By late fall our business slows down a little and we finally get to take a breather and re-energize. For me this fall, that means leaning into my life in Prince Edward County. I’ve been calling The County home since we first bought The June back in 2016. But in many ways, I feel like I’ve been struggling to make a home for myself for the last 6 years. Between living in motels and always having one foot in Toronto, I haven’t properly settled into life in The County until now.
Here's a sneak peek at my home that I've been renovating for the last 1.5 years and a guide to some of my favourite places to eat, sip and play.
MY HOUSE TOUR
In December 2020, I moved out of our motel in Sauble Beach and bought a 1880s century home in Prince Edward County, just 5 minutes from our OG motel. Since then, I’ve been busy launching a Netflix show, running two motels, renovating my house and having a baby. Needless to say, with everything going on in work and life, this renovation took FOREVER. If you’ve lived through a renovation, you know how dark those days can be! Plus, we were a little too ambitious and decided to gut two bathrooms and a kitchen at the same time. If I have any advice to spill in this blog post, it’s to never ever renovate a bathroom and a kitchen at the same time unless you’re living offsite. Lucky for us, we had a couple of motels to call "home" when things got tough.
Before taking you on a little tour, I need to preface that my house is still far from finished. Unlike a motel renovation where there’s a clear end to the project, a house is never finished. This is something I’ve struggled with. I’d love to just double down and finish it all as soon as possible, and then say “here it is, it’s done!” Instead, I’ve had to learn to accept that our home will continue to grow and evolve with us in the years to come. I try to think of it as the fun is never over as there's always something new to dream up.
Here’s a photo tour of the spaces that I’ve been slowly working on for the last two years.
LIVING ROOM
This sofa from Eternity Modern inspired the entire living room! I love all the different ways I can configure the room, which has been great for hosting friends for cocktails. You can order this sofa in a variety of different configurations and fabrics, however I ended up providing my fabric because I had a very specific vision I was trying to create.... shocking, I know!
Sources: Sofa by Eternity Modern | Sofa fabric (Cognac) by Tonic Living | Art by Christine Flynn | Mantel by Trumeau Stones | Rug by Lulu & Georgia | Coffee Table by CB2 | Sconces by CB2 | Frame TV by Samsung
KITCHEN
This kitchen has been a labour of love! We started planning this space 1.5 years ago and we're still completing the finishing touches. You might be surprised to find out that everything here is Ikea cabinetry and we worked with Kitch to create a tailored-made space. Kitch creates cabinet doors and components to fit Ikea cabinets. We used the slim shaker in Mist, but they offered a ton of options and flexibility to help us create our dream kitchen.
Also, my partner Ingo, designed these mosaic floors using this design tool on the Daltile website, replicating an inspiration photo that I had found on Pinterest. Overall in this space, we took a lot of inspiration from old coffee shops and restaurants in Paris and Italy - we wanted it to feel old!
Sources: Cabinet Fronts by Kitch | Cabinet Base by Ikea | Handles by Rejuvination | Sconces by Amazon
DINING ROOM
The star of the show here are these chunky wood and leather dining chairs from CB2. I'm obsessed with how perfectly they coordinate with this vintage marble table that I found on Facebook Marketplace.
Sources: Chandelier by Lumens | Table is vintage | Chairs by CB2 | Art by Christine Flynn | Bar Cart by CB2
NURSERY
If you've followed my journey, you know this one was not an easy one. We finally brought our baby home from the hospital when he was almost 3 months old, and we finished his nursery when he was 6 months old! Read the backstory here.
Sources: Crib by Coco Village | Wallpaper by Lulu and Georgia | Giraffe Basket by Pottery Barn Kids | Mobile by Etsy | Rug by Overstock | Chair and Pouf by CB2 | Dresser by Ikea | Change table basket by Design Dua
BATHROOM
I get so much happiness from this room and this bathtub. It truly is my happy place! When I designed this bathroom, I wanted it to feel old but also like a warm spa. The tiles were one of my biggest splurges in the whole house, and I do not regret them for a second.
Sources: Tiles by Zia Tile | Chandelier by Georges | Stool by Zara Home | Tub by Wayfair
BEDROOM
There are two highlights in this room. One, the headboard we built and upholstered ourselves and two, the vintage mantel we found on Facebook Marketplace.
Sources: Fabric by Tonic Living | Side Tables by CB2 | Rug by Loloi Rugs | Mantle is vintage | Sconces by CB2 | Bedding by Crate & Barrel
MY GUIDE TO THE COUNTY
This is my favourite time of the year in Prince Edward County! The air is crisp, the leaves have all changed colour, there are campfires everywhere, with plenty of red wine and cozy restaurants to enjoy.
Book a room at The June and see what all the hype is about. Click here for our current availability!
WHERE TO EAT
Photo by Bocado
This Spanish tapas restaurant is hands down my favourite restaurant in The County right now! Bonus, they have an amazing buck-a-shuck oysters and ½ priced cava special on Mondays. That’s reason enough to start your week with us!
Nothing says fall like a cozy Italian night, complete with all my favourites like warm focaccia, burrata and fresh pasta!
This is my go to takeout option in The County. It’s so good, we’re ordering it once a week this fall! You can also dine in, but they only have a couple of tables, so go early. I like the pork dumplings, bulgogi rice rolls and spicy honey chicken.
WHERE TO SIP
Nothing says fall like a classic cocktail in a darky and mood cocktail bar. This is the newest hotspot to hit Picton and it’s a must if you’re staying with us this fall!
5 minutes from my house, this is my go to for an afternoon or evening snack and bevvies. If beer is not your thing, don’t worry they have a great local wine menu as well. Order the butter chicken empanadas and typically in the fall they have an amazing ramen (seasonal). We’ve also partnered with Parsons this fall to offer a Dine & Stay package, so when you book a room with us you'll get a $100 gift card to enjoy all the food and drink at Parsons, cheers!
This is my weekend ritual. I love strolling main street and stopping in for a coffee and a croissant. They also have a great lobby bar with an impressive spritz menu if cocktails are more your vibe.
WHERE TO PLAY
Photo by Christine Flynn
Sandbanks Provincial Park
The beach isn’t just reserved for summer play. I love starting my mornings with a mug of coffee and a beach walk. If you’re really brave, try a cold plunge.
This is the perfect spot to enjoy some self-care this fall. They do great mani/pedis, but I recommend getting one of their facials or even the HydraFacial. They are truly experts on medical grade skincare, so if you’re in need of some new products they can recommend products based on your skincare needs.
Wander the Resort is offering day passes for $35 and it includes your robe, towel service, welcome mimosa and use of their amenities like the hydrotherapy pool circuit, hot tub, sauna, outdoor campfires and clubhouse for food and drinks.
Wine Tour
Wineries are absolutely stunning right now with the changing fall colours, cozy tasting rooms and all the red wine. Check out My County Wine Tour or Westy Wine Tours and leave the driving to someone else.
These are just a few of my favourite places in and around Picton to explore if you're coming to The County this fall! It honestly barely scratches the surface. In addition, Countylicious is back in November and I'm personally looking forward to holiday shopping on Main Street and checking out a few Christmas Markets soon. If that appeals, come be festive with us. Cheers!