Trevor Arthur and Meaghan Gizuk, shown here, love to spend their summer free time outside caring for their lawn and tending the gardens.
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