Name: Jennifer Hewett
Location: Inner Sunset, San Francsco, CA
Size: 1100 square foot 2 br/1 bath
Years lived in: 13
We first saw a snippet of Jennifer Hewett's bright and beautiful home in a Flickr Find here on Apartment Therapy. Now, back by popular demand, we have the opportunity to take a look at Jennifer's entire home! A fantastic mix of found and vintage treasures, Jennifer's home is a light-filled haven for furniture with a provenance.
Jennifer Hewett has a passion for bringing in the old and making it new. Almost every part of her apartment is furnished with vintage pieces, used furniture or fantastic found items. With a little patience, ingenuity, and creativity, she has made one person's trash into a beautiful apartment. As an artist, herself, she has really given her home a personal touch with a lot of her own artwork. Take a look at Jennifer's handiwork, and try not to be jealous of her vintage finds, beautiful artwork, and amazing natural light!
AT Survey:
My style: Vintage, used and found (that somehow all work together).
Inspiration: Found objects. I pick up other people’s discarded furniture all the time – my nightstands, the doors I turned into tables, the red chairs in the entryway which didn’t have seats when I found them.
Favorite Element: The windows, which make my apartment so bright and airy. Every room except for my kitchen has bay windows.
Biggest Challenge: My studio/office/dining room is a large room that serves many purposes. It has three distinct work areas, but I didn’t want the room to look like three separate rooms mashed into one.
What Friends Say: That it feels like a real home – a welcoming, comfortable space. They’re also often jealous about how much space I have and how much light I get.
Biggest Embarrassment: My bed. I’ve been meaning to buy a headboard for 13 years now, but have never gotten around to it. I think I’m secretly hoping that I’ll find one on the street!
Proudest DIY: My tables made from antique doors. My friends had created a similar table from a door they salvaged when they remodeled their house. I wanted to make my own, but didn’t know where to find them. I was walking Jake one morning and found two doors in someone’s trash pile. I carried both home (each probably weighs more than 40 lbs) and up the stairs, and attached some IKEA legs to them. I started to sand them with a borrowed belt sander, but the dust from it hosed my computer so I stopped. One day I’ll get around to finishing stripping them.
Biggest Indulgence: … My living room furniture. A friend was moving into a new house with her fiancé, and she offered to sell me her old, barely-used, living room furniture, which included a couch and two chairs. It was quite expensive for me at the time but I’m glad I bought it. I’ve had the set for six years, and she had it for four years before that. Quality furniture is worth the price.
Best advice: Received – “A clean house is a calm house.” Thanks, Mom.
Given – don’t rush to furnish a place. You’ll often end up spending too much money on expensive pieces, or buying cheap, throwaway filler. A home develops organically, so take your time.
Dream source: When I first moved to San Francisco, the city used to host neighborhood big item collection days. Do you remember those? Everyone in one neighborhood would put out their old furniture and other bulky items on a designated day and the trash collectors would pick it up early the next morning. That’s my dream source.
Resources:
Appliances
Wedgewood stove that is probably 60 years old. My landlord’s elderly father keeps offering to replace it with something new, but I keep refusing. It’s just like the stove I grew up with, and it works just fine. Plus, it’s beautiful.
Furniture
Living room – Couch, chairs, rug were all bought used from a friend. I don’t even know the brands. The two wood chests are from the Philippines. The smaller was a gift from an aunt when I visited the country for the first time (I was seven at the time); it’s inlaid with caribou horn. The larger is an antique that my mom dismantled and shipped back to me about 10 years ago; it’s inlaid with mother of pearl. The shelves were salvaged from my last employer’s office move.
Bedroom – My parents gave me the dresser when I moved into the apartment. My dad had found it at a yard sale and stripped off layers of paint. I stained it. My vanity/desk was purchased from a now-closed vintage shop in my neighborhood. My nightstands – which are mid-century and made of teak – are my best finds ever. I found them on the sidewalk six years ago.
