Name: Torin
Location: Providence, Rhode Island
Size: 3 Bedrooms
Years lived in: 3
Torin, a jewelry designer, turned her expertise for fashioning vintage beads into gorgeous colorful bangles toward refurbishing inexpensive antique furniture and, in the process, created a light, family-friendly home.
A dedicated thrifter (she clued me in to at least five amazing local shops that I'd never even heard of), Torin sees potential in pieces that another might dismiss as junk. With a creative eye for paint and fabrics, she's updated or reupholstered almost all of the furniture in her home — all the more impressive considering she has a 2 year-old son and another baby on the way. The result feels modest and luxurious, with surprising elements in areas that are often overlooked: pink botanical wallpaper transforms the back hallway into a colorful jewel box and the sophisticated half bath is made dramatic with black fixtures and a Toleware chandelier. Most importantly, Torin has designed a space that feels mature without sacrificing the playfulness and personality that make a house a home.
Apartment Therapy Survey:
My style: Eclectic, shabby chic, retro
Inspiration: Fabrics, color, Josef Frank, Scalamandé, Schumacher
Favorite Element: Center hall, half bath, wallpapered back hall
Biggest Challenge: The kitchen needs an update without losing the look/feel
Biggest Embarrassment: The medium blue paint on the trim throughout
Proudest DIY: The half bath, the dining room
Biggest Indulgence: Paint and wallpaper in the hall
Best advice: Buy things you love! You can always find the link between that new item and another old item.
Dream source: Anthropologie, tag sales, antique stores, Benefit Street Antiques, Acushnet River Antiques, Arts & Interiors
Resources of Note:
Hardware: Adler's
Furniture: Vintage
Lighting: Toleware lighting
Rugs and Carpets: West Elm, Pottery Barn
Window Treatments: handmade
Artwork: Andrew Moon Bain, Peg Richards, my Mom
Paint: Benjamin Moore Aura
Flooring: Sanded Refinished Pine Floors
Thanks, Torin!
Images: Sarah Rainwater
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The Kitchen, Dining Room, Master and Guest Bedrooms and Powder Room are lovely...
(tho I had to do a double-take: initially thought the powder room was in the kitchen since it uses the same toile)
...and the wallpaper in the back hall is quite nice, but it seems so out of place - it doesn't work at all w/ the baby-nursery colors of the front hall much less the rest of the house.
But what's up w/ the living room???
Looks like she had some nice pieces for that room and shoved them into the guest-room to make a school/playroom for her kids...
...and that little metal chair/desk in the front hall brings back terrifying memories of elementary-school.
Where exactly does one find inexpensive antique furniture?
@canadiancook : old people in small towns.
Canadian-- you can find amazing things on ebay but you have to refinish/paint them... or do like I do and find someone good (and inexpensive) to do it for you!
Torrin-- speaking of which-- what's the pale blue color paint you used on the dressers in your bedrooms. It's so perfect, like Swedish Gustavian. It's amazing.
Beautiful house and great jewelries. :)
what works for me most of all is the dining room--love that faded palette. I appreciate the vision in the rest of the house, though as a whole it's not my cup of tea.
where's the lovely swoop chair in the children's room from? Would *love* to have that in the sunny reading nook of my office.
OMG I can totally sink into that chair right about now.
I had to dig up my forgotten log-in info just so I could comment on this beautiful, personal, welcoming home. Not everything here is "my" style, but it's just so captivating. Especially the colors, plants, wallpaper, overall whimsy. I also have a toddler in the house, and this encourages me to get out there more and search for thrifted gems for our home. Speaking of wee ones, how you keep that plant stand upright is something I'd like to know :) But, I do love your home.
I'm interested to know how you refurbished your white dining room chairs. The look beautifully whitewashed or done with liming paste. Did you strip them first? How did you achieve this great look?
Torin, your home is lovely and your jewellery is amazing! Where do you sell it?
dining room- white wash chairs- use stiff natural bristle brush, little paint on it.
1st coat- (Benj moore warm white or creamy/ivory) then just coat unevenly, let dry sand a bit with coarse sandpaper,
2nd coat-Ben Moore,paint with super white, sand again done.
If chairs are already painted just prime or use exsisting color as base for depth of color.
Master bedroom, dressers- BenMoore enamel paint, older colors, grey cashmere, smoke, paints are enamel and smelly--result is worth it.
Prime first.
Jewelry availiable- Down Under Jewelry, thames street, Newport RI. jewelry made with vintage glass beads from 30-50's colors are opaque, vivid & amazing!!!! I am obsessed with the yellow!
So lovely!
Like: black and cream bathroom (very Coco Chanel), couch in guest bedroom, lamp in dining room
So pretty. I especially like the dining room and the tole chandelier in the powder room.
Love the dining area
totally dig the master. the color is perfect.
Very pretty and love the dining room. Master bedroom too. As most have already said - lovely and thanks for sharing!
My mother taught me that if you can't say anything nice, then don't say anything at all.....so I will stop here.
Love the powder room!
Hmmm - has signs of greatness but a bit too all over the place for me
Keisha, it's obvious that the lesson didn't really take.
The dining room, while not my personal style, was really well executed. I do love that chandelier!
That eat-in kitchen nook is one of the cutest I've ever seen on AT. Did you paint that scroll pattern on the wall to mimic bistro chairs? I just love that black and white kitchen with the pop of blue. Kudos!
Lovely. Looks so peaceful!
I love when you do Providence tours! I live in Pvd and the apartments are so old and unique, I love seeing how different residents work with interesting Providence spaces.
very nice--like the colors and also how serene everything is. totally love the black in the restroom. couldn't get a feel of the space of the living room though from the photos.
What can I say. I'm in love.
Love that Maharajah chair. It combines to of my favorite elements Asian and sky blue.
wow, this home reminds me a lot of ours, I love it!
Everything about this home is sublime.
Where did you get that fun elephant chair (or the upholstery for it)?