All over the west, it is the same story: small towns that were once the centre for farmers are abandoned as the rural population drops. Tyler Kilkenny's grandfather's general store was the centre of Broomhill, Manitoba. People travelled to his establishment every week to get mail, restock their cupboards and socialize with neighbours and friends.

Tyler returned to his grandfather's store, and to other buildings that were being demolished, to recover the tin cladding before it rots away completely.

"TinHouse Designs refurbishes and frames each piece of ceiling tin as a representation of late-1800s interior design. It depicts the simplicity of the art and metalwork of the era. The compliment of time makes each an authentic signature with its uniqueness and can make an exceptional addition to any home"

"Tyler has always had a passion for finding art in the ordinary so when he entered his grandfather’s deserted general store, he was overwhelmed with the potential. Born and raised in Russell, MB, he grew up seeing the old farm houses and businesses in the area grow empty and fall apart."

"Tyler realized that there are many people that would love to hold on to a piece of their rural history. He tried several ideas before settling on framed pieces of tin with the history researched and posted on the back."

We saw Tyler's work at the One of a Kind show and first thought it odd to put tin behind glass, but the framing and protecting of such a common thing as tin changed it and made it very special, a piece of history. ::Tin House Designs found at ::One of a Kind

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