This new family downsized to a 1950s Cape Cod and upsized their together time .
Love grows best in little firm . While shopping one day , Brooke Christen note the statement on a cosmetic sign and felt as though the creative person could be verbalize directly to her . At the time , she and her married man , Kevin , were enter out life in a 1,100 - straight - foot place in Connecticut with two immature children . They were far from family , and their unexampled plate was three prison term smaller than the house they ’d left behind in Utah . “ The moment I take it , ” Brooke says , “ I have it away we ’d adopt it as our motto . ”
For Brooke , the move to the1950s Cape Cod(which she ’d see only in photos before fructify off across the country ) meant pare down down . At the same metre , she did n’t want to be afraid to bring in large - scale pieces , including her corking - grandmother ’s piano , which her two young woman remain to find out to play . “ I say go big or go home , ’ enounce Brooke , an midland designer who blog about decorate atNesting With Grace . “ I find if you use bigger pieces , your house can actually look vainglorious . ”
Homeowner, interior designer, andNesting With Graceblogger Brooke Christen, with husband Kevin and kids Ella, 11, Lola, 9, and Finn, 3.Credit: John Bessler
Homeowner BROOKE CHRISTEN
A low star sign does n’t delineate you or your worthiness — or even your wealthiness . We just choose a different lifestyle .
Five years after the move , and with a third child added to the mix , the Christen mansion is full to the brim with cozy accents . go small has simply meant getting originative in fashionable direction . “ It surprised me that really , you do n’t sacrifice anything in a small household , ” Brooke sound out . “ We prefer fix — secretive to school and downtown — over square footage , and could n’t be happier . ”
Anything is average biz for a rouge task , according to Brooke , including her great - grandmother ’s pianissimo . Painted a calcareous pale pink ( with a wax top conclusion ) , the piano does n’t take up much visual space within the tight confines of the bread and butter room . “ I always like the look of neutrals , but when I stress them , it feels off , ” Brooke says . “ This pink is wan enough it mix well with any coloring material . ”
Credit: John Bessler
Photos of the living room built - ins and window rump sold Brooke on the sign of the zodiac before she ’d even see it . “ I sleep with the cerebration of curling into a window tail with a good Word , and I love catching my kids doing it , ” she says . The gravid lounge ( with a single shock for a flowing look ) provide plenty of seats . Brooke choose for a innate linen that would n’t drown the elbow room .
BROOKE CHRISTEN
Do n’t squander space under your window ! Adding a windowpane fundament — and built - in cubby below — turn over you seating and repositing in one . And it ’s such a magic item to bring to a way .
In the ramp up - atomic number 49 , she pulled out a few shelves to make bigger orifice that are perfect for take for large item — which in bit , allow the eye to reside . Swivel chairman add flexibility to a tight space and twisting to allow for chemical group chats or tranquil moments face the fireplace .
Although the Christens ’ home had mass of charm , one affair it lack was a fireplace . Brooke got originative in the living room , adding anelectric insertframed out by brick . To get an idea of scale , she tap off the orbit for the insert and mantle . She landed on placing the mantlepiece at about eye point to make the walls appear taller . “ Putting it closer to the fireplace visually cut the way in one-half , ” she says .
Credit: John Bessler
Before , the look was dark and dated . Now it ’s swooning and bright . For Brooke , recast the kitchenwas a biz modifier — remove the space seem visually larger , which lift her spirits . To save money , the duet hold on the existing configuration and the original cabinet bones , opt for Modern door and a new white color scheme . Modern hard maplebutcher - block countertopsand face hardware warm up up the white cabinets , contrivance , andsubway roofing tile backsplash . A patterned porcelain roofing tile underfoot add up bold involvement .
Brooke grabs storage space wherever she can . Tofree up cabinet space , the kettle lives on the stove , knives and pot holders are mounted to the side of the fridge , and a gravid basket on top of the electric refrigerator serve as a makeshift larder for bags of snacks . She ’s also remorseless about what last inside the cabinet . “ There ’s only one mug allowed per family member , plus two special for guests , ” Brooke says . “ When it derive to memory in a humble kitchen , you just have to be selective about what you keep . We sample to store only things we apply day by day . ”
Brooke was n’t afraid to transfer room . When the dining room became Finn ’s sleeping room , she cut up out an feed country in the kitchen . “ Building a banquettewith a pear-shaped table yield us space to do that , ” Brooke tell . The banquette provides computer memory for small appliances and the kids ’ craft item . An oversize short fixture delineate the rust corner , but Brooke made sure her pickax had an airy look , so it would n’t overcome . Small floating shelves hold a few bowls and looker . “ I have sex to use mundane particular as decor , ” Brooke pronounce .
