A portrait of the home they’ll never forget.
Original hand-painted home portraits from your photo — watercolour and pen & ink, by Don Sibley. Ships across Canada and the US.
Painted from a photograph, by hand.
Each one in pen & ink or watercolour, shipped matted across Canada and the US.
How it works
Share a photo
Send a clear photograph of the home — one establishing shot and one of the front door.
Don paints it by hand
Working in pen & ink or watercolour, Don creates the portrait from your photo over about 4–5 weeks.
Approve the scan
Near completion, Don sends a scan for your approval. Small adjustments can be made at this stage.
Shipped to you
Your finished portrait ships matted (or matted & framed) with a signed Certificate of Authenticity.
A closing gift they’ll actually keep.
A hand-painted portrait of the home you helped them buy or sell — the rare closing gift that stays on the wall instead of in a drawer, keeping your name in mind long after the keys change hands.
Forty years drawing the built world.
Sibley Home Portraits is the Canadian custom home portrait studio of artist Don Sibley, who has been hand-painting portraits of homes since 1983. Trained at Sheridan College in technical illustration — the exacting craft of rendering a building true, by hand — he has brought that precision to more than 500 original commissions.
Each portrait begins with your photograph and is painted entirely by hand in watercolour or pen and ink; the result is an original artwork, not a print and not AI-generated, matted, framed and ready to hang. Before the painting is finalized, Don sends you a scan to approve, so the piece that arrives is exactly the one you hoped for, signed, with a Certificate of Authenticity. Commissions start at $245 CAD, ship across Canada and duty-free to the United States, and are typically completed within 4–5 weeks.
In their own words.
Original portraits from $245 CAD.
See pricing & packages →Frequently asked questions.
What do you need from me?
One good establishing photo of the home, plus a detail shot of the front door. If a window or door is hidden by trees or shrubs, add a close-up of that too. After you place your order, email your photos to sibleyhomeportraits@gmail.com with your name in the subject line.
How long does it take?
About 4–5 weeks once your deposit and photos are received. Need it sooner? A rush option (+30%) may be available — ask first.
Can I see it before it’s finished?
Yes. Don sends a scan for your approval near completion. Small adjustments can be made then; once you approve, it’s final.
Framed or unframed?
Both, within Canada. Framed pieces use a gallery black wall frame with a double acid-free mat and a signed, dated Certificate of Authenticity on the back. All portraits ship with a white acid-free mat.
Do you ship to the US?
Yes. Because these are original hand-painted works of art, they ship to the US duty-free, with no tariffs or import fees on delivery.
How do I pay?
A 50% deposit begins your commission — Interac e-Transfer in Canada, or a secure card link for US/international. The balance is due after you approve the scan.
Are prints available?
Limited-edition giclée prints can be made — ask Don.
Can you turn a photo of my house into a painting?
Yes — that is exactly how every commission works. You send one good photo of the front of your home (a phone photo is fine). Don hand-paints directly from it in watercolour or pen and ink, producing an original artwork on archival paper. You approve a scan before the painting is finalized, so you always know what you're getting.
How much does a custom home portrait cost in Canada?
Sibley Home Portraits commissions start at $245 CAD for a pen and ink 8×10 (matted, unframed) and go up to $595 CAD for a watercolour 16×20 (matted and framed). A 50% deposit begins the commission; the balance is due after you approve the scan. Rush commissions (30% surcharge) may be available — ask first.