Castlegar farmhouse is home

Shane and Samantha Winter recently bought the house they had formerly rented

Shane and Samantha Winter are in the process of restoring their century-old farmhouse near Castlegar, B.C. — Photo courtesy Shane Winter

Shane Winter, owner of Kootenay West Painting & Construction in Castlegar, B.C., recently bought his own first house. He answered a few of our questions about the experience.

Where was the first place you lived when you moved out of your parents’ home?
I grew up just outside Castlegar and moved out of my parents’ house when I was 19. I moved into a shabby basement suite in Castlegar with a roommate. It was good to live independently, but it was difficult adjusting to the added responsibility.

Where do you live now?
My wife and I had been renting an old farmhouse for a couple of years, and then we bought it last summer. It’s our first house, and we’re hoping to turn it into our dream home. It’s close to 100 years old, with three bedrooms and a finished attic.

What will it take to make it your dream home?
We already have plans to make some changes, like making it a bit more open between the kitchen and living room, but we will be retaining as much of the original character as we can.

It has a lot of potential and a lot of charm. We’re ripping out carpets and lino and uncovering the original wood floors. Other owners have made some changes over the years, but a few of the windows are still pretty drafty, so they have to be replaced. I’d like to restore as much as I can to the original, as closely as possible.

I wish I had pictures of the building in its original state. I can see that there have been changes and additions and I’d like to know what it looked like before any of the changes were made.