How it began.

The building at 4 Longhill Road has lived many lives. Over the years, it has been a blacksmith shop, a garage, and for more than twenty years, a beloved local junk shop.

When we bought it, we saw not only what it had been, but what it could become. We spent two and a half years renovating it by hand, slowly and carefully, before opening Oak & Fern Home in May 2025.

Many of the details that now define the shop were built with intention. The arches along the main wall were framed, plastered, and painted by our own crew. The farmhouse table was custom made and built in Blockhouse, NS. Even the color, Gentleman’s Grey by Benjamin Moore, is one we love enough to live with in our own home.

Oak & Fern was created from a belief that a home should be layered with things chosen well. Pieces with substance. Pieces with beauty. Pieces with a past worth continuing.

An assortment of vintage and decorative tableware including plates, cups, pitchers, glassware, and small decorative items on a shelf or display.

Collected. Considered. Curated.

A white wooden dresser with four drawers and decorative carvings, topped with various items including a small wooden mirror, jewelry, a basket with cloth, and a porcelain horse toy, situated in front of a window with lattice-patterned bars and lace curtains.

Every piece in the shop has, in some way, passed through these hands and through this way of thinking.

Collected - found, sourced, rescued, and gathered for their character and charm.

Considered - selected with care for how they live, function, and feel in a home.

Curated - brought together so old and new can sit beautifully side by side.

Close-up of a yellow, brown, gray, and purple mohair wool scarf with a label that reads 'Robert Burns Mohair Rug Made in Scotland 70% Mohair 30% Wool'.
A decorative vintage mirror with ornate gold frame, a wooden table with three amber glass bottles labeled Palo Santo, Hinoki, and Patchouli Tobacco, a small tray with candles, a vintage telephone, and a wicker basket filled with flowers and greenery. A window with natural light and a small potted succulent are visible in the background.
Wooden construction frame with arches being built on a wall, scaffolding and ladders present, ceiling exposed with insulation and construction lighting.
A white wooden dresser with four drawers and round dark knobs, outdoors on a concrete surface. A potted green plant on top, with a pink object behind it, in front of a window with metal bars and a lattice pattern. Items like a lamp, folded clothes, and a sign are also visible on or near the dresser.
Surplus furniture and household items in a cluttered storage or garage space, including wooden chairs, a small tiled table, a upholstered ottoman, and miscellaneous household objects.
A mannequin dressed in a gray skirt with floral embroidery and a cream-colored top, displayed outside on a wooden deck, with potted plants and wooden furniture in the background.
Close-up of a set of pink and purple patterned porcelain tea cups and saucers arranged on a wooden surface.

What you’ll find here.

Oak & Fern is not meant to be rushed.

It’s’ a place to move slowly. To notice. To return to something you almost missed.

We bring together old and new, pieces that have lived before, and pieces just beginning. Vintage furniture, handmade goods, and everyday objects given room to feel considered again.

Some are one of a kind. Some are made nearby. Some are simply too good to leave behind.

You may come in looking for something specific, or for nothing at all. Often, it’s the piece you didn’t expect that stays with you.

Why it matters.

In a world of constant availability, we value what is not.

Things that aren’t easily replaced. Materials that age with grace. Homes that feel gathered over time.

Not everything here is meant for everyone… and that is intentional.

But when something feels right, it rarely needs explaining.

A quiet invitation.

If you find yourself nearby, step inside.

Take your time. Look closely.

You’ll understand once you do.

From the Shop

A note from the Founder

Rebecca Twanow Owner & Curator

There are many hands behind Oak & Fern, but at the centre of it all is a life shaped by creating, rebuilding, and finding beauty in what others might overlook.

I didn’t set out to open a shop. Like most good things in life, it came together slowly— through years of collecting, restoring, starting over, and learning what makes a house feel like home. Pieces were gathered along the way, not just objects, but experiences running businesses, raising a family, building spaces, and letting go of them when it was time.

I believe that if everyone waited for the right time, nothing would ever happen. There is no perfect moment— there is now, or sometimes, not at all.

The things we choose to bring into our homes matter. When they’re made well, from solid materials, they stay with us. They age, they soften, they carry the marks of living. That’s how antiques and vintage pieces are still here. Not by accident, but because they were built to last, meant to be used, kept, and passed through time.

There are many things in life I want to do, but right now, the shop is it. It gathers so many of my interests into one place— a space where I can create, curate, and keep learning. It gives me a creative outlet, but also something more grounded than that. A place to build.

I’ve always been drawn to the idea of being a bit of a hub, a place where people come together in some way. In another chapter, that looked like feeding people at Circa 1860 Kitchen + Public House. This feels like a continuation of that, just in a different form. Our homes matter. They hold us, reflect us, and shape how we live day to day.

At Oak & Fern Home, we try to offer something like a living Pinterest board— one you can walk through, touch, and take home with you. It’s always shifting, changing with the tides, shaped by what comes through the door and what catches our eye.

