Name: Family of Three plus one adorable service dog
Location: Providence, Rhode Island
Size: 3000 square feet
Years lived in: 3 — owned
You get to see plenty of streamlined, minimalist spaces on Apartment Therapy. This isn't one of them. This is a home that feels more like a delightful, giant cabinet of curiosity. This place isn't shy about reflecting the stories, experiences and history of those who are lucky enough to live here.
Like most photo shoots, I'd scheduled a tight window of time to take the pictures. Little did I know, this is a home that insists on lingering. I was left craving to spend at least a few hours poking around the place, studying the cherished items sprinkled everywhere. Sure, some might grumble that there's too much stuff here, but not me. I celebrate the homeowners commitment to creating a home whose every nook reminds them of a life fully lived. Not to mention, the boldness of living in a densely adorned space with a large, energetic service dog and an equally energetic boy! (To learn more about how you can support the incredible work of service dogs, please click here.)
Here are a few of my other favorite elements: the boldly painted ceilings, especially the orange ceilinged office where each family member has a dedicated desk spot; the rare success of making diplomas and certificates look charming and inviting (as they do on the office bookshelves); the airy butterfly mobile in the foyer; the fact that the dog has a dedicated chaise lounge; and the dark-walled but bright-spirited dining room, especially those blue chairs!
Apartment Therapy Survey:
Our Style: Modern, organic, lived-in, does "cocooned in beloved clutter" count as a style?
Inspiration: Photography, typography, nature and local artists. My very active boy and how he functions in his space.
Favorite Element: I just love being surrounded by interesting things to look at or things that remind me of places I've been or things we've done.
Biggest Challenge: Editing, editing, editing!
What Friends Say: "It looks like you" or "It's colorful"
Biggest Embarrassment: Lack of editing...and the smell of hockey equipment and dog hair everywhere- thankfully you can't see that in photos!
Proudest DIY: Getting the mold off the shower caulking after watching multiple you tube videos and drowning in bleach. Also, learning to hang stuff on horsehair plaster without destroying the walls.
Biggest Indulgence: All of it, especially the womb chair. I drove several hours to the New Jersey DWR outlet sale to grab it.
Best Advice: Do what feels good....there is nothing better to coming home to a living space that is truly yours.
Dream Sources: Anthropologie, Room and Board, ABC Carpet and Home
Resources of Note:
PAINT & COLORS
- • Kitchen Sitting Area - Benjamin Moore: Philadelphia Cream
• Kitchen Overhead - Benjamin Moore: Luminous Days
• Kitchen Walls - Benjamin Moore: Dried Parsley and Golden Delicious
• Dining Room Walls - Benjamin Moore: Appalachian Brown
• Dining Room Ceiling - Benjamin Moore: Quiet Moments
• Office Walls - Benjamin Moore: Windham Cream
• Office Ceiling - Benjamin Moore: Calypso Orange
• Office Bookshelves - Benjamin Moore: Baby Fern
• Master Bedroom Walls and Ceiling - Benjamin Moore: Tranquility
• Son's Room Walls - Benjamin Moore: Pear Green
• Son's Room Ceilings - Benjamin Moore: Blue Spa
• Guest Room - C2: Bella Donna
LIVING ROOM
- • Knitted Green Poufs: CB2
• Womb Chair: Design Within Reach
• Sofa: Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams, Dexter in Soma Sunglow
• Shelves: Ikea
• Coffee Table: Salvaged wood table duo from Viva Terra
DINING ROOM
- • Shelving: Pier 1 Miso
• Wingback Chair: consignment
• Rug: Dash and Albert Stone Soup Cotton Woven
KITCHEN
- • Couch in sitting area: Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams, Clifton sofa in Cactus
• Barstools: Pier 1
MASTER BEDROOM
- • Raindrop Crystal Pendant: Shades of Light
• Bed: Monica Bed from Room and Board
• Dressers: Ikea Malm
SON'S BEDROOM
- • Bed: Room and Board Loft set with full size platform
GUEST ROOM
- • Daybed: Pottery Barn
Images: Kyle Freeman
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White Enamel Flatwa...
