Name: Christine & Vijay Chitnis
Location: Providence, Rhode Island
Size: 1,684 square feet, 3 bedrooms
Years lived in: 1
The home of Providence writer, blogger, crafter and Fall Colors finalist, Christine Chitnis and her husband, Vijay, does resemble a typical New England farmhouse: it's over 100 years old and their fridge is filled with eggs freshly laid by the chickens that roam their backyard — the only thing missing is the rural setting.
The house is located right in Providence's east side and the colorful, yet refined, interior is filled with a sophisticated mix of treasures from their world travels and carefully refurbished thrift store finds.
We weren't surprised by Christine's incredible eye for mixing bright colors — her previous apartment deservedly came very close to winning the east coast division of our Fall Colors contest two years ago. Moving from that tiny 1-bedroom into a 3-bedroom house last year meant that they needed a lot more furniture and Christine rose to the challenge, repainting and reupholstering inexpensive vintage and found pieces to fill the space without blowing their budget.
Last spring brought some new additions to their family when they decided to take up urban chicken farming and their two hens have become their pride and joy. And yes, the neighbors love them: giving away a few backyard fresh eggs has been the perfect way to smooth relations. Christine chronicles her adventures in chicken wrangling, crafts, and her many other projects on her blog, Lavender and Limes.
Apartment Therapy Survey:
Our style: Midcentury, ethnic, colorful, eclectic
Inspiration: My travels, trips to flea markets, tear sheets from magazines (I keep a binder just for that purpose!), design blogs
My mom has a gorgeous sense of style, she is also extremely handy, and so whenever she is in town, she helps me with my latest DIY project. She really helped me pull the house together in the beginning. Since I was used to living in apartments and smaller spaces, she helped me understand how to work in a larger space.
Favorite Element: I love that our home was built in 1906. It has so much character, the kind of character that you just don’t find in new homes: intricate moldings, a random stained glass window, antiqued door handles, amazing built-ins
Biggest Challenge: As mentioned above, our house is over 100 years old. While it has been meticulously maintained, my husband and I joke that it is like owning a sinking ship. There is always something in need of our funds and attention!
What Friends Say: It’s so colorful and inviting, unique and tidy! I am an obsessive organizer, so they are always asking me for organizational tips!
Biggest Embarrassment: The backyard…it desperately needs some love and attention. That is our summer project this year!
Proudest DIY: Most of our furniture came from the side of the road or Salvation Army. Almost none of it cost more than $50. I sanded it all down, stained or painted it, spruced it up…all with my own two hands. I am very proud of that fact.
Biggest Indulgence: We hired painters! After painting two rooms by myself, I broke down and hired painters to finish the rest of the house. It was the best money I spent on our home!
Best advice: Allow your personality to come through in your home. And don’t be afraid to try new things…a bright color of paint, a funky vintage chandelier. If it doesn’t work, you can always try again!
Dream source: ABC Carpet & Home, Terrain at Styers, Anthropologie, local Providence shops; Butterfield, Arhaus
Resources of Note (furnishings, hardware, appliances & materials):
PAINT & COLORS
All of our paint is C2 LoVo paint from Adler’s Hardware.
- • The green in our entryway and hallway is Behr Grass Cloth (400D-5)
• The living room is Martha Stewart for Valspar Vintage Map (MS337)
• Our bedroom is Behr Tide Pools (480E-2)
• Our dining room is Ralph Lauren Atlantic Winter (TH01)
• The pinks used throughout the house are Martha Stewart for Valspar Flower Petal Pink (MS035) and Paris Pink (MS037)
HARDWARE
Original to the house and Anthropologie (for select door handles, drawer pulls and light plates)
FURNITURE
- • Craigslist, flea markets, Salvation Army, thrift stores.
• The only piece that I bought new was the shelving unit in the living room, which is from Arhaus.
• The desk and shelves in my studio are from IKEA.
ACCESSORIES
Everywhere and anywhere…everything that we have in our home has some sentimental value to it, so I don’t really pick accessories from stores, they kind of just show up in our home as gifts, flea market finds, travel souvenirs, hand-me-downs, etc.
LIGHTING
Most of the fixtures are original to the house, except the one in the dining room, which is from Terrain in Pennsylvania.
RUGS AND CARPETS
Many of our rugs are from our travels in Turkey, the jute rug in the living room is IKEA and the large rug in our dining room is a hand-me-down from my mom!
WINDOW TREATMENTS
All homemade! Whenever I go to NYC, I stock up on pretty fabric at Purl Soho. Most of our window treatment fabric is from there.
BEDS
Master bedroom frame: Crate and Barrel and linens: India, ABC Home and Carpet, homemade pillows, Guest Bedroom frame: Craigslist, linens from Anthropologie, Dwell, homemade quilt and pillows
ARTWORK
Most of my artwork is from friends, craft shows and Etsy. My favorite artist (I have two of her originals in my living room) is Janet Hill of Janet Hill Studio. We also have some original paintings from our travels in India and I treasure those!
FLOORING
All of the flooring in this house is original, hardwood flooring. We are so lucky because it has been meticulously maintained.
