For 3 years lifestyle photographer and teacher Nadia Dole looked at images of her dream home: a rebuilt and converted barn located on 100 acres of land on a mountaintop in Vermont — upward miles of dirt roads, through orchards and woods, large enough to where four nations’ mountain ranges are visible. When it finally went up for sale, through a February snowstorm, she and her husband, Kevin, had to strap on snowshoes to view the secluded home.

at a Glance
Who lives here: Kevin and Nadia Dole and their daughter, Poet
Location: Bennington, Vermont
Size: 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom

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The Doles currently share the sprawling property with hens, roosters, cats, dogs and horses, and have supplied the ex-barn, which was built with the husband of novelist and blogger Corine Gantz back from the 1970s, with comfy, linen-draped pieces and rustic natural wood pieces.

The main floor has two living room areas, a dining space and a kitchen, all flowing together in a C shape. Besides painting, Nadia and Kevin have made several changes to the inside, which was already nearly perfect in layout, thanks to the first owner.

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Schoolhouse pendant lights in the 1920s hang throughout the main floor. Neutral couches and seats communicate Nadia’s decorating philosophy of keeping things “easy, comfortable and with intention,” she says. “I think if you layer those 3 items, you receive the home you love being in.”

Chair: T.J.Maxx

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Red, Nadia’s favorite colour, comes up in a sitting room near the entrance.

Nadia says it felt just like home “if the pomegranate painting was suspended. It is 12 feet broad, so finding a wall windows was always a struggle — not here.”

Sofa: Ikea; oil painting: “Charles St.,” by John Young; paint: Snowfall White OC-118, Benjamin Moore

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A husky and charming 18th-century walnut harvest table that Nadia bought 25 years ago in Montreal overlooks the dining space.

Theresa Fine

A large green cabinet, made by a Montreal craftsman by hand for the couple’s wedding, provides a gorgeous storage solution. “Except for a few pieces, I have never bought something at a corporate store,” Nadia says. “If you can make it, take action. It’ll feel so rewarding.”

Painting: John Young

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The kitchen is an ode to the property’s history. The cabinetry is repurposed industrial units, complete with Victorian cast iron bin pulls. The shelving is outdated wood planks, backed by Victorian cast iron brackets and full of antique pottery.

The kitchen island is a Tibetan altar, with intricate detailing and a worn finish.

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The home’s only bathroom is composed entirely of salvaged materials, including a cast iron claw-foot bathtub and a porcelain vanity.

Theresa Fine

Touches of light blue and yellow produce a serene vibe from the bedroom this chamber and the bathroom are the only spaces in the home separated by a wall or door. The accent pillow was made from a classic window panel.

“I think my house is a kind one and it has a gentle way about it,” Nadia says.

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A collage of spring-inspired paintings hangs above daughter Poet’s crib. The blue toile pillows were produced from an old beach house curtain.

Crib: Ikea

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Upstairs a loft-like space has vaulted ceilings with skylights. It is a favourite spot of the couple’s cats, one of which is seen here napping on a 19th-century spool seat.

Theresa Fine

Theresa Fine

A writer’s drop is located a short walk from the main house. A desk, a fold-out Murphy bed, a cello and gardening supplies creates a space for imagination.

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What Nadia enjoys most about her town is “the dirt roads and the people — such kind people. Though I reside on a huge hill, it seems like an island,” she says.

Through the seasons, apple trees, pear trees, blueberry bushes and raspberry bushes cover the woods line. “The scene changes daily, and the sunrise and sunsets are like nothing before,” Nadia says.

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Even through what the natives call mud season, the view in the couple’s front lawn is breathtaking. It is said to include mountain ranges of Vermont, New Hampshire, New York and Connecticut.

Theresa Fine

The couple shares the land with their many pets, including their Great Pyrenees, Sophie, and their Newfoundland, Grace, seen here.

Theresa Fine

“Take your time and allow the house tell you what it requires,” Nadia, shown here with Kevin, urges. “It doesn’t have to match — you just have to love it for this to function.”

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