For me, one of the most impressive things about this place is that you guys have managed to create an airy spacious feeling place that is not actually very large.
Well it's a duplex, which helps it feel almost like a house. We actually have a lot of wall space even though it is just two little rooms on top of each other. Also, Adam and I are pretty ruthless about getting rid of things. I would be a crazy collector if I had the space! As much as we want to save every toy and book and cute outfit of Ruby’s we just can’t. If something comes in that we love, something has to go that we love less.
Easier said than done. You guys are an inspiration. Maybe I’ll even clean out my office sometime soon... Let's start the tour out back in the garden. You are so lucky to have a bit of outdoor space to yourselves in the middle of the city!
I have to give all of the credit to my husband Adam for this one. We really wanted to replace the old rotting fence with something that would increase airflow since this back area is where we get most of our ventilation. We also wanted it to feel spacious despite its actually being so tiny and boxed in by all of these other fences. Adam designed and built the fence himself. The horizontal beams expand the feel of the space while allowing the air to come through even on those really humid summer days!
Everybody should have a husband that is so skilled with a hammer! Moving inside to the living room, I love how Ruby’s table looks next to your modern sophisticated couch.
Ha! Yes that’s Ruby’s little art desk. She sits down at it and announces that she has to do work. It’s really cute. I found the little wooden caddie that sits on top in the office furniture section at Ikea. It’s perfect for her pens and paints and she can keep paper and pads in there as well. The couch is the first big purchase we made as a married couple and it took us months to find one we both liked. We got it at Jensen Lewis, of all places. I had always had this dream of a light-colored couch, but Adam thought I was crazy. It was hard to let go of that wish, but in the end I’m really glad that we chose this moss green color. It washes easily and has inspired a lot of our other color choices as well. The ottoman replaced this great mid-century coffee table that was not at all kid-friendly. It has a wooden tray that you can put on top of it so it can work as a coffee table if you need a hard surface. It also folds out to become a twin-sized floor bed.
Who did the piece hanging above the couch?
Oh that’s my most prized piece of art. It’s by Kiki Smith. I worked for her for several years, and she gave it to me. I have a deer head on the brick wall opposite, so we actually have two deer staring at each other from across the room. They keep each other company.
Also opposite the couch you have this amazing wooden hutch. Where did you find it?
We searched for a long time for a piece that could function as toy storage, looked good with the rest of our furniture, and fit in that exact wall space. When we first found this at a small antique shop in our neighborhood, I wasn’t sure about it because it was covered with cheesy 70’s tchotchkes. But it looks great in our place, and those sliding doors hide all sorts of stuff.
You’ve got such great art. Who did the piece over the stairwell?
Oh that’s mine. I made it. I had a whole series of those images. I thought it would be perfect there because it’s nice and big, but mostly white. It doesn’t dominate the room but it gives some interest.
Another genius storage device! I also really like how the dining area table divides the space.
It’s just an old table that Adam has had for a while. It opens up, so we can turn it and actually have sit down dinners, which is great. It desperately needs to be sanded and refinished. We beat the hell out of it.
Ha! I desperately need to be sanded and refinished, too! Now that we are looking towards the kitchen, what is the prize hidden behind the green curtain?
Oh such a combination of stuff! It’s our coat closet, stroller storage, as well as a pantry. Oh and our microwave is in there ... you name it. When we moved in, that closet had these big sliding doors that kept falling off the track and were really crappy. I have yet to find the perfect fabric, but we thought a curtain was a better solution since we’re in and out of there so much.
I like the color of the curtain, especially in the same room as the bright red bench.
That bench is a piece of furniture designed for a kid’s room, actually. There are cubby holes underneath, so we found black containers to fit and now store all of Ruby’s art supplies down there. And it’s on wheels, so we can move it around easily if we need to.
Lets go downstairs now to you bedroom, which feels almost Japanese in it’s Zen-like simplicity. What’s on the floor?
The rug is just one of those simple sisal rugs from Crate & Barrel. It complements the wall that is covered in a textured grass wall covering. Our initial obsession was about maximizing light, since the downstairs is halfway below ground level. But then I realized that it was futile to fight the cave like reality of the space. Since it’s where we sleep, I decided to keep it kind of cool and dark and not try to artificially flood it with light. And I must say it’s worked out well. It tends to be cool in the summer (we never need AC!) and warm in the winter, which is really nice. We have also tried to keep the color uniform--sort of an off-white. It helps to make it look a bit bigger. We put in a large horizontal window when we built the wall to divide the space which lets in some light. And we fashioned even more storage at the top of the wall out of a crawl space that we had to leave open to make room for a pipe.
Another ingenious storage solution! All of the surfaces in my bedroom are piled high with books, mail, spare change and last week's clean laundry that have yet to make it to the drawer. I mean, this shelf looks like it should be in a museum.
Again, you just have to be super strict with how much you accumulate. I’m not entirely guilt free--I collect these pheasants, for example, because somebody once told me that my last name meant little pheasant in Italian. I don’t know if it’s true, but I like to think it is. It’s where I came up with the name for my blog.
Last but certainly not least, we come to Ruby’s room, which also feels expansive for such a small space.
Once she graduated to a real bed, we took her dresser out and now keep it in our bedroom to create a bit more space. The floor is covered with those heavy duty Flor tiles. We had originally wanted something really soft, so we put down this white woolly shag rug that shed like crazy and was impossible to clean. We ended up giving it to my brother and installing the more industrial stuff. You can always put a throw down if you want it to be softer or cozier.
And the wall hanging?
Oh that is a quilt we hung up to cover a door that is never used. I hand appliquéd the flowers and insects onto it. It’s the kind of thing you can do before the baby is born. I’m so glad I did it. I hope to keep it for a very long time.
I am really taken with the art that you have chosen for Ruby’s wall. It feels primitive, without being obviously for children.
Yes, these are two drawings I have had since long before Ruby was born. I bought them at a benefit for Artists Space (where I used to work.) They have a big event every year where you can buy all sorts of art that has been donated by mostly up and coming artists. It’s a great way to get some really good original work without breaking the bank. I’m hoping that Ruby will consider art to be something real and a regular part of her life.
Are those clouds floating around on her ceiling?Yes! We painted her ceiling ... I don’t know why I wanted to do that so badly, but I was really bent on making it happen. There was this voice inside of me saying “I must paint my child’s ceiling blue and there must also be clouds.” I suppose it was one of those late pregnancy moments. I also made those pennants for her out of origami paper.
I love those. It always feels like a party when you hang a string of pennants. You’ve done such a thoughtful job in creating a real home for your family. Are you planning on staying awhile?
We’re really happy to be where we are. We’ve got a studio in the area, and Ruby goes to a wonderful preschool. Plus I feel like the place has finally come together--it takes a bit to really make a space your own. You have to live in a place to really understand what will work and what won’t.
Exactly! Now you can concentrate on your work--and hanging out with Adam and Ruby. Thanks for letting us explore your place and for sharing so many decorating tricks!
Learn more about Denise and her work by visiting her website and her blog.
And check out all of our house tours.
