Welcome to our “Featured Home”. You will see how creative homeowners solve decorating and restoration challenges to create wonderful interiors that represent the unique people that live there. Questions? Email us at johanne@fromtimespast.com . Your feedback is appreciated.

On the edge of the University of Alberta campus and nestled in the midst of the area's many high rises is the historic Sarah McLellan House. Sarah Mclellan immigrated from Scotland to Edmonton in 1906. Within a few years she purchased land from a Metis farmer, after whom the Garneau area is named today, intending to take part in the real estate boom of the time. In 1913 she commissioned the building of this expanded Arts and Crafts influenced four- square house. It featured hipped dormers at each elevation of the roof and a two story projecting window bay on the east elevation. The front veranda supported a second story porch.

Unfortunately, Sarah's entrepreneurial dreams were dashed with the arrival of WW1 and the stock market difficulties of the era. The house was eventually sold and over the years became a nurse's residence (due to its proximity to the military hospital that is now the University of Alberta hospital), a private residence and a student's boarding house. The latter was not kind to the well being of the house.

Ed Weiss, a self- employed management consultant, and his wife Julie, lived in Toronto at the time. When friends successfully restored a lovely Victorian house into a bed and breakfast they decided the lifestyle would be perfectly in synch with their own intentions of semi retirement and decided to do the same.  No stranger to restoration (they restored an 1860's house in Ontario ), they began to search for a community where such houses would be affordable combined with excellent business and economic potential. They chose Edmonton . Then began the search for a house that would lend itself well to the particular needs of a bed and breakfast operation.

The Sarah McLellan house did not inspire love at first sight. The first time they drove by the home Julie refused to go in. At the urging of their real estate agent, the couple decided to attend the open house. Despite some misgivings, they bought the house - and then the real work began.

Ed hired a general contractor and over the next fourteen months tradesmen of every type worked on the house. All the original woodwork was removed and sent out to be stripped of its layers of paint. Missing millwork was recreated based on the profiles of existing pieces, and staining of all woodwork was done in situ.

The entire 4,000 square foot house was re insulated, and two new furnaces installed - one which heats the first two floors, and the second heating the third level, and the fourth where the Weiss' now reside. The original windows were retained but retro-fitted so that they are now even more efficient than most new windows on the market. Additional larger hot water tanks were installed at the same time the plumbing was completely changed.

The foundation was dug three feet below the original. Although they gained only a foot in overall height the additional stability was well worth it. The above ground level basement area has been converted to comfortable family guest rooms and a family room. The east elevation two- story bay window has been extended to the lower level which creates interesting architectural detail. Every single electrical wire was replaced in the house and state of the art mechanical and security systems were installed.

A small addition was built onto the back of the house, resulting in a wonderfully sunny place to have breakfast and enjoy the view of the garden. The room is seamlessly integrated into the style of the rest of the house.

The front veranda and second story porch were in very poor condition. The only alternative was to replace them. Rotting structural timbers, sloping floors and missing pieces made the porch not only an eyesore but unsafe. Photographs were taken and the porch examined closely as it was being torn down. During one of these investigations it was found that decorative brackets had embellished the porch columns. Being a tireless researcher before making any decisions, Ed found out that most decorative millwork available at that time was supplied by the Winnipeg Window and Door Co. He managed to gain access to one of their old catalogues and had brackets created based on what would have been most commonly found on houses of that type in 1913.

Once the interior of the house was complete and the veranda saved, work began on the landscaping. Today guests find this oasis of greenery a pleasant respite from the hustle and bustle of the day's activities. A gazebo offers a cool shaded place to read a book or simply have a cup of coffee early in the morning.

Much of the work performed on this house was due in part to the stringent code regulations for operating a bed and breakfast. Comfort and security for their guests without sacrificing the character of the house was first and foremost in the owners' minds right from the beginning and guided them with every decision they made. The $300,000 restoration effort funded by the owners and in part by the city and the province, has not been in vain. The Sarah McLellan Bed and Breakfast was awarded 4 ½ out of 5 stars by the Canadian Hotel Association and enjoys high occupancy throughout the year.

When asked what he would tell home owners planning to restore an older home Ed offered these two pieces of advice: "What ever you think it's going to cost, triple it". As anyone who has ever done any renovations on their home will know, one challenge invariably leads to another.

The second piece of advice was " Don't be afraid to ask the experts!." He credits the municipal heritage planners and especially the preservation adviser at Alberta Community Development with invaluable information and excellent ideas.

The house has been designated as a historic resource by the city of Edmonton and the province of Alberta . Sitting in the midst of high rises, in a very busy area that is constantly under extreme development pressure, the Sarah McLellan House remains a poignant reminder of gentler times.

 To visit their web site and get more information about McLellan House Bed and breakfast click here

Sources: Written by Johanne Yakula,

From Times Past

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