New pieces arrive, old ones find new homes, and in between, there’s a constant sense of discovery. It’s not static. It’s meant to be explored, revisited, and collected over time.

In the end, it’s never just about the things, it’s the people who gather around them.

Yours truly, Becca

The people behind the shop.

  • A woman with long curly hair holding a watercolor worksheet titled "Fruit" in front of her. She is smiling and wearing a red strap top. Behind her, there is a lamp, a wooden framed mirror with green moss in the background, and a dresser.

    Rebecca

    FOUNDER & CURATOR

    Rebecca is the founder of Oak & Fern. For her, the shop is less about things and more about how a space feels, welcoming, lived-in, and quietly layered over time.

  • A woman with short gray hair and in a gray and yellow sweater holds a plush teddy bear in a store filled with shelves of linens and decor.

    Dea

    CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

    In the early days, when we were still rushing to get the shop ready to open, Dea simply showed up with her time, her knowledge, and her friendship.

    She asks for little and gives wholeheartedly. There’s a generosity to her that’s felt immediately, along with a warmth that makes people feel at ease the moment they walk in.

    She has a sharp instinct for people, remembering not just names but stories, and building relationships that make others feel truly seen and appreciated. A feeling that remains long after they’ve left the shop.

  • A young woman with long, curly, reddish-brown hair and glasses smiling at the camera in a well-lit room with antique furniture and framed artwork.

    Katrina

    SUTTLE SHADES CREATOR & THE DETAILS

    Katrina is part of the hands behind our Suttle Shades working to bring each one to life.

    Her work ethic is rare. She’s endlessly curious, always learning, and puts a level of care into her work that you don’t often see. While some might underestimate her at first, it doesn’t take long to realize she knows exactly what she’s talking about whether it’s a vintage piece, a consignment find, or something new in the shop.

    She has a soft spot for the details; watercolour workbooks, candle scents and certain china patterns and if you ask, she’ll happily show you her favourites.

  • Woman smiling while talking on a vintage gold rotary telephone inside a house near a window.

    Michele

    SHOP EXPERIENCE & WARMTH

    Michele has that rare, old-fashioned kind of charm, equal parts grace, wit, and knowing smile.

    She carries herself with ease, speaks with warmth, and has a way of making even a simple visit feel like something more. There’s a quiet confidence to her, and just enough humour to keep things from ever feeling too serious.

    She makes everything more enjoyable and the shop wouldn’t be the same without her.

  • A woman with long blonde hair holding a small brown puppy with blue eyes close to her face, with shelves of merchandise blurred in the background.

    Lili

    MARKETING & CREATIVE DIRECTION

    Lili is more than part of the team, she’s part of our family.

    She started with us at sixteen, and over the years has grown into a creative force behind the scenes. With a marketing degree from St. FX and a constant flow of ideas, she helps guide our voice, our visuals, and the way we connect with people.

    She keeps Oak & Fern moving forward, thoughtfully and creatively, always with care.

  • A woman with short gray hair, wearing glasses on her head, hugging a small brown dog with fluffy fur. The background shows holiday decorations and a painting.

    Michelle

    FINANCE & SHOP SUPPORT

    Michelle came to us through Dea, and in her own way, has been keeping us on track ever since.

    What started as time in the shop quickly turned into something more, she has a way of stepping into what’s needed, bringing clarity, structure, and a steady hand to the parts of the business that matter most. She’s thoughtful and direct when she needs to be, always with warmth and often with a plate of something homemade.

    She carries a quiet confidence that people trust, and a generosity that’s felt in everything she does. We’re grateful for her every day.

  • A man holding a large brown paper shopping bag with a circular logo, standing next to a window with a view of trees outside.

    Patrick

    SUPPORT, OPERATIONS & THE BACKBONE

    Patrick has been behind every step of this journey.

    Since retiring, he’s brought a steady presence to both our home and the shop; supporting, grounding, and quietly making sure everything holds together. He’s dependable in a way that’s rare, showing up not just when it’s easy, but when it matters most.

    He’s also a deeply devoted father, always present and always there; something both our family and community recognize.

    He’s at the heart of it all, whether he’d say so or not.

  • A woman with curly red hair wearing a light-colored shirt and a plaid skirt is standing outside in front of a gray door, holding a woven brown handbag. There are purple flowers and green plants in pots nearby.

    Isabelle

    SHOP SUPPORT & CREATIVE EYE

    Isabelle is in her final year of school and brings a natural creativity to everything she does.

    She’s always making; be it drawing, painting, candle creating, or reworking vintage jewelry into something new. She’s currently developing original art pieces for the shop, along with a line of purse adornments made from vintage finds.

    She picks things up quickly, has a strong sense of style, and understands the pieces in the shop beyond the surface. She brings a lightness and ease that makes her a joy to have here.