Celebrate Canada’s rich 150-year history with a walk through some of the country’s oldest homes. HGTV’s Great Canadian Homes takes you on a tour, with host Tommy Smythe, of some of the most historical and unique private homes, each with their own distinct piece of Canadian history. The one-hour special airs on HGTV on Sunday, June 18th.
This documentary, presented by HeartHat Entertainment, showcases 13 iconic homes across the country, including Ottawa’s Earnscliffe Manor. The home of Canada's founding father, Sir John A. MacDonald, is now a national historic site and currently the home of the British High Commissioner, Howard Drake.
“When I met the High Commissioner,” Tommy Smythe said, “he talked beautifully about how comfortable and lovely a home it has been to live in. Even though he’s a foreign diplomat, he felt a strong connection to this Canadian home.”
Tommy also said, “these aren’t just historically significant homes; they are lived in by real families. There are amazing houses that are museums, but you don’t get the sense of lives being lived in them. This makes the show really special.”
Other featured homes include Beinn Bhreagh, former estate of Dr. Alexander Graham Bell, in Victoria County, Nova Scotia, Habitat 67, built for the World Expo 67 in Montreal, and Abbey Church Lofts, a 1910 church converted into a three-level condo building in Toronto.
All of the 13 homes were chosen for their unique design and décor and create an architectural timeline across the country from the year of confederation to present day.
In addition to the June 18th premiere, viewers can experience the microsite GreatCanadianHomes.ca to access design tips and inspiration. The full documentary will also be available online after the premiere.
Look in our Fall 2017 issue for a feature on Tommy Smythe and his impressions of Earnscliffe Manor.
Olivia Taggart
