apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Hey! I have that same Oster blender.

Love the kitchen and lots of the little "finds." The front door is an eyesore, though! Maybe she just hasn't gotten to it yet?

love all of it, especially the kitchen... but wondering why there's no vent hood? i know you said you don't cook but how do your cooking guests get around that?

I actually groaned when i saw the kitchen... talk about house p0rn! Love the "legs" on the cabinets...

It's all very nice, especially the kitchen, but THE BLENDER, OH MY GOD! Love it!

the range is a jenn aire. they often have downdraft exhausts. and this one looks like it might have that (the middle grill section that runs the length of the stove between the two burner options). My parents have one like it.

lovely kitchen! i am really liking the upper cabinet/shelf combo. it seems like a nice proportion of upper cabinets to open shelving.

So charming! It really is like a country cottage, but urbane too.

I love the kitchen, don't get me wrong... but what about all those school house style lights everywhere? I have one in my kitchen above my sink. My guess is she was removing can lights and needed to fill the holes?

The is such a cute place, yes good comment about country cottage but urban!

I am wondering about having kitchen cabinets with legs and cleaning under them? I like the look but how about cleaning under them.

The green and white is so beautiful.

I love it! If anyone ever needs a series of pictures to define the term "comfy cozy" these would do it. I love the airiness and, really, the timelessness of the house. You could plop it down in almost any of our last 6 decades and it would fit in. The kitchen is fantastic!

am I the only one that thinks it's a little sloppy and unedited?

no, matchjames. you are not.

lovely in its own way, just not sure it's worth a full house tour on AT.

I like it. A comfy, cozy, LIVED IN home that the owner has honored by not gutting it and introducing jarring elements, as many would do. I especially love the old radiators. The kitchen is handsome but a bit too "fitted" for my personal taste. Otherwise, love it!

"sloppy and unedited" to some is comfortable and lived in to others. While some of you can't stand the fact that it looks like someone might live there, I'm in the camp that can't stand house tours that look straight out of a magazine...if I wanted that I'd buy a magazine, not come to AT.

The upstairs seems meticulously done. Aside from the kitchen, I can't say the same for the downstairs.

I love that it looks lived in and comfortable. If I wanted clean, spare and "edited" I would go to Dwell. This looks like a home.

This is allegedly a home design blog, isn't it? I expect a variety of different styles and "types" of interior decor, and I love that this is more cottagey and warm than most. In fact, it's a lot more my style than a lot of things here on AT. That said, I still think it's sloppy and unedited. Too much of anything is just that, too much. unframed art, piles of "stuff", I prefer to focus on a few standout pieces in a room than to have scan the whole place wondering where to land my eye.

I love the textures, layers and colors in this home. One of my favorites of recent tours. Thank you for the peak!

Those flush mounted lights in the kitchen make it look like a lighting store. I know they're "period correct" but in this case, recessed would have been less of an eyesore.

I agree w/ Matchjames -

Collections of tchotchkes on every available surface do not equal "homey" and "lived in" - it often just equals clutter.

I think the difficulty I have w/ this housetour lies in that the kitchen is of one asthetic: brand new, clean and relatively uncluttered - and with few exceptions, the rest of the place appears to be the opposite.

Love the kitchen, but I agree with matchjames -

I love a lived in look to a home but this looks like it could be her actual store as there's A LOT of antique and vintage stuff to look at. It's overkill and not restful to me.

I think the living room needs some work, but the rest of the house is stunning. Actually, the living room reminds me of my entire house and everything else is what I hope to achieve sooner than later!

Hi All. I appreciate all the banter and buzz about my home.

I thought I'd answer a few of your inquiries: Thanks erinalter for answering abby77. The range is a downdraft. I opted for that because adding a vent hood was more expensive, more complicated to install and took space away from cabinetry and shelving. Choosing a downdraft was a great solution.

Thanks for asking puck. I'm not fond of recessed lighting and went for fixtures instead to be more in keeping with the time period of the house. Part of the concept was to create a 20s style kitchen and integrate modern appliances. Each type of lighting in the kitchen can be turned on/off individually as well as dimmed leaving lots of cooking and entertaining options.

I love the legs of the cabinets too. I wanted the cabinets to be like furniture and create the illusion of being free-standing. To accommodate cleaning, we installed a recessed kick plate which is painted black and goes unnoticed unless you know it's there.

As for the front door...I agree and it's on the list of things to do.

I like the kitchen except for all those lights, which look messy and disturbing. No, recessed lights are not true to the period of the house, but if remaining true to the period of the house is the only objective, then maybe she should dispense with the stainless still fridge and get an icebox and ditch the dishwasher too!

i'm loving the bottles everywhere. it gives splashes of color and age.
wonderful

Karen, the black kickplate in the kitchen is brilliant. The only thing keeping me from getting kitchen cabinets with legs is the idea of cleaning under them. I had never thought of doing that.

Beautiful kitchen. I love those cabinets.

