Ken McRobbie, left, and Colin Blanchard in the den of their renovated 1840-era home.Paul Darrow/The Globe and Mail
In 2008, Kenneth McRobbie moved from Red Deer, Alta., to Nova Scotia, where for many years his family has owned a summer home on the South Shore. He and his partner, Colin Blanchard, eventually settled in Halifax and opened 31 Westgate, a furniture and home-accessories store that carries designer pieces as well as vintage items scooped up by the couple on their frequents trips to England and France. It was, in part, a shared love of antiques that drew the men to the 1840s Gothic Revival-style fixer-upper they purchased in central Halifax two years ago. McRobbie restored it slowly, taking great pains to preserve the original woodwork, windows and other decorative elements in the 175-year-old dwelling. The four-bedroom property is now fully renovated, serving as a family home for the couple and their 13-year-old son. The den is where they congregate to talk, play games, watch movies and hang out. "It's where we retreat," McRobbie says. "The colours in that room are rich and warm. It's lovely at night."
The sculpture
"This is a vintage bust of Charles Dickens, one of my favourite authors. I especially like Great Expectations. I found it in a little market in England and fell in love with it."
The drapes
"They are red velvet, which is a classic look, and they are hanging from a rod that has been hand-hammered. I like the rustic nature of it, as it works with the history of the house. Sometimes, when you put something too new in a house this old, it just doesn't jibe. That's why everything here has a bit of an imperfect feel."
The light fixture
"It's a globe and arrowhead chandelier in bronze and antique-burnished brass based on a Regency design. It could have been a piece acquired by the original owners, if they had electricity."
The coffee table
"It's by Theodore Alexander, one of the other brands we carry at 31 Westgate. It's a repro with a marquetry top and has a library feel, which is why we got it. It's easy to live with."
The wallpaper
"This is a Balmoral Red Lancaster damask by Ralph Lauren Home. We had visited a house in England with a red and gold library, which is how we got the idea. I wanted the room to be red, and this wallpaper just goes with the room. It looks like it has always been there."
The artwork
"Most of it is 19th-century portraits, some painted, some engraved. There are also sporting images, racing and equestrian pictures. I tend to collect them. I find them at the markets and buy them if they appeal. I'd rather have something rooted in history than something that's mass-produced. There's more romance attached."
The sofa
"This is a Ralph Lauren Cornwall sofa in emerald cotton velvet. We sell it at 31 Westgate. It's a classic library sofa with the rolled arms and the tufted back. It can be rumpled and still look great."
The rug
"We love rugs and carry a lot of them in the store. This one is an antique Turkish rug. I always try to find one-of-a-kind handwoven pieces with a bit of history to them. They have a beauty you don't see when something's machine-made."