Thanks, Christine & Vijay!
Images: Sarah Rainwater
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YOur plants are beautiful, is it from all the light/windows or secret food recipe for them?
love all the colors and altho I am not a rug fan, just love the runner going up the stairs, the colors make it so inviting.
bravo for you getting painters, Ipainted my house and it nearly killed me.
Enjoyed your home so much, thanks for sharing!
Do think both hens should have been pictured and specifically named.
Beautiful home...and cute chicken! I love the wall colors you selected. I still can't bring myself to outsource the painting, despite my husband's pleas.
Really great use of color. I love the guest bedroom--you'd never kick me out.
That gossip bench is to die for. I must have it.
Unebelievable!!! I think your home is sooooooooooo beautiful. Thank you for letting us all in for a peek! How did you make that book that was hanging like a disco ball?
I love the sewing machine cover - I made one for my machine just like that!
I think you have my dream kitchen--turquoise and white and checkerboard and glass-front cabinets. And your plants do look amazingly happy. Just lovely all around. (And I admire your hubby for being willing to live with all that pink. Which rooms are the Paris pink? I have considered using that MS color myself.)
What a sweet sweet home, beautiful colors and your fabrics and layering is really charming. Very New England and fresh. I love the kitchen too.
This post made me laugh - it's like someone thousands of miles away is on the same wavelength as myself. My house is also over 100 years old and I've incorporated many bright colors, in fact some of the same colors. If you tell me your kitchen is Valspar's La Fonda Teal, I'll kneel over in disbelief. I could go on and on about how I'm also trying to have items from the Far East into my place (my father is Jordanian and I'm assuming your husband is East Asian) but I'll stop.
Your place is cute, it feels like a fun birthday party, bright and happy - especially nice on the gloomy winter days. I really like this, what you've done with the furniture and how you've accessorized. Would love to see some pics of the exterior!
Also, when I went to Lowes 2 weeks ago to get MS Paris Pink, they informed me, they are no longer carrying Martha Stewart but did a color match for me. Suffice to say, my living room looks fleshy and nothing like what's on the swatch. Also, Home Depot stopped carrying Ralph Lauren paint - I think this is the interior gods telling me to shell out $40 for Benjamin Moore paint.
Love it.
Wow, beautiful! The colors are so inspiring... the pink gossip bench is gorgeous and actually made me say "oh my god" out loud to myself... its like out of a dream...
Great colors. I like how uncluttered it is, but still filled with personality. Your studio space looks inspiring! I'd like to see what that dining room pendant looks like when it's lit up.
I couldn't help but look at those palms in the terra cotta pots in the entryway, and hope that they're not ruining your beautiful hardwood floors... terra cotta being porous and all.
But maybe you have some barrier in between that I couldn't see. Hope so!
Beautiful home!
This is so cute. I love how girly it is without being fussy or over the top, and I love the feeling of simplicity and airiness that this space has. It's not at all sparse, but it feels so open and happy, like a little seaside cottage. I feel like it's the sort of place where you'd be smiling all the time and just want to stay. I almost never choose pastels for my own space, but this is an inspiring example of how lovely they are when done right. I think that a bit of this simple, airy pastel-ness may be just what I need to brighten up my own space. Thanks for sharing your home, and for the lovely inspiration. Your house is lovely.
PS I think what gives your space such a fresh feel is that though the palette and accessories are girlish and whimsical, the lines of the furniture are pretty sleek. It's a very nice contrast!
the sewing machine cozy is so cute <3
I bet if you jumped back in time to 2005 and told the AT community that in five years we'd all be gushing about pastels, you'd be laughed off the website. How quickly things change.
It's a beautiful home, with just enough bold colour (like the stair carpet and the pink telephone table) to make the pastels work. It's a little girly for me, but I can still appreciate its appeal.
Lovely colors, even the pink. You mention nearly all the colors EXCEPT the kitchen blue. What is it? Right now I am considering Behr Sweet Rhapsody. But this seems awfully close to what I am envisioning.
Well, I wasn't on AT in 2005, but I never go with color trends, just what I like. And I usually like rich, saturated colors and darks; pastels never really appeal to me. What I liked about this home was that it made the pastels look great, which isn't something I usually think, and therefore seemed unexpected to me. I thought it was nice. :)
i absolutely love it but especially the cool dining room light.
I love the way you've used paler colours on the walls with accents of stronger colours in the hard and soft furnishings, it really does give a wonderfully warm-inspiring-dreamy effect (and I can't think of any other house tours I could have used those three adjectives about simultaneously). A job very well done :)
Anyone know who makes those fabolous elephant pillows in the first picture??
Really nice. Christine is one hard-working lady (with style) ... Really like color scheme and how Indian touches have been blended in nicely. Pink, as I understand, is the Indian color of hospitality so I think that fits perfectly.
By the way, really liked the green in last place - has stuck out in my mind for some time.