Awesome kitchen (I've always liked cabinets better than open shelving) with the exception of the ceiling fixtures, which are distracting. I'd also prefer recessed lighting, but am glad that period-specific details were used. Love the bathroom doors and transoms.

I'm not against 'stuff', but some editing would've improved how this place photographed. And some of the antiques seem superfluous to me, like all the seltzer bottles in the bedroom. The living room looks rather crowded with furniture, but maybe it's the angle of the photographs. I would've liked to have seen the lovely spareness of the dining room throughout the house.

I think for antique lovers this home is great. I like that with so much old things, the house is clean and doesn't look cluttered to me. I love the large light fixtures in the kitchen ( the little ones are too much).

The living room I would rearrange.
Put the brown seat where the tv is. Switch the tv to where that little white cabinet lies and most likely find a new place for the cabinet, or put it perhaps against a wall by the entrance?
This way you could see the fire place better and people sitting on the red couch wouldn't have to turn their head in an odd position to watch the tv.

The kitchen is great. The color combination feels soothing and homey. I wish the rest of the home, followed suit.

It is a typical home of a great collector of all things, leaving me mostly agreeing with matchjames and bepsf. While there are some really great collectibles that deserve being shown off, they mostly get lost amongst all that "stuff". Lived in? Yes...but a big yes to extreme clutter as well. I felt at times that I might as well have been in her vintage store rather than her home.

sally305, I'm with you. That black kickplate under the kitchen cabinets is genius, Karen!

cute as hell!

I agree with PaminBoston. The kitchen is great except for all those lights installed where the recessed lights would be. My eye was immediately drawn to them...and not in a good way.

I don't understand the complaints about it being "unedited." Some people (and it seems Karen is one) like to live with all their cool stuff instead of storing it or getting rid of it to focus on one sterile showpiece. This house seems richly layered to me, not cluttery.

That kitchen is utterly, enviously HUGE for hoboken. It's wonderful!

It's refreshing to see something with a completely different design aesthetic that exudes so much personality. I love this house tour - great rooms & great style. Nice to see something that looks so natural and effortless - I much prefer this to the sterility of the cloned hotel lobby look.

What's the name of the green paint used on the large chest/dresser in the bedroom? I LOVE IT. Benjiamin Moore? Also,

What a charming place even though it's definitely not my style at all, which leans more modern, but yet is eclectic as well.

That said, I do agree that a little judicious editing in how things get arranged might reduce the cluttery potential of the things within the place and I think the living room, while charming needs reworking in arrangement.

I would also agree that the smaller lights in the kitchen were overkill, if anything, add under cabinet lighting that while not period can blend into the home's aesthetic much better and provide the lighting needed for cooking if anything else.

Overall, a nice job, even if still a work in progress in places.

I ADORE this kitchen. Those are the exact type of cabinets I have been lusting after. The black kickplate is a brilliant solution to the dust/gunk accumulation under the cabs. Awesome job!

I would never call this sloppy and don't "edit" a thing! It has orderly, cool stuff.

I love this house. Is there a way to bookmark it so I can always find it for inspiration?

The only thing I would change is helping Karen get over her nail phobia. Karen your eye for art is really great and I'd like to see a little more on your walls!

Sensational, refreshing, inspiring.

I adore the grouped collections, especially the little alarm clocks.

The kitchen has the perfect color green on the walls and I love that glossy black floor. Can you provide some info on the kitchen paint and about the kitchen floor, please? Thanks.

Could you tell me about your shower? I'm about to launch into a bathroom in an old town house. I have removed the tub and will be installing a shower and was intrigued by the old-looking shower.

Karen, your home is beautiful ... thanks for sharing it with us. With your love for the search ... I imagine each piece lives in your home & has a story to tell! Love the actual house as well! Your use of color & texture in the kitchen is amazing.

Best of blessings to you with your new vintage business! It is great that your passions are part of your profession.

The kitchen photo drew me in. Beautiful. I had an uneasy feeling after viewing the rest. I have to agree with matchjames, needs editing. Not necessarily stashing things away but maybe like items together such as the clocks. Some fresh paint on the night stand? A more sensible placement of furniture? Lamps near chairs. The fabrics are beautiful. The layout of the space looks great too. Love the bottles on the transom windows. I am drawn to the same type of antiques also so I know how important it is to be able to see them. I think with the right placement you will enjoy them all the more. Thanks for listening to my opinion. Great place you have there. Good luck in your quest.

I could live in your kitchen!

and lovely couch, alarm clock and blender! I love your grey paint color and how you use your vintage finds without making the home look stuffed or cluttered.

my favorite piece I think is the painting of the long neck girl on your bedside table!