Providence Massachusetts? Really?
great house-love your use of colours esp. the bright orange ceiling-genius!!
i am also loving the clear orange shade in your son's room-where did you buy it? I am looking for something like it for my kitchen.
thanks :)
Providence, RI or Provincetown, MA?
I love the style of this house, really I do, and I covet every stick of furniture and light fixture in it! But some of the table-scapes do make me wonder if the residents have ever heard of this thing called "dust."
Lovely! Great colors.
Where are the southwest style rugs from?
Haha I was pretty confused there (I guess I still am): where the hell is this house?
Love it! Love it! It looks lived in, welcoming, homey, lovely and loved. Great job!!
These are same curiosities seen in 90 percent of the house tours here.
I enjoy the ikea mixed with the high design, no fear of colour, people live here!
Lovelovelove. Love. I especially love the entry way, and the dining room, and the dog.
This is a lovely house! I especially like the paint choices and the profusion of art.
Great use of color. Love the feng shui solution of having the green curtains covering the windows behind the bed head (but not particularly fond of the leather sofa at the foot of the bed).
Where is this place?
Love the daring ceilings!
Dang that's nice!
about the butterfly light fixture....what *are* the details, exactly?
Love all those arched doorways!
I don't see how it qualifies as a "cabinet of curiousities," but it's a nice house. Sweet dog, too.
I'm intrigued by the hallway. What is the super-pale gold-yellow paint in that area? And is there some electric lighting toward the top of the hallway walls? Or is that glow just a trick of the natural light or something else?
Here's a similar butterfly mobile on Ebay:
http://compare.ebay.com/like/290499594295?ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&rvr_id=173402401005&crlp=1_263602_304662&UA=%3F*S%3F&GUID=c09502c212b0a0a9f6a5dbf5ffc6f4d2&itemid=290499594295&ff4=263602_304662
Wow! Love the bold use of color throughout!
This hands down the best house tour I have ever seen on Apartment Therapy. Your color choice is amazing!
love it! and not just cuz the owners said their home smells like a hockey locker room (as does mine it seems sometimes!)
i absolutely must know about the wonderful art in the office (?) - "all i need is a cape and a tiara..." it's fantastic!
i NEED the colorful striped rug in the LR. where is it from???? and the MBR pillows. please tell me i can get them, too....? i have the same DR chairs - in white - and this makes me regret i didn't go bold.
Providence is in Rhode Island and is a great city-the Charleston of the north-wonderful houses and residential neighborhoods. The house is nice enough but some editing and rearranging would make it nicer.
Fabulous house. I'd would love to know your tips on hanging things on plaster walls
The color in the dining room is fantastic...!
i second that... i love the contrast of that dark slate with the bright blue chairs! i want to come over and drink too much wine in there! also, the crows! :)
I love the piece that says "I am fairly certain that given a cape and a nice tiara, I could save the world." Who did it?
love the shelves in the dining room
Very very nice!
How fun! I love the dining room. Where are the green curtains in in the bedroom from? I want them!
I LOVE those blue chairs and the arched door ways! Looks like a great place to live. Great job!!!
What are the dining chairs called & where do i find them? I want them in white and swivel if possible.
Those chairs look like Herman Miller Eames... I cant see the legs very well. I'm not sure if the come in a swivel version but try Room and Board or smartfurniture.com I love those chairs I think I may order them for my dining room myself but I like the side chair version
Any one know who makes the white fan in the office??
Wow! Best use of color, ever!!
What a fun house! I'm liking it-a lot!
Where did the entrway mirror come from? I love the sunburst!
Where are the table lamps in the entryway from? Love them.
I want the kitchen lights!
Love the large maps that are a clear hint to where the house is! ;-)
What wonderful colors. Especially the dining chairs with the dark wall are just perfect.
