Loving Country Living
STORY RACHAEL HAVENS
PHOTOGRAPHY JASON HARTOG
Love brought Pamela Lynn to rural Tottenham. It’s where Pamela and her partner Jeff Walker built a custom home on their working farm. Jeff’s the farmer and Pamela is the founder and principal interior design consultant at Pamela Lynn Interiors.
Pamela started her business five years ago during a transitional period in her life. Her specialty quickly became helping people develop a design plan for their renovation or custom build.
She is also a Certified Colour Expert. Often clients will bring her in to “help get paint or colour selection right the first time.”
Pamela offers different levels of service, from colour guidance to full custom design. A popular choice is a service called Designer By Your Side. “Sometimes people building a custom home don’t necessarily want to hand over the entire project, so they bring me on as a ‘designer by your side’ to guide them along the way,” she explains.
Pamela’s goal when working with a client is simple: “I make sure I understand their lifestyle.” At the top of her priority list is making sure the space feels warm and welcoming, so those who live there are always happy to be home.
“A well-designed space is uniquely you, it feeds your soul, it is your backdrop for everlasting memories with your family and friends,” she says.
When building her own home (built by Michael Dunn Construction) Pamela and Jeff became the clients. Most important to Jeff was that the house was built for country living. Nothing could be too precious. The design had to allow for dirty boots and a big family, which was a change for Pamela, an only child from the suburbs.
Rather than leaning toward a typical farmhouse look, the couple decided to “take on more of a ranch look.” The interior is “transitional, but with comfort and farm living in mind.”
Jeff, Pamela and her two teenage sons love country life. There are lots of trails and even a dirt bike track on the property. “The kids love that,” Pamela says. “It has a small- town community feel,” and that makes it easy to feel at home.
Pamela says the family gravitates toward the warm and inviting kitchen. She created a cosy atmosphere by layering lighting. “We also spend a lot of time on the patio in the summer,” she adds.
Pamela loves her office, as well. “The style is very me and it’s very feminine and I live in a house full of boys, even the dog is a boy.” Beloved dog Bear was adopted from Lab Rescue Ontario.
Pamela has some good advice for anyone considering a custom home or redesign. “Have a plan, and not just architectural, but a design plan for your entire house.”
A key factor is setting and sticking to a budget. Having an overall plan helps you choose the right pieces, from your sofa to windows coverings to artwork. Particularly important is choosing colour. “Every decision you make in your home will be colour- related and you want your home to tell the right colour story.” This can be accomplished by looking at the full picture.
Pamela has used many Benjamin Moore colours. The mudroom cabinetry is Grey Gardens with Seasalt walls. The hallway is Pale Oak, while the family room and kitchen are Revere Pewter. The office and boys’ rooms are Gray Owl and the primary bedroom is Balboa Mist.
The end goal for Pamela’s own home and all of her projects, is “cohesion, a visual story that runs through the whole house.”
After a two-year design and build process, she is happily settled at home on the farm. Trading in the city for the country has proven to be a welcome adventure.
Learn more about Pamela Lynn Interiors here.