Studio/Dining Room/Office – The tables are salvaged doors that I added legs to. The teak chairs were purchased at a neighbor’s yard sale (she also had a matching table and sideboard; I still regret not buying the set, but a dealer beat me to those). Shelves are Blu Dot and were purchased used through Craigslist. Bertoia chair knockoff was also purchased used through Craigslist.
Accessories
I’m not big on collecting things except for vases since I do like to have fresh flowers in the house. I have a few milk glass pieces, which are all thrifted. The huge vase in my studio/dining room/office was from Goodwill.
Lighting
The chandelier in my studio/dining room/office is from IKEA, as are my bedside table lamps. All other lamps are yard sale finds.
Paint
Kelly-Moore! I love that place.
Rugs and Carpets
Because I have a dog, I prefer plain, durable rugs. With the exception of my living room and bedroom rugs, all rugs and runners are from Crate and Barrel or IKEA. The living room rug was purchased with that room’s furniture. The bedroom rug was one of the first things I purchased for my apartment. I think I’ve had it for 13 years.
Window Treatments
I made all the curtains in my apartment. The living room and dining room/studio/office curtains were made from Urban Outfitters bedspreads which I tailored to fit my windows. I made my bedroom curtains from some fabric I bought at Calico Corners. Buying pre-made floor length curtains for my huge, San Francisco windows would have been very expensive.
Artwork
Most of the artwork is my own work. I’m a printmaker and am starting to run out of wall space for my prints! I purchased the Berkeley Bike Show poster when I was in college. The orchid print in the living room is Susan Gantner, and the elephant print is Kate Durkin. I painted, printed, or photographed pretty much everything else in my apartment.
**Jennifer's prints are available on her Etsy shop here!**
(Thanks, Jennifer!)
Images: Jennifer Hewett
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
That's really feminine and charming (and really not my own personal style, but I can definitely appreciate it for someone else!).
view fabframes's profile
Beautiful place Jennifer!!
I especially love the corner in the bedroom with the white vintage table and stool.
And your living room curtains are beautifully done too.
Very calm and serene place.
view supriya's profile
I lust after a refurbished Wedgewood stove and totally envy that you have one. I also love the embroidered coverlet on the bed. Lovely place. Full of personality.
view mntwmyn 's profile
It is a lovely place, that blue chair looks so comfy.
is the material for your pillows from repro depot, it looks familiar?
And i was curious about leaving the doorknob in the door, was there a reason?
Your dog is a cutey and seems to enjoy the camera.
thanks for sharing!
view sassydo's profile
I see that the adjectives that came to mind while viewing your pictures have already been mentioned here, but I'll repeat them: charming, serene, lovely. And I'll add: artistic. Love your use of the old doors. Also love the scallop-edged bookcase/niche. Also love and share your 'found object' aesthetic. Also love... well, everything!
view mirandabee's profile
Really imaginative use of materials.
And I like that the entire place feels eclectic. The vanity is very nice, where did you get it from? And did you have to do any work to it, or did it come that way? Also, what do you use said vanity for, cause I didn't see a mirror, so I'm assuming not for makeup. Thanks for sharing this lovingly decorated place with us.
view orchidday's profile
Wow, that house is gorgeous. I love the feel it gives off with all the unique furniture and great light from the windows. I think I'm going to try and take my house in a similar direction, incorporating modern and antique pieces throughout the house, coupled with some contemporary bedroom furniture for my private space. This is a beautiful example of how to decorate a house with taste and style.
view lsmith*'s profile
I have such a pet peeve about curtains being tied or knotted in the middle! It just looks so... not very attractive. But i guess that's my issue and i'm dealing with it... Other than that, cool use of your space. I like that your furniture is found and rehabbed, it gives me lots of inspiration for my similarly budget challenged apartment. :)
http://www.tangiedecor.blogspot.com
view LTangie's profile
Can you tell me where you bought the graphic blue, yellow, and brown pillows that are on your couch?
view honeybee22's profile
Thanks for the nice comments, everyone!