I love that you didn't hide all your crap for the Apt. therapy shoot. That's confidence! And more power to you for not editing, if that's not what makes you happy. I am in the process of moving and purging, and holy crap do I realize I have a lot of knick-knacks too. And I don't even like knick-knacks!
Adorable dog. Love the bedroom, love the kid's room. It all speaks of a busy, cozy, happy family life.
“cocooned in beloved clutter" - I might have to steal that. Great use of color, especially the bold ceiling in the office (although I don't love the green inside the shelves).
seeing this house tour validates our own eclectic living space! thanks for sharing!
thanks for all the great feedback, although I must say seeing the photos makes me want to go home and declutter :), and yes, dust
@ rudy123 - the shade in my son's room is from DWR and is the fly pendant
@amanda918 - most of the rugs are from Turkey which is where my in-laws live
@melissaM - the glow comes from uplighting built into the moldings in the entryway
@lulugirl - the rugs in LR are from Ikea and the pillows in MBR are from sale at a local store - no idea the brand or anything
@kd4300 - green curtains in MBR are IKEA
@debiggs - dining room chair are herman miller replicas I bought at local consignment - RI antiques mall- check DWR website for similar
@Pi - entryway mirror was bought at consignment store
@bemyescape - entryway lamps are vintage walmart :) with restoration hardware lampshades
VERY eclectic, yet just as well put together! Great job! I love the dining room, along with all of the bedrooms!
the artist for "I am fairly certain that given a cape and a nice tiara, I could save the world." please??? I love it!!!
Love the colours, and it feels so personal and lived in and welcoming, beautifully balanced.
Love this 'cabinet'!! I agree that it looks like people LIVE here... and I personally love that those people appear to feed their whims. Thats how a home should be.
The source for the "Cape & Tiara" canvas is:
www.curlygirldesign.com
artist: Leigh Standley
@curlygirl510 - thanks for posting the answer, I'm assuming by your tag name this is actually your artwork :) ...thank you for the inspiration!
Where is the dining table from? Thanks. This is a gorgeous house!
the dining table is from a big box furniture store in rhode island - I think Alperts, but we bought it for our first home over 10 years ago so I'm sure its not around anymore...
I love this house! The orange ceiling is great! I also love the child's room. Great job!
What a fun house tour! I live more minimalist so as to avoid daily dusting chores but I think it is great that oter people are not afraid to fill up their space!! This looks like a bright and cozy home to raise your son! Is the kitchen original to the house? Didn't see it in sources...love the cabinets!
very nice!
I actually really like the paper runner on they dining table... is it butcher paper? It's very elegant but still casual and not too fussy!
I want to live here.
I lOVE the artwork above your son's bed. Where did you get it????
Where did you get the dining chairs? LOVE them!!!!
@yup - the artwork in my son's room is actually IKEA (current)
@ redlotus - the dining room chairs were bought at a local consignment shop but are herman miller and can be found on DWR website
@mediapig - Yes! that is white butcher paper on the dining room table - it's my favorite table dressing.
It has been a rare thing for our family to buy new except for mattresses and appliances. What I really love about your article is the endless list of things "found", by what ever avenue, and reused. I love the colors, inspiration and whimsy throughout your home...lovely, really just lovely!
I love that tall mirror with white cut outs to the left of the entrance door. Looks like it might be a free standing closet. Could you please tell me where you got that? It's fantastic and perfect!
@JJH - yes that is a mirrored closet...I bought it at my good friend's consignment shop in North kingstown, rhode island - Re
I love love love this home. So delightful & warm and well lived in.
I am in love with all the playful color! Fantastic!
What a breath of fresh air! Love the colors, love the art, and the incredibly well-organized shelves of curiosities.
It's as though she used "inception" to see my dream house and then she created it! A couple things that POP out at me and scream, "Find me and buy me!" Blue chairs in the dining room. Green curtain in the master bedroom and the entire buffet table (with dishes and birds) in the dining room. Beautiful home!
Wow! Love the bold use of color throughout!
free standing closet