Name: Rich and Emily and their daughter
Location: Somerville, Massachusetts
Size: 2000 square feet
Years lived in: 3 — owned
I tend to be a little Jamaica Plain-centric with my house tours so it's always fun when I scooch on over to the other side of the river for a house tour. Rich and Emily's Somerville home was well worth the trek!
Their condo includes the second and third floor of a two-family house. There were more than a few things about Rich and Emily's place that surprised and delighted me, but here are the stand-outs:
The black trim. I LOVE the black trim. They pull it off beautifully. It adds a simple elegance to their entire home, even in their daughter's otherwise pink and white room. It's perfect.
Speaking of simple elegance, I love how curated and uncluttered their space feels, each furnishing or decoration serving a clear purpose, functional or aesthetic. And this is no truer than in the kitchen. I LOVE this kitchen, especially how limited the color palette is. The red stools are so striking in an otherwise black, grey, and wood-colored space. Not to mention the unusual and adorable kitchen nook that includes a lovely farm sink, fridge and shelving for dishes.
What's also surprising about Rich and Emily's is how deceivingly spacious it is, which you'd never guess from the curb. And the space is adorned with the most beautiful architectural details. This place really is a gem, that Rich and Emily have only made it more and more beautiful with their TLC and hard work.
Apartment Therapy Survey:
Our Style: Modern. Art-Inspired. Comfortable. Simple.
Inspiration: Stylehive, Apartment Therapy, Architectural Digest, Domino Magazine (so sad it's gone), home decorating shows (often for what we don't like!). A lot of times, we have one thing that we really love--a piece of furniture, a wall color, a piece of art--and we take that as a jumping off point and we design around it and figure out the rest as we go.
Favorite Element: All of the old architectural details, especially the window and door moldings, scallop ceilings, pocket doors, and farmhouse sink.
Biggest Challenge: Time! We're only about half way done renovating our house. Our daughter is just a little over one year old, so most of our free time is spent running after her or relaxing from running after her. We don't have as much time anymore to devote to renovating an old home. Plus, Rich is doing the majority of the work himself, so when we say "we", we really mean him.
Biggest Embarrassment: Our bathrooms. They're falling apart. One is a beautiful shade of puke yellow and purple. We can't wait to redo it.
Proudest DIY: Most of it, because it's almost all DIY. Before we moved in, the apartment had been occupied by a series of renters for decades, and had hardly been touched since the 1970s, we'd imagine. So, it was in pretty rough shape and we've had to significantly fix up all of the walls and woodwork. Plus, we've been living in it at the same time as we're renovating, which can be extra challenging.
Biggest Indulgence: Some pieces of furniture that we really wanted--the noguchi coffee table and the Nelson Swag Leg Desk in particular.
Best Advice: Be patient if you're doing renovations yourself. However long you think something might take--double it! Triple it!
Dream Sources: Having things custom made, Moss, eBay if we had unlimited funds to buy original modern furniture, Gagosian for contemporary art.
Resources of Note:
PAINT & COLORS
- • Living Room and Dining Room - Walls: Benjamin Moore Dove Wing, Trim: Benjamin Moore White
• Kitchen - Benjamin Moore Mountain Mist
• Family Room - Benjamin Moore Williamsburg Blue
• Guest Room - Benjamin Moore Cloud
• Daughter's Room - Benjamin Moore Pink Cadillac
• Black Trimwork: Benjamin Moore Black
LIVING ROOM
- • Couch: Crate & Barrel Petra
• Bench: Knock-off Nelson
• Overhead Light: CB2
• Rug: Overstock
• Lamp: Target
DINING ROOM
- • Chairs: West Elm
• Mini Couch: Vintage
• Table: Filene's Basement
• Rug: Flor
• Yellow House Photograph: Remi Thornton
KITCHEN
- • Cabinets, Island, Shelves: Ikea
• Hanging Light: Yale Electric
• Artwork: Shepard Fairey
FAMILY ROOM
- • Couch: Crate & Barrel Lounge
• Coffee Table: Vintage L. Pontoppidan
• Curtains: West Elm
• Rug: Lechmere Rug
• Desk: Nelson Swag Leg
• Toy Boxes: Serena & Lily
GUEST BEDROOM
- • Side Tables: Pier 1
• Bedding: Target
• Lamps: Target
• Rug: West Elm
DAUGHTER'S BEDROOM
- • Crib: Oeuf
• Curtains and Rug: Pottery Barn
• Chair: Vintage faux-Eames
• Lamp: West Elm
Thanks, Rich and Emily!
Images: Kyle Freeman
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Comments (57)
I dig the black doors. Looks great!
Nice rooms its a great look. The brand Nuevo furniture sells a lot of these looks.
LOVE the black doors! I cant wait to try it!
Very serene. Whatever Kaul says, the color combo with the pink and grey in the nursery is lovely. If you have enough love you don't need all the color!
I like the mix of dining room chairs. The legs on the kitchen cabinets looks cool and Nice Desk!
Looks amazing! Great job!
Love it, especially the combination of wall colors in the dining room and kitchen, and the way the black pops in the dining room.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the gray paint in the guest bedroom, but I cant find a color in Benjamin Moore called Cloud...are you sure thats the right color? Would love to know!
Excellent overall job.
Black doors wouldn't work just anywhere, but are successful here because of the splashes of black throughout the decor to tie it all together. In fact, the color choices throughout seem very well made. Even the pink baby's room looks great and I am typically NOT a fan of pink!
The one bit of constructive criticism I have is that the dining room chandelier is rather diminutive in stature. The spaces seems to be calling for something more pronounced and noticeable.
