Life on the East Coast was a dream for Dean Brody, who grew up in Jaffray, B.C. and then packed up for Nashville in search of country music fame. After years of paying dues in the Music City, the award-winning singer-songwriter settled with his family in Chester, N.S. "It was the music scene. Growing up out west, I was intrigued by the music that came out of the East Coast: The Rankin Family, Great Big Sea," says Brody, who is heading out on tour with his new album, Beautiful Freakshow. The idyllic environment of the quaint seaside town proved to be an endless source of inspiration for Brody, from songwriting to dabbling in design.
Intrigued by old European country homes, the musician got his hands dirty while he built his three-storey family home. The rustic homestead looks to be a century old, but it was only built last year. "We built it to look like a century home," Brody explains. "Some stuff is a hundred years old, and some stuff is not – and that was a challenge."
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Manoir chandelier, $2,195 at The Cross ( www.thecrossdesign.com).
Navarro extendable dining table, $4,495 at Williams-Sonoma Home ( www.wshome.com).
The musician and his builder scoured the province and nearby states in the northeast U.S. for repurposed materials. "The beams supporting the ceiling are from a locomotive roundhouse – massive timbers, with steel and stuff still stuck in them," says Brody. "It's really rustic." The upcycled beams are particularly striking in the family's grand dining room that overlooks lush Nova Scotia greenery.
Belgian slipcovered armchair, starting at $425 (U.S.) at Restoration Hardware ( www.restorationhardware.com).
The dining room boasts a mix of antiques and contemporary finds. Its hardwood floors used to adorn a turn-of-the-century barn in Pennsylvania. Brody spent several days sanding and painting to get just the right look that was neither too new nor too old. "I was surprised how much work it took to get the right patina," he says. The room's furniture went through a similarly meticulous process. After selecting the chandelier from Restoration Hardware, Brody manipulated its finish to make it appear like an antique. He then did the same to the family's harvest table, even leaving it outside and exposed to the unpredictable East Coast weather for a few days.
Stone vessel sink by Eden Bath, $826 at Lowes ( www.lowes.ca).
Grey Kenyan basket, $55 at Far + Wide Collective ( www.farandwidecollective.com).
The centrepiece of the room is the grand stone sink, another of the musician's heirloom finds. "I found it at some old farmer's backyard. He had it for years just sitting there," Brody says. He also found an old hand pump that was incorporated into the counter top. "Mostly we fill it with ice when we entertain." The family does so as often as bi-monthly, with Brody's wife, Iris, doing most of the cooking. "I'm better at the barbecue," Brody admits. While he might make a better summer chef, the singer loves seeing his home surrounded by snow. "You get the fire going, and it's really cozy." When it's time to work, Brody likes to retreat to his attic, which overlooks the ocean. "It's quiet and amazing," he says. "I sit there on a chair with a cup of coffee on the window sill, and I write."
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