apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time


House Call: Violetmarsh's Colorful Collection
Manchester, New Hampshire

1-7-violetmarsh-call.jpg

Name: violetmarsh
Location: Manchester, New Hampshire

I think my apt is creatively and thoughtfully decorated with beloved items I have collected from around the world. Much of the furniture has been picked up from street corners in Boston and New York and refinished by hand. My style is colorful & textural, modern & feminine. The colors are vivid and energized but the overall feeling is very soft and peaceful. I am into the tactility of things — the shag rug in the living room, the kitchen utensils hanging in the kitchen, the downy duvet cover on my bed. The structure of the apartment itself is nice too. It's in one of the first Victorian estates built on the west side of Manchester and has curved walls in all rooms, a turret, built in book cases and glass hutches and beautiful hard wood floors.

 
 

Thanks violetmarsh!

Tags

House Tours, House Call

Related Links

Share

Comments (50)

Ooh, pretty! More!

posted by gswiszcza on January 7th 2009 at 12:00pm
view gswiszcza's profile

very cute!

posted by jenny! on January 7th 2009 at 12:07pm
view jenny!'s profile

love it! adorable!

posted by jessimarie33 on January 7th 2009 at 12:09pm
view jessimarie33's profile

I agree gswiszcza—more!

I'm really digging this place, there's a ton of simple, great ideas for "white wall" apartment renters everywhere to add some color, comfort and splash to their place.

Awesome job.

I also can't believe how much those Ikea curtains make the kitchen.

posted by mniche on January 7th 2009 at 12:11pm
view mniche's profile

*waving from Nashua* I love it! I used to live on the West Side myself. I miss the character of my old apartment, despite all of its other downfalls. Your place is gorgeous and you are lucky to be living in such a great old home that looks like it has been taken well care of.

posted by mizK on January 7th 2009 at 12:23pm
view mizK's profile

I never thought of ManchVegas as bright and cheery, but this most definitely is. Love it!

posted by momnipotent on January 7th 2009 at 12:33pm
view momnipotent's profile

Love it! So bright and cheery!

What is the creamy paint color in the living room? Love the contrast with the white trim...

posted by howswedeitis on January 7th 2009 at 12:49pm
view howswedeitis's profile

More, please. I love the colors and the way she's gathered it all and arranged it so well.

posted by racheloncegentry on January 7th 2009 at 1:18pm
view racheloncegentry's profile

Great place - love that coffee table

posted by bepsf on January 7th 2009 at 1:36pm
view bepsf's profile

House Tour, please. It's lovely!

posted by Lisa (Montreal) on January 7th 2009 at 1:42pm
view Lisa (Montreal)'s profile

Violet,

I love what you've done. Its clean, cheery, and welcoming. I also love seeing another ManchVegas resident represented. Maybe we need a NH- AT meetup!

posted by GirlInATower on January 7th 2009 at 2:06pm
view GirlInATower's profile

I agree, and I especially love the Ikea curtains in the kitchen. Makes me want to get them!

posted by auburny on January 7th 2009 at 2:09pm
view auburny's profile

Wonderful!

posted by whytephoenix on January 7th 2009 at 3:03pm
view whytephoenix's profile

beautiful violetmarsh! On this dreary, icy day, you have picked me up with your colors (especially the use of bold pink), and light, textural, eclectic style. I also love your photography and the angles. You have a great eye. Thanks SO much for sharing!!

posted by j9brennan on January 7th 2009 at 3:03pm
view j9brennan's profile

Oh, one more thing I wanted to mention was that I love how you used height in your decor. My eye was constantly drawn upwards in all of your rooms, with your creative use of lighting, (several different kinds, including the fun upside-down parasol and hanging string lights, and with your curtains and branch sculpture. Ok, I really need to get back to work now :)

posted by j9brennan on January 7th 2009 at 3:13pm
view j9brennan's profile

I love this so much it makes my heart want to bust!

posted by HeatherAB on January 7th 2009 at 4:34pm
view HeatherAB's profile

oooooh i love this. love how bright it is. the perfect combination of pretty, feminine, chic and eclectic. definitely worthy of a house tour - would love to see more pics and read more details.

very lovely!

posted by kiwi on January 7th 2009 at 5:53pm
view kiwi's profile

Very nice!

posted by martigny on January 7th 2009 at 5:56pm
view martigny's profile

Waving from Hollis! What a pretty, cheerful space!

posted by decor8Holly on January 8th 2009 at 2:14am
view decor8Holly's profile

How beautiful! This is just the kind of space I wish I could make out of my apartment... It's tough, though, with low ceilings, and carpeting everywhere to make such an open and free-moving space. Let's be friends so you can teach me everything you know!