Hi All,
Thanks again for all the comments. In answer to the inquiries:

Kitchen - Credit for the recessed kick plate goes to my architect. ciddyguy- good point. The kitchen has under cabinet lighting as well. To see more photos of the kitchen, click on the architect link and go to: what we do/residential/Garden St. Glasgow Jewelbox- the paint color is Benjamin Moore, Pale Avocado and the floor is black granite that was existing, but the finish had been worn away. It’s the only thing remaining of the previous kitchen and I wasn’t too keen on it initially. But we took the approach that once the kitchen was renovated the floor would become a non entity and it would sort of drop away. It took some time, but I finally found someone who would re-hone it as well as the marble floors in the bathrooms. It so happens that they usually only do commercial jobs as residential ones are too small.

Living Room – TV is positioned on an angle in the corner that is least prominent but provides the best viewing vantage for all seating. Blanket chest under TV doubles as a filing cabinet for files I don’t need ready access. White cabinet houses CD player and CDs and has holes drilled in back for wires and allows speakers to be moved as needed. Suitcase under green chair holds books and toys for nieces and nephews. And I do need a better lamp by the black/brown chair. It’s on the list.

Master Bedroom – better home, no garden- the chest/cabinet is as I found it with its original paint as are most items in my home.

Bathroom – ciscogirl1- the shower is an old brass shower head and fixtures attached to a claw foot tub. They also were in the house. The height of the shower head is not conducive to standing so I removed the shower curtain surround and use it as a luxurious tub with shower feature.

General – lifeabundant- You are exactly right. Each piece does have a story to tell.

I deliberately haven't read any of the previous comments so excuse any duplication ... but I found the place lacked cohesiveness and unity, as if the occupant hadn't made up her mind what sort of ambience she was going for. If she wanted funky old school it felt a little too barren for that as if each piece existed in its own world with no connection to anything else in the room. Collections of similarly colored bottles might work in a very spare setting but seemed jarring here. I think the maps on the wall looked forlorn. The bedroom works best, I feel, maybe because the rugs help bring it all together.

I love the kitchen -- looks homey and welcoming. A nice place to spend time in. Love the shiney black floors.

But the living room and other cottagey rooms made me immediately think thrift shop. I found them drab and cluttered, as if nothing was planned, just collected from jaunts to weekend yard sales and antique shops and added to the room. I couldn't spend much time on this house tour.

I think I would prefer to come home to a fresher, more uplifting environment at the end of the day. I'd save grandma's house for the occasional visit.

Well I like it a lot. Well done.

I love the natural lighting and the colors you chose for the walls, and I love that everything isn't new. Also, this home reflects your personality in a nice way. I am drawn to old things.

It is a little too much stuff for me and a little bit "arranged" for my tastes. I would hate to have to clean it. But the older I get, the more of a minimalist I find myself becoming...

LOVE everything about your kitchen.

Your home is beautiful.

I also have an older home so many of our design styles are very similar to yours. I am jealous and love your bathroom doors. We were looking for one to replace the boring flat fake wood one but have been unsuccessful.

I did have one question about the ceiling fan in your living room...where did you get it? If you didn't get it, could you tell me what the model is? I think it would be perfect in my kitchen. Thanks!

what a lovely home in a lovely town. It looks like a lot of thought was put into it. Its also nice to see a completely different style of home than what we're used to seeing here.

I really like this home. It shows off her different collections in an organized way and doesn't appear too cluttered at all. The kitchen is fantastic and the vintage schoolhouse lights are great! The only thing the cozy bedroom needs is a nice piece of art on the wall over the bed.

Re: second bedroom, not main bedroom..

The kitchen is to die for - LOVE IT!

Is it really "About 1,150 square feet?" The house looks much bigger than 1,150 square feet. It would be helpful if we can see a floor plan of the house.
I think some of the photos are a bit too dark and we cannot see much of the detail in shadowy areas in the room.

Now *that's* a kitchen! And love the bathroom as well.
Also the cute touches - the throw pillows on the couch made from 1940's curtains? The globe in the kitchen... The soothing, pretty colors.

The 1st bedroom is so warm and homey. i could feel at home in this house. I found it funny that someone thought this all appeared cluttered - not to me, but then my style would best be described as "haphazard!" I thought it was well thought out and even restrained, subtle and understated.

Congratulations on doing a beautiful job and thanks for sharing! :)

I agree with Lulu, this house is not cluttered. These photos show a real home, which looks comfortable and beautiful, not over-decorated.

Hey All-
Thanks for the continued interest:

firefly30- The ceiling fan is an Acero by Minka Aire. To purchase it, I searched the Internet to find the one with the cheapest price.

junklover- You're right. I do need a great piece of art for the 2nd bedroom. I'm sure I will happen upon it eventually.

nobuofsaintecroix- Yes I believe it is 1150 square feet or 1152 to be exact. One reason it may look so large is when I redid the kitchen, it felt like that space doubled in size. My architect really maximized storage and made the most of the space. Also I think using decorator white on the trim through out along with the big windows that let in so much light and bright colors on the walls all contribute to making it feel airy and roomy. Unfortunately, I don't have a floor plan. There is a kitchen plan on the Mowery Marsh Architect site.

LuluParis- Yes the throw pillows on the sofa are made of old bark cloth. They were a lucky find when shopping with my Mom over 10 years ago.