For the first time in four years, the 2023 Homes for the Holidays tour of decorated Ottawa homes will once again be an in-person event.
“It’s going to be an interesting tour this year and everyone’s excited to have it back in person,” says tour co-chair Sharon Lalonde.
An annual event for the past 21 years, the tour pairs area florists and decorators with some of Ottawa’s most beautiful and interesting homes, decorating them for the holiday season and opening them up for tour goers to walk through.
This year’s tour will be held Nov. 17 to 19, featuring six homes from Rockcliffe Park to Manotick and a pop-up shop of handcrafted foods, decor and more at the St. Elias Centre on Nov. 17 and 18.
The tour is a major fundraiser for Hospice Care Ottawa, which provides end-of-life care and services, at no charge, to those living with a life-limiting illness and their families. Over the years, the tour has raised more than $2.5 million to help with the 40 per cent of the hospice’s operating costs that are not provided by government.
The majority of the homes will have a Christmas theme, but one will be focused on the art in the home and one will be done in blue and silver for homeowners who do not celebrate Christmas.
Here’s a snapshot of the homes on the tour
(see below for ticket and tour time info)
Theme: The house of art
Florist/decorator: Alta Vista Flowers / Restyled Spaces
Of note: As the home of Ottawa Art Gallery co-founder Glenn McInnes and his late wife, Barbara, of Ottawa Community Foundation, this home is not surprisingly filled with art, which is the focus of this stop on the tour. It’s also the first time a home on the tour has not seen significant and recent updating. The home is being staged to showcase the art, with a light touch added by the florist. “It’s an interesting staging and decorating that we’re doing,” says Lalonde.
Theme: Christmas
Florist: Flowers Talk Tivoli
Of note: This is an infill home that packs 4,700 square feet into its urban lot while offering a contemporary home with classic details to fit into the streetscape.
Theme: Christmas
Florist: Mill Street Florist
Of note: This sprawling bungalow was built to take advantage of its river views on a property that boasts magnificent fruit trees and horticultural rarities provided by the Experimental Farm.
Theme: Christmas
Florist: The Planted Arrow Flowers and Gifts
Of note: This home is a fusion of old and new that blends elements such as the original Mansard roof with modern updating like the chef’s kitchen and marble floors to create a timelessly elegant home.
Theme: Blue and silver
Florist: Ottawa Blooms
Of note: South African influences infuse this home and that will be reflected in the floral arrangements, which will feature South African flowers. The thoughtfully planned home includes an elevator to promote aging in place.
Theme: Christmas
Florist: Riverwood Gardens
Of note: Built to showcase the antiques of the owner’s mother, who ran an antiques shop in Montreal, “it looks like the inside of a castle,” says Lalonde. “That’s going to be special for people walking through that house.”
2023 Homes for the Holidays tour info
When: Friday, Nov. 17 to Sunday, Nov. 19
Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tickets: $50 each, available for purchase online only
Pop-up shop: St. Elias Banquet Centre, 750 Ridgewood Ave.; Friday, Nov. 17, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 18, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Information & to get tickets: hospicecareottawa.ca