@orchidday - I bought the vanity at a now-defunct store called "Present Past" which used to be on Irving Street. I haven't done anything to it but cover the seat in the striped fabric. I use it as a writing desk.
@honeybee22 - I made the pillows myself, using a Thomas Paul fabric I bought at Calico Corners (of all places).
@sassydo - The doorknobs were too difficult to remove, so I just left them on. I'm not much of a perfectionist.
view jenhewett's profile
I was going to comment that the hallway is my favorite part of your house, but I didn't want to have that to seem insulting. Now that I know you created the artwork that makes the hallway special (in addition to that great trim), I'll go ahead and say it! There's something very appealing about that space.
view kelleyk's profile
The dining room chairs are wonderful. And also, the dresser is excellent. All in all, a beautifully put-together home.
Emily
view Emily Sneds's profile
Those hat perches (not sure what to call them) are so cute! Where did you get them? Very cute place!
view Lizzykewl's profile
very cute!
view devotchka138's profile
vintage door=very cool headboard. I made one once and it turned out great
view hippyvieja's profile
I love what you've done with the place! It's beautiful. I'm so envious.
I was disappointed that I couldn't find a shot of the nightstands you talked about. Is there any way to get a pic of those?
Also, do you find the uneven surface of the door makes it difficult to actually eat on it?
view thatmeggirl's profile
everything matches, even the colors! that takes a lot of skill to do that.. my stuff is nothing like that.. ;[
view clancyslover's profile
OOH aah and I am amazed by the perfect choice of fabric in which you recovered all items!
view mihaela's profile
Excellent photography.
A nice mix of old and new, and I like the Chippendale style bedroom table.
view Wheathills's profile
beautiful home! We have a very similar Bay-window area in our bedroom that is still empty. I've been thinking very hard how I can use/decorate that space. The way Jennifer did it is very nice, though not necessarily my style. I wonder if Jennifer or anybody else has some other ideas? I kind of donot want a chair/chaise there.
view blackadderin10's profile
bo diddly I like that bedspread...and the dauchund print above the couch...and that adorable doggie.
view ec05's profile
@ thatmegirl: a not-very-good photo of one of the nightstands: http://jenhewett.blogspot.com/2008/09/universe-sent-me-these-nightstands.html
view jenhewett's profile
Lovely place.
Where did this chair come from?
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/uimages/sf/8.13.09%20jen%20house%20tour%204.jpg
I've been looking for some chairs like this to use as dining chairs.
view yespositively's profile
@yespositively - that chair was an estate sale find. I recovered the seat with fabric I bought (from daisyjanie) on etsy.
view jenhewett's profile
i love your place. your dog's a cutie patootie!
view formosagirl's profile
Beautiful home! totally personal and ecclectic.... i love the sweet peas, the chest as coffee table and I adore curtains tied in the middle! ;)
It's so nice to see a house tour from my neighborhood, which I adore, and double nice that it's such a lovely home... I think this neighborhood has especially fabulous street finds. My boyfriend and I have scored some awesome peices so far that i can't even believe someone would put on the street unless they were hoping someone like us would find them.
Also, I double the salvaged door as headboard concept. It would nicely echo your awesome table and be super easy. Also have you considered a thrifted wrought-iron piece, perhaps repainted?
view Jesse Lu's profile
Love your place. I'm doing the same thing with my downtown SF apartment...buying things off of Craigslist (since we don't have the big ticket item collection thing) though I have found stuff on the sidewalk... I love your writing desk in the bay window. And really envy your Wedgewood stove. Kudos to you and your dog is as cute as mine, though much bigger.
view Salon du Trendyloin's profile
I love the fact that the kitchen floor and countertops are untouched by any recent redecorating. Jennifer--you have a wonderful eye and a cute cute dog.
view bcthree's profile
I don't usually go for feminine places, but something compelled me to click through the tour anyway, and I'm so glad I did! Beautiful, such a comfortable feeling.
view kiddo katsu's profile
lovely place
view wearaddiction's profile