Each year the McArthur Estate is unmistakably decked from head-to-toe for the holidays.
This year’s evening tour at the McArthur Estate took a unique approach to decor, featuring numerous Trisha Romance paintings as an homage to the local artist who once lived in the house and has frequently depicted Niagara-on-the-Lake in her work.
Guests flocked to the estate this past Friday and Saturday during the annual Rotary Holiday House Tour to take in some of the paintings, along with the usual illustrious decorations.
The Walters family comes to McArthur house nearly every year and this year, multiple generations of women came along to enjoy a tour of the estate.
“My mom is here, my grandma is here and my sister is here along with my nieces- so that’s four generations of us tonight,” their daughter Kaylan Ssenfuma told The Lake Report.
The family made the trek from Howard, Ont. — about an hour west of Kitchener-Waterloo — for this holiday tradition.
“We loved the other house that (Brenda McArthur) did. She does a great job,” Ssenfuma said.
Lana, Lindsey, Cindy and Ava Ford and her family also come to McArthur each year, but this season’s decor was even more special for them, as fans of Romance’s work.
“It’s our annual girls’ tradition,” Lindsey Ford said. “We’ve been coming since Ava was probably seven years old, and now we come every year for a girl’s weekend.”
“We always find (McArthur) so warm and welcoming to open up her home,” she added.
McArthur explained that each year guests would ask numerous questions about the paintings that she had on display in the estate, so she decided to dedicated 2023’s tour to Romance.
“I’ve added a lot of new Trish pictures, so tonight really felt like a night of honouring Trisha Romance,” she said.
The team made some adjustments to the decor, taking down other paintings.
“It brought a real warmth to the house,” McArthur said.
Lana Ford stopped along the tour to grab a card print of one of Romance’s paintings.
“I would love to have a picture of it,” she said. “I think it’s so nice to be in Niagara-on-the-Lake and to see these beautiful residences.”
She added that the family would love to come back for a garden tour during the warmer months.
“We usually come on Friday, we stay at the Pillar and Post and we have our routine all figured out,” she said. “The first day we see five houses and then the next day we see two and come here.”
The women plan to make their trek from Whitby again next year.
When planning out such an elaborate tour, McArthur certainly isn’t alone and she credited the team of assistants who helped make her ideas come to life.
“They help me put the whole thing together to create this incredible space. They work diligently with me from October on,” she said.
