Carolyn Wilbrink grew up on the family farm and has always had a love for farmhouse design . After earning a diploma in Broadcast Journalism and marrying the love of her life , Craig , Carolyn ’ s life took a turn when she purchased her first home . Through the process of renovating and decorating her new home , Carolyn discovered a love for interior design . She launched her own interior design firm while also taking night classes to hone her skills . 15 years later , interior design is still her passion !
6 years ago , Carolyn undertook a major renovation together with her brother Billy Pearson to prepare her home to host her sister ’ s wedding and documented the process on Instagram . Her content caught the attention of Sonar and Corus and after much negotiation , the first season of Farmhouse Facelift was launched in 2019 ( available Tuesdays at 9 p . m . ET on HGTV Canada , and also available on STACKTV )! Farmhouse Facelift follows Carolyn and her brother Billy as they turn heritage farmhouse houses into stunning dream homes for their clients .
For Carolyn , the biggest surprise when it came to filming her own show was the sheer amount of energy required . At the start of the first season , Carolyn was working as both the host and general contractor for each project which meant not only did she need to be on camera , she also needed to manage the entire project from design and materials to coordinating trades throughout . She describes herself as someone who normally has very high energy and doesn ’ t need a lot of sleep but 15-16 hour days on site left her beyond exhausted . Now , Carolyn , who is also a mother of 4 children ages 8-18 , delegates some of those responsibilities so she can juggle the show and her family life in a more effective way .
CANADIAN HOME TRENDS What inspires your designs ?
CAROLYN WILBRINK My favorite part of the experience is meeting the families and being able to help change their lives for the better . I believe that farmhouse design is a very personal style that is hard to define . It ’ s all about creating a warm , welcoming , lived-in space that feels like home and each project is influenced by the original character of the home and the personal style and needs of the client . I love to take inspiration from the original home and give it a modern twist , all while keeping the client ’ s needs at the forefront !
CHT What is your favorite room in your home ?
CW Our current home is very much in need of a renovation but during the pandemic , we did some work on the main family room . The room is painted all white with cathedral ceilings , a huge fireplace in the middle , tons of light and the only TV in the house . It opens up to the kitchen and has become the gathering place for our family .
CHT What is one thing on your bucket list ?
CW I would love to travel to Italy ! I would rent an old Tuscan farmhouse in the countryside and spend 6 weeks just sitting back and relaxing . Relaxing isn ’ t something I get to do much of right now !
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