Article content

Denise Carruthers didn’t expect that her playful negotiations over a bottle of wine at the backyard fence would result in getting her dream home.

Originally living next door to their current home on Fourth Avenue, Carruthers and her husband would often plead with their neighbours to give them first dibs if they ever decided to sell.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or 18th annual Glebe House Tour: An ode to both old and new Back to video

“And they made good on that bottle of wine,” Carruthers laughs.

Photo by Suzanne McCarthy

Her well-loved home is one of five on this year’s Glebe House Tour. The 18th annual fundraiser will be held Sept. 17, and will support special needs programming and camps organized by the Glebe Neighbourhood Activities Group (GNAG).

At over one hundred years old, Carruther’s three-storey home stands as a testament to the balance of traditional taste and contemporary style — the result of almost a full year of renovations.

With the help of designer Luc Crawford and Darrell Brown Carpentry, Carruthers reimagined almost every room of the house, including a fresh master bedroom and bath, basement butternut wood wine cellar, and backyard man cave in what was once the garage.

Photo by Suzanne McCarthy

Possibly the largest transformation was the gutted main floor, where the team added a full extension off the back, now the open concept kitchen and family room—a bright space due to five skylights and large double doors that open out to the backyard.