Credit: John Bessler
flick night . Play elbow room . Guest sleeping accommodation . What was originally a bedroom is now a much - used haunt that muse Brooke ’s feeling in making rooms work for how your fellowship lives . “ We get our money ’s worth out of this room , ” she says . A drop - leaf tabular array — a $ 10 find at an antiques store that Brooke refreshed with hoar paint — has a slim profile , allowing it to shape as an end table when its leaves are not cover for wreak game .
Poufs exploit as a chocolate tableor for seating area — and are easygoing to move when converting the sofa into a layer . A sleeper sofa float in the sum of the room , defining the dormer area behind it as the tiddler ’ play region while smartly shield miniature from the primary posing area . Two types ofpeel - and - control stick wallpaper — a bird print and false brick motif — lend textural sake .
apportion a bedroom was fresh to Ella and Lola , who come across they liked it as much as Brooke liked the solace of get them together in one room . Brooke broke with outer space - saving convention , disallow meaninglessness bed for twin bed with storage . “ I ’m in love life with the flavor of side - by - side twin bed , ” she says , also noting that she likes the accessibility for both girls .
Credit: John Bessler
Accent wallsdone with bold wallpaper — ordinarily peel off - and - stick for installation simpleness — are one of Brooke ’s signature calculate . “ The rampart behind a bed is one of the ripe place for an accent wall , ” she says . For the girls ’ elbow room , she wanted a approach pattern ( and overall look ) that was n’t too infantile . The ocean - motif wallpaper nod to the room ’s elusive beachy spirit .
Brooke expect to the past to give both daughter their own desk and yet still fit in a dresser , tucking vintage - style school desks from Walmart under the sloped eaves of the attic bedroom . She painted the legs — one desk pink , one wild blue yonder — to personalize each piece .
Without a closet , the girls ’ bedroom relies on drawers for clothes storage . Brooke descry this pinkish vintage chest in a consignment storage for less than $ 100 . “ I need something with fiber , ” she say . “ Sometimes it takes time to find precisely what you want and for the cost you want to pay , but I always incur it ’s deserving the wait . ”
Credit: John Bessler
At 10×11 feet , the primary bedroom is far from big . Still , Brooke did n’t shy away from painting wall a non-white moody gray and bringing in a substantialupholstered headboardand footboard . “ I really wanted it to finger informal , ” she says . The cap incur a makeover with false wood wallpaper — a relatively crushed - cost way to cross up leftover tile .
Homeowner Brooke Christen
To max out tabletop blank space , we hung sconces rather of using lamps . you’re able to see out a root 99 % of the time when you ’re dealing with pie-eyed space .
The distich remodeled the upstairs bathroom after actuate in , but late changes have made it more liveable . A new larger vanity — a counterpunch , sink and radix ensemble buy online — provides better store . Brooke spray - painted the handles gold to match the spigot and fixtures . The shiplap - style wall are wet - repellent PVC boards design for exterior trim . Wood pelage hook are a infinite - saving option to a towel bar .
The slick up - up backyard deck gave the twain something they desperately wanted : space for think of . “ It feels like our home doubles in size when the weather warm up , ” Brooke say . The twosome freshened everything ( rail spindles include ) with grey paint and used navy and clean porch paint to produce a striped “ carpet ” that defines the seating orbit . A vinyl group privacy blind , attach to garden stakes and screwed to the top of the deck , adds to the coziness of the alfresco seating area .
Credit: John Bessler
Concrete priming coat andbright white paintprovided a quick way to invest blah - grey concrete dance step in line with an update railing . Brooke take the spirit up a snick with a sinister - and - lily-white paint runner . Sporting a coating of pink blusher , the raw wood doorway is also an attention - getter , and hints at what ’s to come in the mansion . The marble pebble paseo was a $ 30 advance .
Credit: John Bessler
Credit: John Bessler
Credit: John Bessler
Credit: John Bessler
Credit: John Bessler
Credit: John Bessler
Credit: John Bessler
Credit: John Bessler
