House Crashing
House Crashing: A Dreamy & Decadent Delight
We’re super excited to share the latest casa we crashed, camera in hand. In fact, we couldn’t stop snapping pictures of this lovely local home (which was actually featured in Domino magazine last summer!) and of course homeowner Katie Ukrop was a fabulous hostess. Oh look, here she is now to show us around.
Katie is somewhat of a local celeb here in Richmond. She owns a fabulous gallery called Quirk (that we toured here) and is such a super nice person that it’s no surprise that everyone in Richmond knows and loves her. But on with the tour. Her entryway is grand and welcoming, with painted floors that continue throughout the entire first floor (although the pattern and tones change from room to room). Her old wood floors were a bit worse for wear so she left town for a few days and had them sanded and painted while she was gone. The details were left up to Sunny Goode, a local artist with a penchant for floor stencils (we toured her shop here). So Katie returned home wondering what floor decor would await- and let’s just say she wasn’t disappointed.
Here’s another shot of that fabulous stenciled floor, along with her delicate and airy furnishings (which hail from specialty shops and mainstream stores like Storehouse and West Elm alike). Of course the gorgeous marble fireplace and lofty ceilings add to the dreamy feeling that Katie captures oh so well.
And the gorgeous bay window doesn’t hurt either.
Just beyond the living room is a posh little sitting room with built in bookcases and yet another fireplace. We absolutely adore everything from the brilliant Oly light fixture, those fantastic pocket doors, and of course that amazing painted border on the adjoined dining room floor.
Katie adores soothing symmetry, and in this room she cleverly balanced the radiator under the left window with a parson’s desk from West Elm under the right window to create eye-pleasing balance and a functional place to pay bills. And who can miss that ethereal blue bird painting above the fire. Not only does it bring out the lovely painted floors (which happen to be blue in this room) but it’s also a piece from her gallery, Quirk, which has loads of amazing paintings, drawings, jewelry and more.
Part of what makes Katie’s home so soft and welcoming is her muted palette and her feminine touches. Delicate pink linen pillows and loads of glossy white keep things feeling serene while punches of brighter pink (like the fabric on the ottoman) and quirky accessories (like the ceramic deer head on the wall) add pops of personality and fun.
Another thing that keeps Katie’s home feeling fresh and fabulous is her mix of furnishings and materials. From an old ornate chandelier to a shiny lacquered dining table, Katie likes sleek as much as antique and she mixes the two flawlessly.
Just beyond the dining room is a cheerful and über functional kitchen. Simple white cabinetry with a beadboard backsplash keeps things feeling open while miles of built-ins ensure order and organization- even with two growing children and a hubby living under the same roof. And how adorable are those pink mixer prints framed and hung on the backsplash- they’re yet another score from her gallery Quirk.
And we love Katie’s penchant for white ceramic collectibles. They can be found in almost every room of the house. She likes to group similar objects on windowsills and side tables, and you can never go wrong with a smorgasbord of white pottery on a handy shelf above the cooktop.
Yeah, we weren’t kidding when we said Katie’s kitchen had built-ins. It was impossible not to drool over all the places to stash stuff in her super functional and fabulous kitch. And is that cut-out chandelier not to die for or what?
Beyond the kitchen is a sweet little sunroom full of more white built-ins and accessories along with some pops of green thanks to good ol’ Mother Nature. And Charlie, her adorable pooch has no problem lounging around on his hot pink floor pillow atop those dreamy blue floors. We imagine he pretends to be the captain of some fabulous pink ship sailing the seven seas.
And for one last touch of soft blue in the space, Katie painted and distressed this hutch to complement those soothing blue floors and filled it with another casual collection of mixed and matched white pottery.
So folks, what did you think of adorable Katie’s home? Was it not everything you thought it would be and more? No wonder it was in Domino last summer, right? And isn’t it amazing that two kids and a dog can live so easily and seamlessly with such a soft palette? The whole house feels like a breath of fresh air. We can’t wait to hear what you guys think. And a big thank you goes out to Katie and her family for so graciously opening their doors to us (her children even took some pictures of me and John while we were taking pictures of their house). Oh and be sure to check out her gallery and maybe even stop by and meet her in the flesh!
House Crashing: The Tricked-Out Townhouse
We do our best to house crash a variety of homes, from the big and the beautiful to the cozy and quaint. This time we crashed a New Jersey townhouse that’s so inviting we’re certain none of the neighbors’ adjoined homes could even compare. It’s one thing to create a welcoming and warm home in a colonial on a hill, but it’s another thing entirely to decorate a space (on a dime no less) that has the same floor plan as everyone else on the block. And Heather & Christian really went the extra mile. Here’s the cute couple now, just itching to show us around. Let’s get tourin’!
When you step into Heather and Christian’s home, the open floor plan creates an expansive feeling, even when there’s not one square foot to spare. The kitchen is the first area on your right, separated from the dining space with a solid L shaped counter. Heather and Christian mimicked this delineation again in the living area by smartly separating that space from the dining room with the help of an L shaped sectional sofa, which maintains that open feeling thanks to the low profile which allows you to see straight through to the glass doors on the other side of the house.
