Tara Wendler, her husband, their son, and a dog named Finn all share this two-bedroom, 1100-square-foot loft in downtown Salem, Massachusetts. “The first thing that attracted me to this space was all of the beautiful ornate windows,” Tara begins. “The natural light is amazing. I love drinking my coffee and watching the sunrise every morning.”

“The windows and open space create a wonderful feeling of being part of the outdoors and nature while still being inside,” Tara writes. “We also have a great view of the Halloween activities that go on here in Salem, but we can keep our sanity while enjoying them from the privacy of our home.”

The character of the apartment also drew the family to this space. “This building is over 200 years old,” Tara explains, saying that she really enjoys “living in a building and city with so much history.”

But, while the building’s historic character has been maintained, Tara and her family’s home is anything but old or stuffy looking. “Color really affects my mood so everything I have is in a similar color palette. Pastels and cool colors keep me calm and grounded,” she explains of her home decor style, which she describes as a mix of natural woods and calming colors. “I also love natural wood, plants, and art. I don’t know if I necessarily have a style; some pieces just speak to me and when that happens I usually end up buying them.”

• Happy bird picture in the living room — Anthropologie
• Blue, pink, and cream chairs in the living room — Anthropologie
• Dusty pink living room rug — Lorena Canals
• Living area bookcase and carved stool — Anthropologie
• Office nook wall hanging — West Elm
• Office nook desk — Anthropologie
• Office nook velvet pink chair — Target
• Bedding — Anthropologie and Toast
• Bedroom lamp — Anthropologie
• Bedroom mirror— Anthropologie
• Bedroom pillows — Lulu and Georgia
• Bedroom rug — Serena and Lily
• The ladder and plant are from local Salem stores: Oak & Moss and Spruce. I bought the sheepskin rug from Etsy

Thanks, Tara!

This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.

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