@jessman85m, thank you for the uplifting post. I'm glad the negative comment seems to have been deleted. It looks to me like these folks have eliminated the clutter and carefully chosen things they really need. A simple life is less stressful! And I vote yes for the black doors as well, super cool!
You saved my life! That's the color I was looking for and couldn't remember the name. The living room color. Thanks! Awesome job! I absolutely love it!
The kitchen is by far my favorite part of the house. Do you know what table you are using with the red stools? It would fit perfectly in my kitchen. Thanks!
The upstairs hallway is screaming for some art...if you want to keep it simple maybe stick with black and white as a them....sketches, b&w photos etc.
Nice work.
"theme" not them....doh!
I really like that island... how long ago did ikea carry it? Or is it not sold as an island?
Is the Benjamin Moore color in the guest room "Cumulus Cloud" maybe?
The negative comment was a harsh, true, but it was a fair opinion. What's with the whitewashing of the comments??
although this home is lovely, i am disappointed that AT seems to be featuring more homes on larger scales. i regarding this site as a great resource for smaller homes and apartments, but now it seems like it has gravitated toward homes that are above most people's budgets. seems like the "apartment" part of "apartment therapy" has gone missing?
Love the hall lighting + gray crib! AT - 2000 sq ft?
Definitely the coolest Somerville space I've ever seen. Not a single Christmas Tree Shops item, and no Bob's Furniture marshmallow-like sofas. ;)
I'm torn. On the one hand, the palette is perfect, the furnitures are perfect, their arrangement is perfect too. Everything seems in place, and the apartment has a clean and serene look to it that I love.
On the other hand, it really borders on sterile. The corridor is a blank box without anything but tracklights, the walls are bare, and the lack of window treatment on those beautiful dining room windows is chilly. Time to put some art on the walls !
Still, after three years of renovation, this is amazing !
Very nice house. Amazing!
filip (at) cheaphomedecor.us
I adore this house. Love the George Nelson desk.
Just wondering - is their d/w really back in the alcove? How about some art in the gorgeous hallway?
Very nice and clean, not cluttered. Love the paint choice in the family room, and the color of the crib. Well done!
I really really like this. My home is similar and it's gone through many style & color changes. I've also incorporated black, (dining room corner cupboard built-in and widow trim, lower kitchen cabinets etc). The black accents finally made sense of everything. I like the modern elements that have added to rather than distracted from the homes original character. You've inspired me to focus on pieces I really love rather than hanging on to things i inherited.
Very elegant.
The restraint in decoration by wall art and knick knacks really does makes this home seem spacious. Its architectural detail makes it look rich.
I love the pops of red in the kitchen. This is a very nice and decluttered home.
Can you please provide the paint color for the family room?
What model kitchen island is that from IKEA?
Paint color in FR is Benjamin Moore Williamsburg Blue
Yes, we know about the hallway art. I literally just finished painting it before the shoot. Have night photographs slated for 1 entire wall.
great tour. i especially like the kitchen. it has given me some good inspiration, as i have been trying to imagine a totally new approach to my kitchen. the grey cabinets are very classy!
All that's missing is me!
IKEA DACKE Kitchen Island. Not sure if they still sell it but there is an example and link on Furniture Reporter: http://www.furniturereporter.com/news/page/12
Glad to hear you're putting up more pictures, that's more to my personal taste :). But LOVE the color palette, thanks for listing all the paint you used!
I like this house very much.. very relaxing..
This is such a nice change from Apartment Therapy's usual eclectic apartments. Don't get me wrong, I am all for the eclectic! It lents itself well to my sad pocket book but ever once in a while, a calm clean crisp space like this is a breath of fresh air
Somethings missing. The red kitchen stools have punch, but the rest of the house is like being on downers. Too soothing...
Wow I just decided the other day to paint all of my interior doors black and here they are for me to see how it looks in real life. I love it! Beautiful house, but I think the chandelier over the dining table looks puny. I think a grand mama chandelier is in order.
Your kitchen is darling!!
*kitchen alcove
Very cute place. Nice to see something in my native somerville as opposed to the same tired jamaica plain condos with deep pockets!
are your tall baseboards one piece or two piece (built up?)
love the whole place, just gorgeous, would the bedroom color happen to be Benjamin Moore thundercloud gray?
Well done space. Calmness and serenity reign here as opposed to the over done cartoonish style of many of AT's tour houses.
What is the wall color of the bedroom??
The bedroom color is: Ben moore cumulus cloud
# 1550
Baseboards are two piece moldings.
I'm with Loora above. I appreciate the minimalist elegance, and yet the space is so composed that the "Obey" art in the dining room doesn't seem ironic but rather literal.
I absolutely love the Family room and would love to use that color in my bedroom. I went to a Benjamin Moore retailer and they told me that Ben Moore doesn't make Williamsburg Blue. Is this possibly Phillipsburg Blue? I want it! :)
Size doesn't matter. It's about great taste and style.
Love, love, love this. Tranquil with a confident edit - NOT sterile!
Beautifully done, I can't even imagine what any negative comment could have possibly been about.
The "unusual and adorable kitchen nook" is called a pantry. The "farm sink" is what appears to be the original porcelain sink commonly found in Boston area apartments of this era. This was a great feature of some of the old apartments I lived in back in the 70's and 80's. You could leave the dirty dishes, pots and pans out of sight until you were ready to face them. The deep, double-sided sink was wonderful for dish washing. You could then dry your dishes and put them on the nearby shelves, never needing to take more than a few steps!
Just so so lovely and well done. One of my favorite tours. Elegant, simple, respectful of the past. Congratulations on an exceptional job.