Love the colors, I'm about to paint our new house and I'm inspired--you have lighter colors while avoiding looking like an Easter egg. Where did you get the half stand mixer on the wall in the kitchen? Did you cut it in half yourself? I love it! I love the fabrics at Purl Soho also. Really need to get a sewing machine...
i think it's lovely, and some pieces are really great. however, i do believe it looks a little too much like a little girl's room. i would happily live in it on my own, but i think my husband would puke with all the cutesy stuff around him.
so much character and personality . . . your lovely home tells the story of who you are and features so many wonderful, unique details. You should be so proud of it!
LOVE the two chairs in the living room.
A delicious cup cake of a house, well done!
Wow, What a beautiful house. I assume that some of the fabric art work in the house might be Christine's work? I would love to find out where the pink chair attached with a table in the guest room is from.
This is stunning! Your eye for colour (Yes, I'm English) and design is amazing,
Can I ask two favours?
1) What variety of hens are your chicken babies? Their eggs are beautiful (I assume that was a home grown one in the picture)
2) Will you give us another tour when you have human babies as well? - I would love to see if you can keep jam (jelly) off those immaculate walls
Actually, three favours - if you decide not to have children, will you adopt me? - I promise I'll be good if I can sleep in that gorgeous guest room.
What a lovely home!
Courtachino - I've seen that elephant pattern on Raja napkins by Simrin. Christine must have made them into pillows herself!
Lovely home. I love the stairwell carpet too - please let us know where you found it. I am having such trouble finding a runner I like and yours is great!
Looks like such a happy home!
It looks like a really fun place to call home. Very personalized. Bright. Cheery. Unique. The green picture frame is just adorable. Great job making a house YOUR home!
Ditto on the carpet runner up the stairs. I just had a company come measure but turns out they just staple wall to wall carpet to the stairs. Would love more info on what you did and where you found the runner.
I love your house! That said, what color white did you use for your molding and white furniture?
Thank you.
Wow wow wow! Your house is amazing! I love all the living spaces. The entranceway is gorgeous (I am madly in love with the stair runner - looks like some of the missoni stuff) and your rugs are divine. I love the way you worked with colour in that area and your rug works with the whole area perfectly, which is something I really struggle with.
I am obsessed with rugs, but find them hard to mesh with my partner's style.
I agree with one of the previous comments that a few of the rooms are a bit too girly for my hubby to cope with, but it seems to balance out well with the living spaces and master b/room being less pink.
Just gorgeous, and the artwork in the dining room is to die for!!!!
not a fan of pastels but other than that, you have some great furniture peices.
Thank you everyone for your flattering comments! It has been so much fun to see the response to our humble little abode! I am going to try and answer all of your questions in this comment, but if there is something I don't address, just ask!
1. Everyone seems to love our runner, which is actually three Dash and Albert (dashandalbert.com) rugs put together. It was very affordable when priced out against actual runners, but I did hire someone to install it because with the three rugs, it was a bit tricky for me to tackle on my own. I chose the outdoor fabric for durability and easy-to-clean factor and it has held up so nicely. (http://www.dashandalbert.com/product/view/frog-indoor-outdoor--RDB134). If you are in Providence, RI, the adorable store, Frog and Toad, will special order any Dash and Albert rugs at no extra charge.
2. The book mobile hanging in my studio was a gift from artist Lisa Occhipinti (locchipinti.com).
3. I have no idea why my plants are so healthy...I have an indoor green thumb, and yet outdoors, my gardens are always a dud!
4. My two telephone benches were vintage finds...check out craigslist, there always seems to be a few floating around.
5. My sewing machine cover was a quick project, if you would like to make one, I posted a tutorial here (http://lavenderlimes.blogspot.com/2008/11/sewing-machine-cosy-tutorial.html)
6. My chickens are Aracauna, which are the type that lay blue-green eggs. I am totally and completely in love with them...they are fabulous, easy to care for pets!
7. The cut-in-half miixer was most definitely NOT a DIY project, I found it at the shop, The Red Barn in Holderness, NH (http://www.bbonline.com/nh/squamlakeinn/giftshop.html) but I am not sure who makes it.
8. The elephant pillows are actually Raj tea towels from Simrin that I made into pillows! (http://lavenderlimes.blogspot.com/2009/05/elephants-on-parade.html)
9. Paint: I can't remember which pink was used in which room (could that be a sign there is too much pink in my home?!?), sorry. Also, the one paint chip that I can't find it the turquoise of the kitchen, i will keep looking! Finally, I did not paint the moldings in most cases, so I am not sure the white that was used.
10. For those of you concerned for my husband's health and well-being while living in my girly wonderland, I will tell you...he loves it. He is Indian and LOVES bright colors. Also, he is totally hands off when it comes to the home, so it looks like the decision making power is in my hands...hahaha (evil laugh).
Whew...think that's it for now. Feel free to comment with any other questions!
Beautiful house!
Absolutely love it!! It feels so comfortable and happy.
I LOVE the colour and fabric choices through your home! What a lovely place to call home!
What a gorgeous home! Love love love it! One question....can you tell me where you purchased your kitchen faucet with sprayer?? I am looking for the exact model.
Thanks!
Can I move in with you? ....Please?
Lovely...I can't believe I missed this when it was first posted.