Emily

posted by Emily Sneds on January 8th 2009 at 8:58am
view Emily Sneds's profile

I've never seen before a bed near the curved walls of a Victorian house. It looks like a princess day bed! Lovely.

posted by mihaela on January 8th 2009 at 10:14am
view mihaela's profile

Yes, I also love your bed and apt in general. We definitely need a house tour!

posted by EastVillageAmy on January 8th 2009 at 4:08pm
view EastVillageAmy's profile

love the sense of color, drama and romance!!!

posted by curvatura on January 9th 2009 at 11:40am
view curvatura's profile

Very pretty and romantic. Love the white, airy openness, and the beautiful use of color that livens it up. I am a scavenger and reviver of dead and injured furniture. I really appreciate all your hard work and talent that went into making this place fit together. Wonderful!

posted by housefulloffur on January 9th 2009 at 6:58pm
view housefulloffur's profile

loooove

posted by formosagirl on January 9th 2009 at 9:27pm
view formosagirl's profile

five pictures isn't cutting it. where's the full-out house tour? this is beautiful

posted by chambrey on January 10th 2009 at 9:21pm
view chambrey's profile

Beautiful. So open and airy.

posted by nene on January 11th 2009 at 12:40am
view nene's profile

I definitely want to see more of it ! It's a really, really lovely place, I love how you played with white and gave so much brightness to the rooms.
House Tour please !

posted by Green Martha on January 11th 2009 at 7:43am
view Green Martha's profile

Gorgeous! Another vote for a full house tour. Yes, really the thing to pick one up on a cold, January day… (I would love it in August, too!).

posted by BlueAholic on January 11th 2009 at 9:51am
view BlueAholic's profile

Wow..I would love to see more. Really well done. Such a feeling of warm and cozy is given off just in the photos, I am loving it.

posted by DawnMarie04 on January 11th 2009 at 6:36pm
view DawnMarie04's profile

One more vote for a house tour. Wonderful apartment and beautifully composed photographs.

posted by Bozotown on January 11th 2009 at 6:42pm
view Bozotown's profile

I would love to know what the wall paint is. It's hard to find an ivory white that contrasts enough with trim but doesn't have a peachy or muddy undertone. This looks so pretty with the yellow bed! I have a similar bed, so pretty. Also love the coffee table. Lovely!!!

posted by adanielo on January 12th 2009 at 10:30pm
view adanielo's profile

hello everyone- thank you so much for all of your lovely comments. the ikea curtains in the kitchen are a wonderful bargain at $60 a pair...and they are lined! the paint used throughout the house is star shine by behr. it's the perfect bright, just-barely-yellow, white. the natural light is wonderful- there are 10 windows throughout and the house sits on a corner on a hill with south west exposure. my plants love that. and thank you for the photo comments.. i am a photog, so i appreciate that. ;)

posted by violetmarsh on January 13th 2009 at 10:20am
view violetmarsh's profile

This house is positively a slice of heaven. Please, please, can you reveal the source of that wonderful whitewashed antique bed?

posted by medusa12120 on January 16th 2009 at 5:54pm
view medusa12120's profile

Another vote for a full house tour!

posted by PhillyLass on January 17th 2009 at 12:26pm
view PhillyLass's profile

Very pretty - I especially like the coffee table.

posted by martigny on January 20th 2009 at 3:53pm
view martigny's profile

puhleese, another vote for full house tour!

posted by sanriofreak on January 20th 2009 at 6:06pm
view sanriofreak's profile

hello again. the bed is from the concord antique gallery in concord, nh. there is a dealer who specializes in white-washed, aged furniture.

posted by violetmarsh on January 21st 2009 at 11:35am
view violetmarsh's profile

I LOVE this! You have such unique and elegant taste- the architecture complements your choice in style perfectly! The white walls add to the sunshine in every room- thanks for sharing!

posted by Marie Provence on February 5th 2009 at 1:02pm
view Marie Provence's profile

ditto ... wonderful

posted by artbybabz on February 5th 2009 at 7:40pm
view artbybabz's profile

Wow!

posted by nikkibee on February 6th 2009 at 11:54am
view nikkibee's profile

Lovely!

posted by Cashew on February 17th 2009 at 12:03pm
view Cashew's profile

i luv all the bright colors!

posted by jenspann on February 20th 2009 at 7:27pm
view jenspann's profile

Effervescent use of colors. Love to see a confident and original personality reflected in the environment.

posted by click212 on February 21st 2009 at 11:31am
view click212's profile

aw, that's so cute!

kindly,
vintagedressblog.blogspot.com

posted by vintagedress on February 21st 2009 at 3:05pm
view vintagedress's profile

Lovely! A full tour is definitely needed. :-)

posted by cevec on February 22nd 2009 at 1:03pm
view cevec's profile

I feel so expansive, like a fresh breath, after seeing your home.

posted by easnyc on February 26th 2009 at 2:24pm
view easnyc's profile

lovely and dreamy

posted by danniehan on February 26th 2009 at 6:12pm
view danniehan's profile

so pretty and romantic, but yet crisp and contemporary at the same time. good job! :)

kindly,
vintagedress
http://www.vintagedress.etsy.com

posted by vintagedress on July 14th 2009 at 7:17am
view vintagedress's profile

This is very pretty! I'm not sure if there is a full tour, but I certainly wish there was!

posted by femininity on November 7th 2009 at 12:54pm
view femininity's profile