A 1790s Loyalist house full of colour and quirky decor

Approaching the hamlet of Dorland, Ont., the setting sun washes the sides of metal farm buildings with temporary gold paint. As our vehicle turns from South Shore Road onto the gravel of Quaker Hill Road and then Dorland Drive – named after Loyalist Philip Dorland (1755-1814), a Quaker granted 2,100 acres in Lennox and Addington County – the water behind Julie Bogdanowicz and Blake Markle’s 1790s house takes on the colour of quicksilver.

White siding, a central gable centred over the front door, and symmetrical windows. It’s a lovely carrot.