Terra Nova is a quaint hamlet nestled in the heart of the Mulmur Hills. At the corner of the town’s main intersection is a century building with a very colourful history. It has been a diner, a stable, a garage and family home. As a result, the building has been a local landmark for over 100 years.

The current owners dream was to maintain their residence and convert the 1940’s garage addition into an English style pub. They had extensive previous experience in the food industry and a clear vision of their end goal. To reach that goal would be challenging. Even though the garage foundations and wood framed walls were solid and the partial stone cladding on the exterior were in excellent shape, the garage was in general disrepair with a broken and undulating concrete slab floor and sagging hip roof.

To realize their vision, the exterior was upgraded to be highly energy efficient while maintaining the original look of the building. What changed significantly on the exterior was the addition of an outdoor patio and landscaping to create a new “ garden pathway entrance ”.

On the interior, the service areas were separated from the pub room by a new stone wall matching the stone of the exterior and reinforcing the historical imagery. The original roof was shored up, reinforced and a new insulated roof built on top allowing the original wood plank sheathing to become the interior finish creating a barn style atmosphere. High efficiency heating and cooling systems were carefully concealed in a new loft area above the new commercial kitchen. Natural walnut was used extensively on the interior as well as for the custom table tops and the custom bar complete with refrigerators with historic wooden doors.

The result is a modern pub with historic country charm and sophisticated accents. A perfect reflection of the creative fare they have become famous for. It has been embraced by the community and surrounding region as their new “local”.

Photography by: Shane Fester