No Ontario schoolhouse built in the late 1800s has ever been so beautifully reimagined.
With over 3000 sq ft of total living space on 2.3 acres, 3 bdrms (2 in main house +1 steps away in an adjacent building), and no fewer than 5 fireplaces, the Holstein Schoolhouse is a modern country oasis in Southgate, Grey County. With a broad apron of lawn and mature trees all around, this private retreat consists of the main house, a guest bldg with bdrm+ loft and a separate fitness/yoga studio, an attached 2-car garage with kitchen, lounge area, fireplace, and powder room. Additional gathering areas include a gorgeous pergola with fire pit and then an Arctic Spa hot tub to the rear of the house surrounded by mature trees.
Located in quiet West Grey County, the Schoolhouse was a builder and designer couple’s dream project. Witness incredible attention to detail and aesthetic sense. White, wood, polished concrete, brushed steel, and black accents combine in an irresistible combination of textures. Interior walls showcase the original fieldstone, but everything else is new, new, new: roof, mechanicals, septic, Marvin windows, black granite/steel kitchen, heated concrete/slate floors.
A central stone fireplace signals where the living area morphs into the chef’s kitchen. The soaring 2-story ceiling finished in walnut-tinted tongue and groove contains 4 skylights that suffuse the main space with light. Equipped with solar-powered motors and blinds, they open to the country air. Fear not: sensing rain, they close automatically. Furnishings are divine and most are negotiable with a separate agreement. Starlink internet is lightning fast (thank you Elon) and provides convenient utility for streaming entertainment in the country or remote work.
A 2019 propane boiler heats radiant flooring and rads. A/C is not needed, as the Schoolhouse stays naturally cool in summer. A drilled Artesian well leads to a new UV + filter purification system, with reverse osmosis + 3 filters for drinking water.
Care to add a pond? The water table is high, so that’s easy with the required permits. The nearby hamlet of Holstein is super cute with its General Store (contains an LCBO and a post office) and there’s so much to discover in the surrounding countryside all just an hour and fifty-minutes from Pearson airport via stress free, paved back roads.
Snow removal, lawn-care, garden-tending and other relationships all ready for lucky new owners. Move-in ready!
About The Owners (Kim & Derek)
Kim Haight is the former proprietor and owner of Willow House Interior Design out of Cambridge. Kim ran that business for 30 years stylizing distinctive homes in the GTA, Muskoka, and the Caribbean. Derek Lamarche is a former bathroom and kitchen specialist of 30 years and a custom home builder. This house was built with the utmost detail and care regarding finish, mechanicals and long term quality.
“The thing we loved about it most is the green trees, lawn and privacy. We feel like we live in a private park! It’s been fantastic for us and our privacy in retirement.”
“The house feels like a big hug!”
-Kim & Derek