But it didn’t always look this open. Here’s an old shot of their townhouse (with the previous owner’s furniture) BEFORE they knocked out the strange 3/4 wall dividing the dining area and the living space:
Taking down that oddly placed wall was the best thing Heather and Christian could have done for the space. Now there’s an uninterrupted view, and the flow is fabulous. And Heather and Christian took it down with their own two hands (along with a sledgehammer and a hand saw)!
Here’s a shot of their small but super efficient kitchen. The muted stained navy cabinets definitely add flair beyond builder white (which is what you’d expect in a townhouse) and everything from the pot rack to the wine rack makes the space feel functional and ready for some serious cooking (you gotta hang things where ya can in a small space, and Heather and Christians are seasoned pros).
And speaking of seasoned pros, nothing better demonstrates their orderly and functional style than these industrial Ikea shelves, mounted vertically to facilitate storage and easy access in a space that might otherwise go wasted.
The dining area is a simple table for six. But for gatherings with more than six people, the three stools at the nearby counter (see fourth picture) allow for a total of nine who can chat and grub in the dining room- which is no small feat for such a compact space!
Here’s their cozy and welcoming sectional with a few hits of pale blue and chocolate brown, two of Heather’s favorite accent colors (which also reappear in the rug). Not only does this enormous couch make throwing an annual Superbowl party no sweat, it also comfortably sleeps at least two people in a pinch. Multitasking never looked so good.
And when it comes to art, Heather and Christian love to personalize their space. From photos (hung from a rod in modular frames from Red Envelope) to a framed collection of Vegas poker chips, this space is decked out with momentos that really mean something.
Here’s another smart and simple way to carve out a little “moment” in an area that otherwise would go wasted. Heather hung this big square mirror directly over a fuse box to hide the eyesore (while keeping it completely available should they ever need access). Of course mirrors are the number one way to enlarge a space and keep light bouncing around, so choosing a mirror instead of a big piece of art was a great call.
Heather actually found the inspiration for her moody navy bathroom in a luxurious hotel powder room that she fell in love with years ago. She vowed to someday paint her bathroom a rich navy, and finally got the chance when they purchased their townhouse in 2005. Voila- the previously unremarkable little “builder” bathroom was totally transformed for under $20! And the navy tone in here mimics the stained navy cabinets in the kitchen for a subtle cohesion throughout the entire house.
Never ones to keep things dark for long, Heather and Christan lightened things up in their cozy master bedroom upstairs. A plush oversized bed creates a definite haven after a long day, and a soothing pale blue-green on the walls feels airy and serene- like a day at the beach.
And so ends the tour of Heather and Christian’s personalized little townhouse full of space saving tips and tricks. Stay tuned for more house crashing adventures- you never know where we’ll pop up next…
House Crashing: A Traditional Tudor
We figured a tour of my mom’s house was well overdue. Especially since we were stopping through on a recent whirlwind Thanksgiving tour. When in Rome- er, Manhasset, NY…
My mom has always had pretty formal and traditional tastes, which aren’t exactly indicative of our home’s style, but they’re definitely something that we can appreciate and admire. My mom’s an accomplished attorney and she works long and hard- so it’s no surprise that she puts time and effort into creating the haven that she and her hubby can settle into after a stressful day at the office. On with the tour!
Here’s their sweet four bedroom home (built in 1941) that they purchased ten years ago and made over from the ground up (sound familiar?). The gorgeous stone facade remained intact, but everything from the driveway (they repaved it and added a cool cobblestone medallion) to the landscaping (they planted shrubs and small trees of varying heights to mimic the roof line) was updated asap.
Here we are in the entryway. There are a variety of original cut glass and crystal chandeliers throughout the house (many of which mom obsessively cleans with a toothbrush to rid them of little dust bunnies that she swears multiply overnight). They ripped up lots of dated carpet and had the floors refinished to restore their glorious shine, and the arched doorways actually came with the house. Score!
My mom has many of her best ideas in the kitchen and the bathrooms, so forgive us from glossing over the formal living room in favor of detailing some of her more genius kitch & bath decisions. They completely gutted their spacious (but crumbling) kitchen and chose neutral toned travertine for the floors and the backsplash along with dark oak cabinets and timeless black flecked granite counters. And ever the entertainer, of course my mom has two coffee pots going at all times. How cute is that?
Her sink was the very first undermount that I ever laid eyes on (ten years ago!) and her glass cooktop was also the talk of the neighborhood. And of course her varied backsplash tiles are always a hit (the lighter ones showcase three dimensional kitchen related things- like pears). I love that she took a risk by adding some interest instead of clinging to the neutral travertine concept (something we probably would have done out of fear). Oh and another one of her super creative ideas was to line the windowsill with matching granite for easy wipe-age above the sink. It’s an added detail that’s both memorable and practical.
They even added an eating nook by bumping out the floor plan to accommodate a large table that they custom topped with the same granite that graces their kitchen cabinets. We love this idea for someone who’s reluctant to bring in more wood in a room full of oak cabinets. The stone keeps things gleaming and although it’s still matchy, it’s a lot less visually overwhelming than all the wood that already exists in the space. Go mom.
And to further demonstrate my mom’s design prowess, here’s a piece of furniture that she picked up ten years ago and had retrofitted as a bathroom sink. That’s right, it’s a little curvy antique table that she had topped with granite and fitted with a faucet and sink to create a custom piece that fits in perfectly with her classic traditional aesthetic. A few years later I saw the same idea in a bunch of decorating magazines, but I have to say that my mom was really ahead of the times. And it wasn’t only super creative, it was actually super cost effective since the original piece had a top that was water damaged, so it was deeply discounted.
Here’s the sunroom, full of light and a few masculine furnishings (many of my step dad’s bachelor pad leftovers). Last Thanksgiving as soon as I walked in the door my mom dragged me into the sunroom to show me the valances that she painstakingly hung all around the room to “properly dress the windows after ten years”. Now I’m not exactly a valance lover (I often challenge my mom to find them anywhere in a Pottery Barn or a Crate & Barrel catalog) so of course I tried to act enthusiastic but mom can read me like a book. I broke down and confessed that I’m not really a valance fan (for the 100th time) and she asked what I would have done. I explained that John and I just hung curtain panels in each corner of our sunroom and she immediately fell in love with the idea- but of course a year later she still hasn’t got around to it. Maybe next year John and I will surprise her with an installation…
Here’s the master bedroom, full of more light and yet another chandelier. I guess in some strange way mom’s style did rub off on us a bit. After all, we do have a chandelier in our bedroom, albeit a slightly more modern one from West Elm. This pink chandy was actually our old house’s dining room fixture, but mom loved it so much she took it with her. And I have to admit that a pale pink chandelier is pretty darn romantic in an otherwise gender-neutral bedroom. Love it.
And again mom proves she’s the shiznit when it comes to bathroom design. She found another piece of furniture (this time a dresser) and had it topped with granite and converted into a truly stunning double sink (with generous storage space and style to spare). She also opted to hang two matching mirrors (one above each sink) to subtly delineate each person’s “station” instead of using a more predictable single mirror above the entire piece. And although you may not hanker for two of these gilded babies, this idea can be easily adapted to work with any style (from modern to rustic and everywhere in between).
Here’s the back patio (accessible from both the expanded kitchen and the man cave- er, sunroom. We love how mom not only created a patio with cobblestone pavers, but had the crew build up walls wired for lanterns and topped with limestone which add oodles of ambiance for parties alfresco. Of course mom complains that if she had it all to do again she would have made the whole thing bigger (did we mention she loves to entertain?). But when you stop to consider that she recently hosted a 50 person party out there (with success!) we think it’s juuuust fine. We also love that screen of evergreens that she planted just five years ago (they used to be 6 feet tall) to gracefully add the perfect amount of privacy without feeling closed in.
So there you have it. My lovely mom’s lovely home. And to put a face to a house, here’s my clever mom and her debonair hubs at our wedding (along with my dashing other half and his wonderful mom and dad). Oh the memories.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this classic and traditional house crashing fest. My mom is truly one of the most creative lawyers people I’ve ever met, so I hope that some of her ideas have inspired you. She has definitely had a huge influence on me, and even though her formal & traditional aesthetic didn’t exactly rub off on me, her love of design and home spiffing certainly did. Love ya momma… thanks for the tour!
House Crashing: A Modern Masterpiece
We got to talking with Erik Johnson, the photographer for DIY who shot our house last month, and it turns out he lives about two hours north of us just outside DC. Well not only is he a fantastic photographer, he has a pretty amazing eye for design himself- we nearly lost it when he passed us his iPhone full of pictures of his gorgeous home. And since we’re all about show and tell, we decided to share the wealth and pass the eye candy along to you guys too. Let the swoonfest begin:
Nestled in Alexandria, Virginia, Erik’s home is one of many Charles Goodman designed homes in the Hollin Hills neighborhood. Built in the 40s, this fantastic architectural feat is surrounded by native plantings and grasses for some seriously fab curb appeal.
Many of his furnishings are thrift store scores and even Craigslist finds- like this sleek Crate & Barrel couch!
His kitchen is simple and utilitarian, but loaded with swanky upgrades like a top of the line stove and fridge.
Descend the floating wood stairs and you’ll find yourself in a cozy little “library” of sorts filled with more second hand finds.
One of the truly amazing things about the house’s design are all the mondo windows that wash every room with a generous dose of natural light. Gorge.
Aren’t Erik’s pictures (and his home) fantastic? We can hardly wait to see how his shots of our humble abode came out! Stay tuned…
